Location guide
Own freehold in Dubai, with off-plan payments held in escrow
Buy in a designated freehold area, from abroad if you prefer. Registration is 2% for the buyer, and every off-plan sale is recorded with the Dubai Land Department.
- Your payments
- Held in project escrow
- Registration fee
- 2% buyer + 2% seller
- Your purchase registered
- Within 90 days (Oqood)
- Where you can own
- Designated freehold areas
- Non-resident buyers
- Passport accepted for registration
- Regulator
- DLD and RERA
Dubai 01
What you can buy in Dubai
All three property types have launches from the developers on this site. Pick one to see what matters at that price.
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Launched here 01 — ApartmentsApartments
AED 1M–3M
From Nakheel, Binghatti, Imtiaz and BEYOND, among others
Explore Dubai apartments -
Launched here 02 — TownhousesTownhouses
AED 3M–6M
Including DAMAC Islands 2 and Nakheel communities
Explore Dubai townhouses -
Launched here 03 — VillasVillas
AED 5M–20M
Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai Islands, DAMAC Islands 2, Tilal Binghatti and Passo
Explore Dubai villas
Ranges are target total purchase prices, not guaranteed starting prices and not the cash needed at booking.
Selected opportunities 02
Dubai projects worth a closer look
Compare them like for like: the price where the developer has confirmed it, the payment plan, the handover date and what to weigh.
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Architectural render Apartment
Palm Central Private Residences
1–5 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedBeachfront apartments and penthouses in three buildings at the centre of Palm Jebel Ali, between Fronds M and N, with direct beach access.
ConsiderPalm Jebel Ali is still being developed, so check which roads, schools and shops will be open when you move in.
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Architectural render Apartment
The Woods Abode
1–2 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedApartments facing parks at the front and rear, in a masterplan where about half the land is open and green space.
ConsiderSobha Sanctuary is planned for around 20,000 families, so nearby phases may still be under construction after handover.
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Apartment
Binghatti Starfall
Studio–2 bedrooms
From AED 759,999Indicative developer price- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedNear Al Jaddaf Metro station on the Green Line, with an observatory deck and telescopes for residents on the amenity podium.
ConsiderThe Etihad Rail stop planned for Al Jaddaf is a future project, so do not rely on it when you decide.
Last checked 16 Sep 2026 Request price list and plan -
Architectural render Apartment
Arancia Yards 2
1–3 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedFour low-rise buildings around a sunken garden, with 4-metre living-room ceilings in select ground-floor homes.
ConsiderIt sits beside the first Arancia Yards phase, so compare prices and payment plans for both before choosing.
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Architectural render Townhouse
Palm Central Townhouses
4 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedFour-bedroom townhouses on the ground floor with private garages, opening onto the landscaped deck and the beach.
ConsiderYou share facilities and service charges with a 212-home development, so ask for the estimated service charge.
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Architectural render Apartment
Arancia Yards
1–3 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedLow-rise homes with 3.1-metre ceilings and private terraces, in the first phase of a masterplan that keeps over 70% of its land open-air.
ConsiderThe school, clinic and mosque are part of the masterplan, so check which will be open by handover.
Dubai 03
Where you can own, and for how long
As a non-UAE national you can own freehold in Dubai, with no time limit, in areas the Ruler designates under Law No. (7) of 2006. In those areas you can also hold usufruct or leasehold for up to 99 years.
The designated areas are listed, with maps, in Regulation No. (3) of 2006 and later resolutions. Confirm that your specific plot sits in one, not just the community name.
Dubai 04
How your money is protected
- 01
Your payments held in escrow
Law No. (8) of 2007 requires a separate escrow account for each off-plan project, used only to build it; the developer’s creditors cannot attach it. Pay only into that account.
- 02
Your purchase on the official register
Under Law No. (13) of 2008, a sale of an off-plan unit is void unless entered in the Interim Property Register. DLD’s Oqood service handles this, and contracts must be registered within 90 days.
- 03
A regulator watching the project
RERA is part of the Dubai Land Department under Law No. (4) of 2019 and regulates escrow accounts, jointly owned property accounts, licensing and property adverts.
- 04
Know the rules on late payment
The 2008 text let a developer cancel after a DLD notice and keep up to 30% of what was paid. The law was amended in 2020, so ask a lawyer how the current rules apply to your contract.
Dubai 05
Know the full cost before you commit
| Item | Amount on the source page | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Oqood (initial sale) registration | 2% purchaser + 2% seller | Off-plan purchase; contracts must be registered within 90 days of signing |
| Knowledge and innovation fees | AED 10 + AED 10 | Listed with Oqood registration and with a transfer |
| Title deed and map | AED 250 + AED 250 | Transfer of a completed villa or apartment |
| Registration trustee | AED 4,000 + VAT | Properties worth AED 500,000 or more |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of the loan + AED 250 per title deed | Only if you finance the purchase |
| Agency commission | Normally nil on off-plan; about 2% on resale | Market custom, not a legal rate |
| Service charges | Approved fees on the DLD Service Charge Index | Ongoing, once you own in a jointly owned property |
Dubai 06
Before you pay, ask for the project’s ad permit
Every property advert in Dubai, including online ads, exhibitions and launches, needs a DLD Real Estate Ad Permit issued through Trakheesi. Ask to see it before you pay anything; if an agent cannot show it, pause there.
Expert consultation
Find the Dubai home that fits your plans.
Dubai 07
Residence: when a Dubai property supports a golden visa application
On DLD’s service page, owning property that cost AED 2 million or more at purchase, in one or several wholly owned properties, can make you eligible to apply for a 10-year renewable residence permit. A mortgaged property can qualify with a bank no-objection letter, you apply from inside the UAE, and the documents include a title deed. DLD lists AED 9,884.75 in fees for the principal applicant.
