A Dubai property deal from start to finish

A deal in Dubai follows a clear path. When you know each step, you can tell your client what happens next, and that is what makes them trust you.

Who does what

• You, the broker: find and qualify the parties, handle the RERA forms, coordinate the steps.
• The trustee office: a registration office that represents the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and processes the sale with electronic contracts. There is no notary in a standard Dubai resale.
• The developer: issues the no objection certificate (NOC) on a resale, and sells directly on off-plan.
• The bank: values the property and pays the seller at transfer when the buyer has a mortgage.
• The DLD: registers the sale and issues the title deed.
• A conveyancer (optional): many buyers use one to manage documents and hold the deposit cheque.

A resale, step by step

1. Form A. The seller signs a marketing agreement with your brokerage. You get a Trakheesi permit and advertise.
2. Form B. The buyer signs with their broker (sometimes the same agency).
3. Viewings and offer. Agree the price and terms. If two agencies are involved, sign Form I first.
4. Form F (MOU). Buyer and seller sign the sale agreement. The buyer usually gives a 10% security deposit cheque in the seller’s name, held until transfer.
5. Mortgage, if any. The bank values the property and issues a final offer.
6. Developer NOC. The DLD lists an e-NOC from the developer as a required document. It confirms there are no unpaid service charges. The seller usually applies and pays.
7. Transfer at the trustee office. Both parties, or their representatives, sign. Fees are paid, the seller receives the price.
8. Title deed. The DLD issues an electronic title deed in the buyer’s name.

An off-plan sale, step by step

1. Check the project. In the Dubai REST app you can see the project status and its escrow account. Under Law No. 8 of 2007, a developer needs DLD approval and a project escrow account before selling off-plan.
2. Reservation form. It holds the unit and records the price and key terms. The buyer pays a booking amount.
3. SPA. The sale and purchase agreement with the developer, including the payment plan.
4. Oqood registration. The developer registers the sale in Oqood, the DLD’s interim register. The fee is 4% of the price, usually paid at booking through the developer (Bayut).
5. Instalments. Payments go into the escrow account of that specific project.
6. Handover. At completion, the Oqood record is replaced by a DLD title deed.

Three points to explain to buyers:

• Commission on off-plan is paid by the developer, often between 2% and 8% (Bayut).
• Reselling before completion needs the developer’s NOC, and developers usually require a minimum share paid, often 30% to 40%, as written in the SPA (Binghatti).
• Mortgages on off-plan are capped by the Central Bank at 50% loan to value.

The fees on a resale

• DLD transfer fee: 4% of the price. Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013 says it is shared equally unless agreed otherwise, but in practice the buyer usually pays it all. Write the split into Form F.
• Trustee office: AED 4,000 plus VAT when the price is AED 500,000 or more, AED 2,000 plus VAT below that (haus & haus).
• Agency commission: about 2% plus 5% VAT, agreed in Form A or B.
• Mortgage registration: 0.25% of the loan amount, not of the price.

Worked example: a AED 2,000,000 apartment, cash buyer

Item	Calculation	Amount (AED )
DLD transfer fee	4% x 2,000,000	80,000
Trustee office	4,000 + 5% VAT	4,200
Agency commission	2% x 2,000,000 = 40,000, + 5% VAT	42,000
Title deed and admin charges	As in Property Finder’s example	580
Total buying costs		126,780

That is about 6.3% on top of the price. If the buyer takes a mortgage of 80% (the maximum for an expat’s first home up to AED 5 million), add 0.25% x 1,600,000 = AED 4,000 for mortgage registration, plus small fees.

Show your client this table at the first meeting. Buyers hate surprises at the trustee office.

Practise with off-plan and money and calculations.

Fees and procedures change. Check the official source (DLD fee pages and your trustee office) before you act. This lesson is not legal or financial advice.