Every question on your mind, answered honestly.

Around 6 to 7 percent on top of the purchase price, paid once. The largest item is the 4 percent DLD transfer fee. A ready property carries 2 percent agency commission; off-plan replaces that with an admin fee of AED 3,000 to 6,000. I prepare a line-by-line cost sheet for every property we consider.

It is 4 percent of the property value, paid once. The rules allow buyer and seller to split it, but in the Dubai market the buyer almost always covers it. A small title deed issuance fee follows. I include this amount in your budget from the first calculation.

On ready property it is the standard 2 percent of the sale price. On off-plan I charge no commission; an admin fee of AED 3,000 to 6,000 applies instead. Which one applies to you goes in writing at our first call and stays the same throughout. Nothing else is charged from my side.

No, because every item is set out in writing before you commit. One-time costs (the 4 percent DLD fee, title fee, commission) and recurring ones (service charge, DEWA, mortgage instalment if you have one) appear separately on a single sheet. There is time to ask about each of them.

It is calculated per square metre of your unit and billed once a year for the building's shared areas: security, cleaning, pool, gym and lift maintenance. The rate per square metre climbs in projects with many amenities and stays lower in simpler buildings. I give you the current amount for every property we look at.

Yes. Most of my clients are in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Turkey, and the majority buy without seeing the property. Video tours, digital contracts and a notarised power of attorney carry the whole process. I walk the unit for you and film it unedited, so you see the light and the view as they really are.

For a ready property the order is: a call about what you need, choosing the unit, offer and reservation, the sale agreement (MoU), then title transfer. Cash purchases usually complete within a few weeks. Off-plan continues until handover, since payments follow the construction schedule. You get a realistic timeline at the first call.

Yes. A notarised power of attorney lets you authorise someone you trust to sign and handle the formalities, and it is a common route. Keep it narrow, covering that one purchase only. I walk you through how the document is drawn up at home and attested for use in Dubai.

No, you do not need to be there. A power of attorney or digitally signed contracts complete the purchase in your name. You are welcome to come if you prefer; some clients want to see the place and be present on transfer day. Golden Visa applicants normally travel once after approval, for biometrics and the medical.

On a ready property you pay a small reservation deposit first, then the balance at transfer, bank to bank. Off-plan usually starts with around 20 percent down, with the rest paid in instalments into the developer's escrow account as construction progresses. Cash in hand is never used, and we verify account details together before every transfer.

Yes. Every transaction is registered with the Dubai Land Department, ownership sits in your name on a government title deed, and project payments are protected by escrow accounts supervised by RERA. Problems tend to come from skipped steps, so we go through the risks openly and apply the same checklist to every property.

Never to an individual and never in cash. On a ready property the funds transfer to the seller's bank account at the moment of transfer; on off-plan they go into the developer's escrow account, supervised by RERA. The account name, IBAN and amount must match the official paperwork exactly, and we check that together each time.

Escrow means your off-plan payments are held in a separate account under RERA supervision. The developer cannot draw on it freely; funds are released only as construction milestones are completed. That ties your money to real progress on site. I confirm each time that the payment is going to the project's registered escrow account.

RERA is the regulator within the Dubai Land Department. It registers and supervises developers, projects, brokers and escrow accounts. In practice it means I can verify the developer's registration, the project's registration and the licence of whoever is on the other side. Those checks are done before you make an offer.

By verifying everything against official records. We confirm the title and the true owner through the DLD, check the other party's RERA licence, and pay only into a verified bank or escrow account. I would also treat any offer that pushes you to decide the same day with caution. Never take a step you are uneasy about.

At least AED 2 million of property, held in your name. That can be a single property or several that add up to the threshold. The visa runs for 10 years and renews while you still meet the conditions. Requirements are updated from time to time, so we confirm them officially before you apply.

Yes, your spouse and children can be included. We plan the paperwork for each family member during the application, one by one. I confirm the current requirements officially at that stage, since the details change periodically, so nobody is held up by a missing document.

