Choose your market

Jobs, rules, training and agencies follow the city you choose. Each market has its own authority and rules.

United Arab EmiratesLive now

All Emirates DubaiAbu DhabiSharjahRas Al KhaimahAjman

Coming next Markets where brokers sell off-plan

Saudi ArabiaRiyadh · JeddahOff-plan sales under the Wafi program
EgyptNew Cairo · North CoastMost new homes sold off-plan with long payment plans
TurkeyIstanbul · AntalyaOff-plan projects sold to foreign buyers
MoroccoCasablanca · Marrakech · TangierOff-plan sales (VEFA) in new developments
IndonesiaBaliOff-plan villas and apartments, mostly leasehold
ThailandPhuket · BangkokOff-plan condos, open to foreign buyers
SpainMarbella · EsteponaNew builds sold before construction on the Costa del Sol
PortugalLisbon · AlgarveNew-build projects sold off-plan
FranceParis · Nice · LyonOff-plan sales (VEFA), mostly sold by developers
United KingdomLondonA large off-plan market for international investors
CyprusLimassolOff-plan towers and residences
GeorgiaBatumi · TbilisiOff-plan apartments with payment plans
United StatesMiamiPre-construction condos

Want your city next? Vote for it.
Sign in
Ask AI

Language

All languages

The whole site is translated. Job offers, CVs and reviews stay in the language their author wrote them in.

United Arab Emirates · 7 emirates

One country, 7 sets of property rules

Many people think the Dubai Land Department covers the whole country. It does not. Each emirate has its own real estate authority, its own broker licence, its own fees and its own rules for foreign buyers. Visas, mortgages, VAT and anti-money laundering rules are federal.

Test yourself: who does what (25 questions) UAE real estate glossary

At a glance

EmirateReal estate authoritySale registration feeTraining
Dubai Dubai Land Department (DLD) and its regulatory arm, the Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) The DLD charges a transfer fee of 4% of the property value on a sale. 27 questions
Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) A sale is registered with a transfer fee of 2% of the price, usually paid by the buyer. 30 questions
Sharjah Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department (SRERD) The standard registration fee on a sale is 4% of the value, a rate that has been halved to 2% for deals signed during the Sharjah property exhibition. 15 questions
Ras Al Khaimah Real Estate Regulatory Administration (RAK RERA) Registering a sale costs 2% of market value for the buyer and 2% for the seller, plus small title deed charges. 15 questions
Ajman Ajman Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation (AjmanRE) The buyer pays a sale registration fee of 3% of the value (minimum ⃃3,000) for non-citizens, or 2% (minimum ⃃2,500) for UAE and GCC nationals. Coming
Umm Al Quwain Umm Al Quwain Department of Land and Property Not confirmed yet Coming
Fujairah Fujairah Municipality Not confirmed yet Coming
Dubai: jobs and rules → Train on Dubai

In Q1 2026 Dubai recorded ⃃252 billion in real estate transactions, up 31% year on year, across 60,303 deals (Dubai Media Office, April 2026).

Broker licence
RERA, part of the Dubai Land Department, issues the broker card. Candidates complete the certified training course run by the Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI) and pass its exam, and DREI testing is also tied to licence renewal.
Foreign buyers
Non-UAE nationals can buy freehold, with no time limit, in the areas designated by Regulation No. 3 of 2006, issued under Law No. 7 of 2006 on real property registration. Designated zones include Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills, Jebel Ali and parts of Sheikh Zayed Road, and the regulation also allows usufruct or leases of up to 99 years in specific plots.
Fees
The DLD charges a transfer fee of 4% of the property value on a sale.
Systems and forms
Form AForm BForm FForm IEjariTrakheesiDubai REST
Key areas
Dubai MarinaDowntown DubaiBusiness BayPalm JumeirahJumeirah Village CircleDubai Hills EstateJumeirah Lake TowersDubai South
Sources (4)

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) · Department of Municipalities and Transport

Abu Dhabi: jobs and rules → Train on Abu Dhabi

ADREC reported ⃃117 billion in real estate transactions in H1 2026, up 112% on H1 2025, with sales alone worth ⃃86.1 billion and 3,302 licensed brokers active (July 2026).

