BUY · COLLECTING REQUESTS
Buying in Dubai? Start with the numbers.
The buyer side opens in stages. Tell us what you are looking for and we come back with matching properties and the transaction data behind each one — sold comparables, service charges, handover risk.
Early access · We reply within two working days
WHEN YOUR REQUEST IS MATCHED
Four things a portal listing will never tell you
Verified ownership
Who is actually on the title deed, and whether the person selling has the authority to sell.
Sold comparables
What units in that exact building and size band actually transacted at, from DLD records — not asking prices.
Service-charge history
AED per sqft and how it has moved over three years. This is the number that quietly eats a yield.
Handover and payment plan
For off-plan: the handover record of that developer, and what the payment plan really commits you to.
COSTS
What buying actually costs
Indicative figures. Confirm the exact amounts at the registration trustee office before you transfer anything.
Item
Typical amount
Who normally pays
DLD transfer fee
4% of the price + AED 580 admin
Paid by: Buyer
Registration trustee office
AED 2,000 under AED 500k, AED 4,000 above, + 5% VAT
Paid by: Buyer
Title deed issuance
AED 250
Paid by: Buyer
Agency commission
2% of the price + 5% VAT
Paid by: Buyer
Developer NOC
AED 500 – 5,000
Paid by: Seller
Mortgage registration
0.25% of the loan + AED 290
Paid by: Buyer
Valuation (if financed)
AED 2,500 – 3,500
Paid by: Buyer
THE REQUEST
What we ask you
Buyer request — nine questions
- · Property type and bedrooms
- · Areas, or “recommend me some”
- · Budget range in AED
- · Purpose: to live in, or to let out
- · Payment: cash or mortgage (and pre-approval status)
- · Ready or off-plan
- · Timeline
- · Residency status in the UAE
- · Name, email, WhatsApp, preferred contact language
FOR BUYERS
What we can do for you
Apartment prices are down across most submarkets — Palm Jumeirah 9%, Downtown and Business Bay 7%. A falling market punishes buyers who price from a brochure.
Handover Radar
FreeHow many comparable homes are being handed over in that community this quarter, and what that does to the price you should be paying.
Open the Radar →Property Report
AED 499A written analysis of one property before you commit: sold comparables, the service charge and its three-year trend, net yield after costs, handover record if it is off-plan, and what the exit looks like.
Order now · coming soonTHROUGH PARTNERS
Things we do not do ourselves
- · Viewings and negotiation — we introduce you to a licensed agent
- · Mortgage arrangement — we introduce you to a broker
- · Conveyancing and the trustee office — we introduce you to a conveyancer
- · Power of attorney and PRO work — we introduce you to a service agent
No prices here on purpose — tell us what you need and we come back with a quote.
BUY · GUIDE
What it costs to buy property in Dubai in 2026
The 4% transfer fee
The Dubai Land Department charges 4% of the purchase price plus an AED 580 administrative fee. It is customarily paid by the buyer, although the split is a matter of agreement and moves in a softer market.
Service charges are the quiet cost
Service charges are billed per square foot per year and vary enormously between buildings — a tower with extensive amenities can carry two or three times the charge of a plain one nearby. Ask for three years of history, not this year’s figure.
Off-plan versus ready
Off-plan buying spreads payment across a plan and carries a handover date that may move. Ready property costs more per square foot but the rent starts immediately. The right answer depends on whether you need the yield now or the capital later.
Who can buy, and where
Foreign nationals can own freehold in designated areas of Dubai. Elsewhere, ownership is leasehold for a fixed term. Check the area’s status before you pay a deposit, not after.