The property-based Golden Visa is valid for 10 years and can be renewed as long as you still meet the conditions. The main requirement for renewal is continuing to hold property at or above the threshold. After approval you normally travel to Dubai once for biometrics and the medical. We review the details officially beforehand.

Selling can affect your status, because the visa is tied to the property that qualified you. You are expected to keep an investment at or above the threshold. Talk to me before you sell; buying the replacement first and selling afterwards is one way to exit without risking the visa. We confirm the current rules officially.

Gross yields across the five areas I cover run between 6 and 9 percent a year: Dubai South 7 to 9, Dubai Islands 7 to 8, Yas Island 6 to 8, Creek Harbour and Expo City 6 to 7. Villas sit closer to 4 to 5 percent. I show you the net figure, after service charge, vacancy and management.

Yes, but it has to be licensed. The unit needs a holiday home permit from the relevant tourism authority and must follow the rules. Not every building or community allows short lets, and some managements prohibit them outright. If that is your plan, we check whether the building permits it before you buy.

A property management company does: finding tenants, handling the contract and collection, dealing with repairs and complaints. The fee is usually a percentage of the annual rent. I stay involved on this side for my own clients, short-term letting included. We read the terms together before you decide who to appoint.

Short gaps between tenants are normal, and with the right area, the right price and decent management they usually come down to a few weeks. The service charge and DEWA keep running while it is empty, so I build a vacancy allowance into the yield estimate. It is why I favour properties that let quickly.

No. The UAE levies no personal income tax on rental income and no annual property tax, so nothing is deducted on the Dubai side. You may still have a reporting duty at home, which is a separate matter for your own accountant. We go over the position again before you ever come to sell.

Most likely yes. Many countries require tax residents to report worldwide income, and in some cases foreign assets as well. The absence of tax in Dubai does not remove a filing duty at home. Because the rules depend on your country and your residency status, this is one for your own accountant.

Usually not. The UAE has double-tax treaties with many countries, and since there is no personal income tax on the Dubai side, being taxed twice on the same income is a limited concern in practice. What decides it is the rules where you are tax resident. Have a specialist check your own position.

It depends on what you want from the property: steady rent, capital growth, or somewhere to stay yourself now and then. Established central areas give more predictable returns, while newer districts can grow faster if you are willing to wait. I work across Creek Harbour, Dubai South, Dubai Islands, Expo City and Yas Island.

Dubai Marina leads on gross yield, 12 to 15 percent, then Downtown 12, Dubai Hills Estate 9 to 12 and JVC 9 to 10; villas run 4 to 5. The highest percentage is not always the best buy: vacancy, service charges and resale count too. I work across Creek Harbour, Dubai South, Dubai Islands, Expo City and Yas Island.

A short horizon usually points to ready property, a long one to off-plan. Off-plan gets you in at a lower entry price on a payment plan starting around 20 percent down, with possible uplift by handover; in return you wait and you manage delivery risk. With a ready unit you buy what you can see and rent starts immediately.

For investment and rental income, studios and one-bedrooms usually win. They cost less to get into, let faster and show a stronger percentage return. For family use or long-term capital growth, two-bedrooms and larger hold value better. Once we have talked through your budget, which one suits you is normally clear from the first call.

Yes, in your own name. Purchases are made within the designated freehold areas, and the title deed is registered entirely to you through the Dubai Land Department. There is no residency or citizenship requirement. We work out which areas are freehold and which of those fit your budget right at the start.

Freehold means you own the building and the land under it outright, with no time limit. The title is in your name, so you can sell, rent out or pass it on. Leasehold runs for a fixed term and gives fewer rights. Foreigners buy in Dubai's designated freehold areas, and I explain the difference if it comes up.

The right time has more to do with your own readiness than with the market. Chasing the bottom of the market rarely works. Buying the right property for your budget at a sensible price is the steadier path. I will not rush you; I describe the market as it is and you decide at your own pace.

Yes, non-residents can borrow from UAE banks. They ask for a larger down payment than they would from a resident, and the paperwork list is long: proof of income, bank statements and so on. Approval terms vary by bank and by your profile. We can run cash against finance, interest and fees included, side by side.