Buying in Dubai: honest answers to your questions
A guide for buyers investing remotely from Turkey and Europe. Costs, the Golden Visa, rental yield and safety, read with an architect's eye. No sales pitch.
- 01Main guide · 10 min
Buying in Dubai without flying in: how the process actually runs
You can choose, buy and register a Dubai apartment from abroad. Here is the order of the steps, what escrow covers, how the money moves and when the title deed is issued.
Read the article → - 02Costs · 8 min
What a Dubai apartment really costs: fees, commission and the years after
The listing price is half the story. A line-by-line look at the 4% DLD transfer fee, agency commission, registration charges and the service charge that returns every year.
Read the article → - 03Residency · 7 min
The Golden Visa: what AED 2 million of property actually buys you
Owning at least AED 2 million of Dubai property gives you the right to apply for a renewable 10-year residency. How the threshold is measured and what remote buyers should plan for.
Read the article → - 04Yield · 9 min
Rental yield in Dubai: what sits behind the gross percentage
In the five areas I focus on, gross rental yield runs about 6-9% a year; areas like Marina and Downtown are quoted higher. The net figure is decided by service charges, management and voids.
Read the article → - 05Comparison · 8 min
Off-plan or ready? A comparison for the buyer who is not here
Off-plan gives you a low down payment and instalments. A ready apartment gives you rent from day one and a product you can actually see. Here they are side by side.
Read the article → - 06Safety · 8 min
Is buying in Dubai safe? What escrow, RERA and the title deed each do
Three mechanisms protect a foreign buyer here: escrow for off-plan payments, RERA regulating the market, and the title deed proving ownership. What each one actually covers.
Read the article →