How to Buy Off-Plan Property in Dubai: Steps, Costs and Documents
From the first viewing to the title deed: every step of an off-plan purchase in Dubai, the documents you need and what you pay at each stage.
Buying off-plan in Dubai follows a clear path, and the same steps apply whether you are buying a studio in a mid-market community or a penthouse on the waterfront. Here is each step, what to check and what you pay along the way.
Step 1: Set your budget and goal
Decide first whether the unit is a home or an investment, because it changes what you look for. A home buyer cares about schools, space and the community. An investor cares about rental demand, service charges, the payment plan and resale.
Your budget is more than the price. Plan for the 4% DLD registration fee and the first instalment at the start, the instalments during construction, the handover payment, and service charges once you own the finished unit. If you will need a mortgage for the handover payment, speak to a bank early.
Step 2: Shortlist projects
Narrow down by area, budget, unit type and handover date, then compare the shortlist on the same points: price per square foot, payment plan, developer record and what is around the project. A map makes this faster — you can see at once which launches are near the metro, a school or the beach. On Listy Map you can type a brief such as “studio under AED 600,000 in Dubailand” and see only the projects that fit.
Step 3: Check the developer and the project
- Confirm the project is registered with the Dubai Land Department and RERA, and note its project number.
- Confirm it has an escrow account, and that your payments will go into it.
- Check the project's construction progress on the DLD's Dubai REST app.
- Check that the agent is a RERA-registered broker and that any advert carries a valid permit.
- Look at buildings the developer has already finished: quality, maintenance and whether they were handed over on time.
Our full checklist for checking an off-plan project explains where to find each of these.
Step 4: Reserve the unit
Once you have chosen a unit, you sign a reservation (or expression of interest) form and pay a booking amount to hold it. Read what happens to that payment if you do not go ahead — some reservation payments are refundable within a period, many are not.
Step 5: Sign the Sales and Purchase Agreement
The SPA is the contract that matters. Before signing, check:
- The unit number, size, floor plan and specification.
- The total price and every instalment, with its amount and due date or milestone.
- The expected completion date and what happens if it is late.
- What happens if you miss a payment, and the developer's rights if you default.
- Whether, when and at what fee you can resell (assign) the unit before handover.
- The estimated service charges.
If anything is unclear, ask for it in writing or have a lawyer review the SPA before you sign.
Step 6: Register with the DLD (Oqood)
The developer registers your purchase in the DLD's interim register, Oqood. This is when the registration fee — 4% of the price, plus an administration fee — is paid, unless the developer is covering it as an offer. Keep the Oqood certificate: it is your record of ownership until the title deed is issued.
Step 7: Pay the instalments
Pay each instalment into the project's escrow account as the SPA sets out, and keep every receipt. Plans tied to construction milestones release payments as the building reaches set stages; plans tied to dates follow a calendar. Read more in off-plan payment plans explained.
Step 8: Handover and snagging
When the building is complete and has its completion certificate, the developer invites you to handover. Before you accept the keys:
- Inspect the unit carefully, or hire a snagging company, and list every defect.
- Give the list to the developer and agree when each item will be fixed.
- Pay the handover instalment and any handover fees, and settle the first service charges.
- Set up utilities with DEWA and register your tenancy, if renting out, through Ejari.
Step 9: Receive the title deed
After handover and full payment, the title deed is issued in your name by the DLD, replacing the Oqood registration. If you used a mortgage, the bank's interest is registered against the property.
What you pay, and when
| Stage | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Reservation | Booking amount (part of the price) |
| SPA and Oqood | Balance of the first instalment, 4% DLD fee and administration fee |
| Construction | Instalments by date or milestone |
| Handover | Handover instalment, title deed and handover fees, first service charges |
| After handover | Any post-handover instalments, yearly service charges |
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and fees change; confirm the current position with the DLD, the developer and, for large purchases, a lawyer.
Questions people ask
What documents do I need to buy off-plan in Dubai?
A passport copy for buyers outside the UAE, or an Emirates ID and passport for residents. Companies need their trade licence and authorised signatory documents. The developer may ask for proof of address and source of funds.
What is Oqood?
Oqood is the Dubai Land Department's interim register for off-plan property. Registering your purchase there records you as the buyer of the unit while it is being built, and is done when the 4% DLD fee is paid.
Can I get a mortgage on an off-plan property in Dubai?
Some banks lend on off-plan units from approved developers, usually for a smaller share of the price than on ready homes and often only nearer to completion. Many buyers pay the construction instalments themselves and finance the handover payment.
What is snagging?
Snagging is the inspection of your unit before you accept handover, to list defects — cracks, leaks, finishing problems, appliances that do not work — that the developer must fix.