The case, and the fine print under it
Everything a buyer asks us in the first call — the tax position, what a purchase actually costs, and what the property does for your residence.
Zero property tax
No annual tax on what you own, and none on what you earn renting it out.
Rental demand that holds
Occupancy stays high across the emirates. Ask us for the net yield on a building — gross figures flatter.
Infrastructure ahead of the curve
Metro lines, motorways, schools and hospitals arrive before the population that needs them.
Safe, and it shows
Among the lowest crime rates anywhere, which is why families move first and ask questions later.
Residence through property
Investment above the published threshold carries long-term residence for you and your family.
A market that repriced upward
Population growth has outpaced delivery for years, and values have followed it.
The headline is genuinely good. It is also more specific than the headline suggests, so here is the whole position rather than the flattering half.
0%
Annual property tax
There is no recurring tax on owning residential property. What you pay every year is the service charge, which goes to the building, not the state.
0%
Personal income tax on rent
Rent received by an individual is not taxed personally in the UAE. Your home country may still tax it — take advice where you are resident.
0%
Capital gains tax on resale
A gain on the sale of a personally held property is not taxed here. The transfer fee below is the cost that actually lands.
100%
Foreign ownership, in freehold areas
In designated freehold zones a non-national owns the property outright and in their own name. Outside those zones the position is leasehold or usufruct — ask before you commit.
Budget five to seven per cent above the price. These are the lines that make it up — no agent should let you discover them at the trustee office.
| Item | Amount | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Land Department transfer fee | 4% of the price | Buyer (split by agreement in some deals) |
| Title deed / admin fee | A few hundred dirhams, fixed | Buyer |
| Registration trustee office fee | Fixed, and it steps up above a price threshold | Buyer |
| Agency commission | 2% of the price, plus VAT | Buyer, on a resale |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of the loan, plus a fixed fee | Buyer, if financing |
| Developer no-objection certificate | Varies by developer | Seller, usually |
Buying does not automatically give you a visa; buying above a threshold, in your own name, on a completed property usually does. The two tiers:
2-year residence
Property investor residence
From AED 750,000
A renewable residence tied to a completed property held in your name. Mortgaged property can qualify once enough of the price is paid.
10-year residence
Golden residence
From AED 2,000,000
Ten years, renewable, and it carries your spouse and children. Off-plan can qualify in some cases; the rules on that move, so we check before you buy for the visa.
⚠️ Figures on this page are drafts and have not been checked against the current Land Department, tax authority or immigration schedules. Confirm every one before launch — and ask us in writing for the numbers that apply to your deal.
Yes. You do not need residence to own property in a freehold area, and you do not need to be in the country for the whole process — a power of attorney covers the transfer if you cannot attend.
Several UAE banks lend to non-residents, at a lower loan-to-value than they offer residents and on a shorter term. Expect a larger deposit and more paperwork, and get the pre-approval before you shortlist, not after.
It is the annual cost of running the building — security, cleaning, lifts, the pool, the reserve fund — charged per square foot and set by the owners' association within limits the regulator approves. Ask for the last three years of it before you buy: the trend matters more than this year's number.
Payments on a registered off-plan project go into an escrow account the developer cannot draw on freely; releases are tied to construction progress. That protects your money, not your timeline — delivery dates still slip, so buy the developer's track record, not the brochure.
A ready unit in a liquid building can transfer in weeks once a buyer is found. Off-plan is different: most developers only allow a resale after a set percentage of the price is paid, and they charge a fee to consent. Check that clause before you sign, not when you want out.
Send us the budget and we will send the arithmetic
Tell us the budget, the area and the timeline. We will tell you honestly whether it works — and what to do if it does not.