How off-plan buying works in Dubai
An off-plan purchase in Dubai follows the same basic path whichever developer you buy from:
- Reservation. You choose a unit, sign a reservation form and pay the booking amount set by the developer.
- Sale and purchase agreement (SPA). The SPA fixes the price, the payment plan, the expected completion date and the unit specification. Read the clauses on delays, changes to the unit and what happens if you miss a payment.
- Interim registration. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) records off-plan sales in its initial (interim) register before the building is finished. DLD describes this as registering sales contracts off-plan "before transferring them to the real estate registry" to preserve the rights of owners and investors.
- Instalments during construction. Payments are usually linked to construction milestones. DLD states that when a developer asks for a payment tied to a completion stage, you are entitled to see the completion percentage, confirmed by the project consultant approved by DLD.
- Handover and title deed. When the project is complete, you pay the balance due at handover, the unit is inspected and snagged, and the title deed is issued in your name.
How your money is protected: escrow and project checks
Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007 requires every developer selling off-plan to open an escrow account for the project. According to the DLD, all amounts received from off-plan buyers go into that account, money is released to contractors and consultants only as construction milestones are confirmed, only 5% of total sales can be paid out for marketing, and 5% is retained for one year after completion to cover defects.
Before you pay anything, check three things:
- The project is registered and has an escrow account. You can look it up with the DLD Real Estate Project Status service or the Dubai REST app.
- The payment details in your SPA are the project escrow account, not a personal or general company account.
- The developer holds a RERA advertising permit for the project. DLD says advertising a project without one exposes the developer to legal action.
What it costs on top of the price
DLD's published fee schedule for a sale includes a transfer fee of 4% of the sale value, a registration trustee fee of AED 2,100 for properties under AED 500,000 or AED 4,200 at AED 500,000 and above, a title deed fee of AED 250, a map fee, and AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. A mortgage adds 0.25% of the loan amount. Our DLD fees and buying costs guide walks through each line.
If you plan to use a mortgage on an off-plan unit, the Central Bank of the UAE caps the loan at 50% of the value for any property bought off-plan, whoever the buyer is. Most buyers therefore fund the construction-period instalments themselves and finance part of the balance at handover.
Where Dubai's off-plan supply is
New launches come from every part of the city, but the areas buyers ask about most are these. We cover the first three in depth:
- Downtown Dubai: Emaar's district around Burj Khalifa. Mostly ready stock with occasional launches.
- Dubai Hills Estate: a 2,700-acre Emaar and Meraas community with ready homes and ongoing phases.
- Palm Jumeirah: Nakheel's island, with luxury and branded launches beside resale villas and apartments.
- Dubai Creek Harbour, Emaar Beachfront and Business Bay: waterfront and canal-side towers.
- Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Arjan and Dubailand Residence Complex: mid-market apartments from many developers.
- Dubai Islands, Dubai South and MBR City: large master plans with long pipelines.
Which developers to compare
Our directory lists the developers active in Dubai, grouped as master developers (for example Emaar, Nakheel, Meraas and Dubai Holding's other brands), luxury and premium names (such as Omniyat, Sobha, Ellington and Select Group) and mid-market developers (such as Binghatti, Danube, Azizi and Samana). Each has its own page with the areas it builds in and the public sources we used. Browse all developers.
A developer's name is not a guarantee. For each project, compare the delivery record of that developer, the escrow registration, the construction progress published by DLD, the payment plan and the service charges you will pay after handover (DLD publishes a Service Charge Index for existing projects).
How Tarek helps Dubai buyers
Tarek Wazzan is a Senior Property Consultant at NAAS Properties and sells projects from every Dubai developer, plus ready and resale homes. For each shortlist he checks the project registration and escrow on DLD, compares the payment plan against a ready alternative at the same budget, and sets out the full cost including DLD fees and service charges before you reserve.
Master developers in Dubai
- Emaar PropertiesMaster developer · Downtown, Dubai Hills, Creek Harbour, Emaar Beachfront
- NakheelMaster developer · Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai Islands, JVC
- DAMAC PropertiesMaster developer · DAMAC Hills, DAMAC Lagoons, DAMAC Islands
- MeraasMaster developer · City Walk, Bluewaters, La Mer
- Dubai PropertiesMaster developer · JBR, Mudon, Villanova, Serena
- Dubai South PropertiesMaster developer · The Pulse, South Bay, Dubai South
- MeydanMaster developer · Meydan, MBR City, District One
- Majid Al FuttaimMaster developer · Tilal Al Ghaf, Al Zahia
- NshamaMaster developer · Town Square
- Aldar PropertiesMaster developer · Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Dubailand
- Expo City DubaiMaster developer · Expo Valley
- waslMaster developer · Citywide
- AradaMaster developer · Aljada, Masaar, Jumeirah Golf Estates
Frequently asked questions
Is off-plan property in Dubai safe to buy?
Dubai has specific protections. Law No. 8 of 2007 requires off-plan payments to go into a project escrow account, the DLD registers off-plan sales in an interim register, and you can check a project's status on the DLD website or Dubai REST app. Risk remains, so verify the project, the escrow account and the developer's delivery record before paying.
How much deposit do I need for an off-plan apartment in Dubai?
The booking amount and instalment schedule are set by each developer in the payment plan, so they vary by project. On top of the deposit, budget for the DLD transfer fee of 4% of the price and registration fees. If you need a mortgage, UAE Central Bank rules cap off-plan loans at 50% of the property value.
Can foreigners buy off-plan property in Dubai?
Yes. Non-UAE nationals can own property in Dubai's designated freehold areas under Law No. 7 of 2006, and most off-plan launches are in those areas. You can buy as a non-resident with a passport. Some steps can be done remotely or through a registered power of attorney, which DLD accepts for purchases for five years from notarisation.
Can I sell an off-plan property in Dubai before handover?
Often yes. The DLD says a unit or deferred sale contract can be resold before transfer to the land registry after obtaining a no-objection certificate from the developer. Many developers also require a minimum percentage of the price to be paid first, so check the resale clause in your SPA before you buy.
What is Oqood in Dubai?
Oqood is the Dubai Land Department's system for the interim real estate register, where off-plan sales contracts are recorded before a building is complete. Registration in the interim register protects the buyer's rights until the title deed is issued at handover. Your developer normally registers the sale, and you should receive proof of registration.
Get a shortlist for Dubai off-plan
Tell Tarek your budget, timeline and whether you want to live in the home, rent it out or apply for a Golden Visa. He will send matching launches and ready alternatives with the full cost of each, and check registration and escrow with you before you pay.
Sources
- Frequently Asked Questions (escrow, registration, brokers, service charges), Dubai Land Department. Checked 30 September 2026.
- Registering the Sale of a Mortgaged Property (fee schedule), Dubai Land Department. Checked 30 September 2026.
- Real Estate Project Status service, Dubai Land Department. Checked 30 September 2026.
- Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans (Circular 31/2013, as amended), Central Bank of the UAE Rulebook. Checked 30 September 2026.
- About Dubai Hills Estate, Emaar Community Management. Checked 30 September 2026.
- Expatriates buying a property in the UAE, UAE Government portal (u.ae). Checked 30 September 2026.