First of all, you need to answer the question, for what reason am I buying a property? 

Over the years many buyers have bought blindly and made a good return purely due to the fact that Dubai and the UAE grew rapidly after COVID. Now however, investors need to be able to strategize their purchase in line with what they want out of their investment. 

If you are looking for your own home, take care in choosing the right developer that can build long lasting quality, provide good support, and have a good track record in market.

Above all else, no matter what your reason for buying is, it all comes down to location, location, location.

A personal visit is optional, you can go through the entire transaction process remotely all contracts can be signed electronically. However, if you are more comfortable being there in person at the viewing or developers offices, our staff will be happy to meet you, accompany you, and guide you through the process.

Yes, this is extremely important, especially in Dubai as there are thousands of developers. Buying from the right developer can dictate very important attributes associated to property prices and the rental return you can achieve.

The reputation of the developer is paramount, whether it be a big governmental developer or a smaller boutique. Buying from the wrong developer can seriously impact any appreciation and/or rental return, and its ability to sell on the open market regardless of the location.

This is a loaded question as it depends on what you want out of your investment. Dubai and the rest of the UAE is extremely versatile allowing for different locations to offer different returns.

If you are looking for the highest ROI as possible and want the rent to reimburse you as quickly as possible, then commuter towns will offer a steady demand in young professional tenants, and steady prices. Areas such as JVC, Arjan, DLRC, and Town Square are apartment heavy areas within commuting distance to Business Bay and DIFC.

If you are looking for Short Term rental (AirBnB) then tourist hotspots will offer the best return and lower void periods. Think Golf Courses, Sea View, Downtown, Marina, and Expo City.

If you are looking for a longer-term investment and want a higher appreciation, you need to find a lower supply and a higher demand product, these include townhouses and villa communities, luxury apartments on the coast with a sea view, DIFC, and exclusive micro markets.

If you want a mix of all the above, then ensure to find an affordable apartment overlooking a golf course or the sea, still relatively close to the city centre.

When buying off-plan properties the total costs usually are:

• 20% Down payment (can vary)
• 4% DLD cost (upfront)
• AED3,150 to 5,000 for admin charges (upfront)
• Then as per the payment plan

Agents do not ask for commission as their commission is covered by the developer.

Typically, short-term holiday rentals generate a higher ROI, however this comes with higher fees and more risk. For a good management company, you can expect a management fee of circa 20-25% of the annual income. There is also the risk of void periods throughout the year depending on the season and all bills and charges are paid for by the owner.

Long term rental is more ‘hands off’. Landlords only pay for the buildings service charges and all other bills are covered by the tenant. Tenants will live in the property for a minimum of 12 months and will need a lot of notice to evict. 

Make sure to choose the correct location based on which route you would like to go down. Some areas perform better for long term and short term will struggle and vice versa. If short term is the route, make sure to pick a high traffic area for tourists, a project that has an abundance of amenities, and close to local transport.

Mortgages are available to non-residents, certain banks offer this service, however it is subject to higher interest rates and dependant on the banks requirements. Speak to one of our trusted mortgage advisors for more information.

There is only one ‘tax’ when it comes to buying property in Dubai and that is the Dubai Land Department fee (DLD) this is 4% of the total property price (2% in Abu Dhabi) paid in one transaction at the time of purchase. Similar to Stamp Duty in the UK. 

After this, there are no more taxes to pay, be aware of the tax laws of your current country if you do not plan to move and become a tax resident in the UAE.

Lots of developers offer DLD waivers or discounts from time to time especially during the holidays. Although these can seem like a good deal always do your due diligence to make sure the prices haven’t been inflated in order to incorporate any discounts. 

Typically, the rule of thumb is, the easier the payment plan or the bigger the discount, the more inflated the price, or the developer is struggling to sell. 

The best developers in the market rarely offer discounts or offer extremely long payment plans as they don’t need to.

Having an experienced agent to guide you will allow you to cut through the noise of the market and locate the best properties to buy. 

By using other major cities as examples, Dubai is still a very young city with a tremendous amount of potential and space to grow into. Check property prices in similar areas of your home countries capital or major cities and see where the prices perform the best. The closer you are to Heathrow for example, the cheaper the price of accommodation.. The closer you are to beach in Barcelona, the more expensive.. The same rules apply all over the globe, so why would it be any different in Dubai?