Because a title deed is on the list, ask whether an off-plan purchase would qualify, and from when, before you rely on it. Confirm the permit length with the issuing authority too. The authorities, not a developer or adviser, decide every application.
Dubai 08
Who is building in Dubai
All eight developers on this site have launched homes in Dubai. See who is behind a community before you look at the brochure.
Launched hereSobha Hartland, Sobha Hartland II, Sobha Reserve, Sobha SanctuaryAsk which home types each community offersView Sobha profile
Launched hereDAMAC Hills, DAMAC Hills 2, DAMAC Lagoons, DAMAC Islands 2Villas, twin villas and townhouses at Islands 2View DAMAC profileLaunched herePalm Jebel Ali, Dubai Islands (Bay Villas)Villas, townhouses and apartmentsView Nakheel profile
Launched hereBinghatti City (Nad Al Sheba), Tilal BinghattiApartments; townhouses and villasView Binghatti profile
Launched hereWestwood (JVC), Beach Walk (Dubai Islands)ApartmentsView Imtiaz profile
Launched hereSensia (Dubai Maritime City), Hado (Dubai Islands), Passo (Palm Jumeirah)Apartments; beach mansions at PassoView BEYOND profile
Launched hereEllington House II (Dubai Hills Estate), Arbor View (Arjan)Ask which home types each community offersView Ellington profileLaunched hereCity Walk, La Mer, Jumeira Bay, Dubai Design DistrictApartments, villas, townhouses and branded homesView Meraas profile
Examples from developer releases and reputable reports, not a recommendation or a partnership.
Dubai 09
What is there today, and what is still planned
A masterplan shows what a community will become, not what you will find at handover.
Open today
Roads, schools, beaches and transport you can use now. Only these count as existing.
Still planned
Nakheel’s figures for Palm Jebel Ali, including 91 km of beachfront, describe the scheme once complete, not what is there now.
- What already operates near my plot?
- Which amenities depend on later phases?
- What is the developer-stated handover date?
Choose a market 10
Weighing another emirate?
Where you can own, how the sale is registered and what you pay in fees all differ. Each guide sets out what applies, with sources.
Abu Dhabi
Buying off-plan in Abu Dhabi: investment-area ownership, project approval and escrow before sale, DARI registration costs, and golden visa rules.
Explore Abu Dhabi
Ras Al Khaimah
Buying off-plan in Ras Al Khaimah: the seven freehold areas, RAK RERA escrow rules, registration costs, and which developers have launched homes there.
Explore Ras Al KhaimahNot sure which location?
Compare the marketsWhat you can hold us to
Six commitments behind every consultation.
A purchase this size deserves someone who shows you the full picture, including what could go wrong, before you commit a deposit.
How the firm is paid, and why it matters to you-
Every cost before you commit
Total price, registration fees and each payment stage, set out in your own currency before you pay anything.
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Honest about fit
Up to three options, and fewer if fewer fit. If off-plan does not suit your plans, you are told plainly.
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A second opinion on any offer
Bring an offer from a developer or another agent and have its cost, payment plan and contract points checked before you commit.
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Told how the firm is paid
Before you decide on anything, including whether a developer on your shortlist pays the firm.
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Checks before you see a home
Registration, the project escrow account, the developer’s record and a current price, checked before a home reaches you.
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Your time, your privacy
Video, phone, WhatsApp or email in your time zone. Your details are used only to reply, and launch emails only if you ask.
How it works 11
Three steps, no obligation.
No account, no fee, no pressure to proceed. You decide whether to go further.
- 01
Share your requirements
Your contact details, then property type, price range, emirate, objective and timeframe. It takes about two minutes, and no financial documents are needed.
- 02
Review suitable options
Up to three opportunities, each with its costs, payment timings, the reasons it was selected and what to consider. If fewer fit, you get fewer.
- 03
Discuss next steps
Talk to an adviser about the options, what to verify independently and what reserving involves. There is no pressure to proceed.
Questions 12
Answers before you share any details.
If your question is not answered here, an adviser can go through it with you during a consultation.
No. Non-UAE nationals may own freehold only in areas designated by the Ruler, listed in Regulation No. (3) of 2006 and later resolutions. Check the specific plot, not just the community name.
Dubai law requires a separate escrow account for each off-plan project, used only for its construction, and the sale must be registered on the Interim Property Register through Oqood. Payments made outside the project escrow account may not have the same protection.
DLD’s Oqood page lists 2% for the purchaser and 2% for the seller, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees. Your sale agreement decides who pays in practice.
Usually, yes. DLD accepts a valid passport from non-resident buyers for sale registration, and a representative can act for you at steps such as handover under a power of attorney notarised and legalised in your home country. Consultations take place by video or phone.
Completion dates are developer-stated, and your sale agreement sets what happens if handover slips. Have a UAE-qualified lawyer read the completion, delay and termination clauses before you pay a booking amount. Meanwhile your payments stay in the project escrow account, used only to build that project.
Not automatically. DLD’s threshold is property that cost AED 2 million or more, and its document list includes a title deed, so ask whether an off-plan purchase would qualify, and when. The authorities decide each application.
Expert consultation
Get the current price list and payment plan for Arancia Yards 2.
Tell us what you would consider. An adviser sends what is available now, with prices and payment plans for homes that fit.
- Every cost and payment stage set out
- Why each option was chosen, and what to weigh
- Free, with no obligation
Thank you. Here is what you shared.
An adviser will send the current price list and payment plan for homes that match what you shared.