Frequently asked questions

Yes, at the right value. A property, or several combined, worth at least AED 2 million qualifies the owner for a ten-year renewable residency, with spouse and children included. Since 2022 the home can be mortgaged or bought off-plan from an approved developer, and there is no minimum stay in the country. We prepare the Land Department valuation letter and the application with you as part of the purchase.

Freehold means you own the property and its share of the land outright and in perpetuity, and can sell it, let it or leave it to your heirs. Leasehold gives you the right to the property for a fixed term, usually up to 99 years, after which it reverts to the freeholder. Every area we work in, from the Palm and Emirates Hills to Jumeirah Bay, Dubai Hills, Downtown, the Marina and Business Bay, is designated freehold and open to buyers of any nationality.

Yes, and no. A passport is all a buyer of any nationality needs to purchase in a freehold area; there is no residency requirement and no income test. If you cannot be here for the transfer, a power of attorney lets a partner sign on your behalf at the trustee office, and the price is paid by manager's cheque or bank transfer on the day.

The Dubai Land Department transfer fee is 4% of the price plus a small administration charge, and the trustee office charges around AED 4,000 to register the transfer. The agency fee is 2% plus VAT. With a mortgage, add the bank's arrangement fee, usually up to 1%, the valuation, and a 0.25% mortgage registration fee. We set every figure out in writing before you commit to anything.

Once terms are agreed, a cash sale usually completes in two to four weeks: the Form F contract, the developer's no-objection certificate, then transfer at the trustee office. A buyer with a mortgage adds two to four weeks for the bank. As the seller you pay the NOC fee, typically AED 500 to 5,000 depending on the developer, and settle service charges to the date of transfer; the buyer pays the transfer fee and, unless agreed otherwise, the agency fee.

Developers sell from plans on staged payments: typically 10 to 20% on booking, further instalments tied to construction milestones, and the balance at handover. Some offer post-handover plans that spread the final 30 to 40% over two to five years after you have the keys. Every payment goes into a Land Department escrow account, released to the developer only as construction is certified, and the purchase is registered as an Oqood, an interim title, for a 4% fee.

Service charges fund the upkeep of the building or community: security, landscaping, pools, lifts and the reserve fund for major works. They are set per square foot each year by the owners' association, approved by RERA and paid through the Mollak system, usually quarterly. As a guide, villa communities run from about AED 3 to 8 per square foot a year and towers from AED 15 to 35. We obtain the current rate and the last two years' accounts for any home before you buy.

Handover is usually two to four years from launch, and the sales agreement gives the developer a grace period, commonly six to twelve months, beyond the anticipated date. When completion is certified you inspect and snag the home, settle the final instalment and the outstanding registration, and the Oqood is converted into a title deed in your name. We manage the snagging and the handover for the owners we act for.

Yes, with a permit. Holiday homes in Dubai are licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism, which registers the unit, sets the standard it must meet and collects a tourism fee per night. Palm Holidays holds the operator's licence, so an owner's home can be listed, managed and looked after under it, for a week or a season, with a partner on call throughout.