Broker licence
ADREC licenses brokers and issues the Broker Licence Number (BLN) that must appear on every advert. Since October 2026 applicants must complete the mandatory Abu Dhabi Real Estate Broker Transformation Course, which ends with a final assessment and leads to the ADREC Certified Broker credential, renewed every year.
Foreign buyers
Foreign individuals and companies can own freehold land and units inside designated investment zones, and can also hold usufruct, musataha or leases of up to 99 years there. Freehold rights were added by Law No. 13 of 2019, which amended Law No. 19 of 2005 on real estate ownership, and ADREC counted 50 investment zones by mid 2026.
Fees
A sale is registered with a transfer fee of 2% of the price, usually paid by the buyer.
Systems and forms
MadhmounBLN (Broker Licence Number)DARITawtheeqTAMM
Key areas
Saadiyat IslandYas IslandAl Reem IslandAl Raha BeachAl Maryah IslandAl Jubail IslandAl Reef
Sources (6)

Sharjah

Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department (SRERD)

Sharjah: jobs and rules → Train on Sharjah

SRERD recorded ⃃29.5 billion across 59,460 real estate transactions in H1 2026, up 9.3% in value, with buyers from 121 nationalities (July 2026).

Broker licence
SRERD issues broker and agent cards to staff of real estate offices registered with it, against copies of the office licence, IDs, a sponsorship letter and an NOC, with a card fee of ⃃1,000. Under a January 2026 agreement with Ruwad, SRERD also runs training programmes to qualify Emiratis as brokers.
Foreign buyers
Ownership is mainly reserved for UAE and GCC nationals, but Law No. 2 of 2022, amending Law No. 5 of 2010, lets other nationalities own in approved real estate development areas and projects, with the Ruler's approval, or by inheritance. Residents and foreign companies can also take a usufruct right of up to 100 years in pre-approved areas under Executive Council Resolution No. 26 of 2014.
Fees
The standard registration fee on a sale is 4% of the value, a rate that has been halved to 2% for deals signed during the Sharjah property exhibition.
Key areas
Muwaileh CommercialAl BelaidaAl KhanAl MamzarMasaarAl ZahiaHayyanSharjah Sustainable City
Sources (7)

Ras Al Khaimah

Real Estate Regulatory Administration (RAK RERA) · Ras Al Khaimah Municipality (Lands and Properties Sector)

Ras Al Khaimah: jobs and rules → Train on Ras Al Khaimah

Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE's first integrated gaming resort, is now set to open in September 2027 at a cost of about $5.7 billion, after RAK logged around ⃃2.89 billion in sales, mortgages and waivers in H1 2026 (August 2026).

Broker licence
RAK RERA, within the municipality's Lands and Properties Sector, registers brokerage firms and sets the rules that qualify brokers and registration offices.
Foreign buyers
Under Article 12 of Law No. 11 of 2021 on the real estate register, people who are not UAE or GCC nationals can only own property in areas designated by the Ruler, such as Al Marjan Island, Al Hamra and Mina Al Arab. Leases can run up to 99 years, but leases over 50 years cannot be registered in a foreigner's name.
Fees
Registering a sale costs 2% of market value for the buyer and 2% for the seller, plus small title deed charges.
Systems and forms
mRAK
Key areas
Al Marjan IslandAl HamraMina Al Arab
Sources (6)
Ajman: jobs and rules →

Ajman recorded 6,815 real estate transactions worth over ⃃10.8 billion in H1 2026, including 5,435 sales worth ⃃7.64 billion (July 2026).

Broker licence
The Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation issues a one-year real estate activity practice card to employees of registered offices who have passed an accredited real estate qualification programme and hold a valid criminal clearance certificate.
Foreign buyers
Amiri Decrees No. 7 and 8 of 2008 let non-GCC buyers own freehold land and property in areas designated by the Ruler, and also allow renewable 50-year leaseholds there. Popular freehold projects include Ajman One, Emirates City, Al Nuaimiya Towers and Al Rashidiya Towers.
Fees
The buyer pays a sale registration fee of 3% of the value (minimum ⃃3,000) for non-citizens, or 2% (minimum ⃃2,500) for UAE and GCC nationals.
Systems and forms
Ajman Real Estate Index
Key areas
Al AmerahAl YasmeenEmirates CityAjman OneAl NuaimiyaAl RashidiyaAjman Corniche
Sources (6)

Sobha Realty's Siniya Island, a $5 billion first phase planned for about 25,000 residents and 8,000 units, is targeting completion by December 2027 (Khaleej Times, November 2024).

Broker licence
The land department issues and renews realtor cards for owners, managers and agents of licensed real estate offices (UAE citizens, residents and GCC nationals), for a total of ⃃1,100. Brokerage is governed by Law No. 2 of 2005 as amended by Law No. 7 of 2023.
Foreign buyers
Under Law No. 1 of 2021, foreign individuals and companies can own units (the floors, not the land) in certain investment areas. They can also hold usufruct under contracts of up to 99 years, or musataha of up to 50 years renewable by agreement.
Key areas
Siniya Island
Sources (4)

Information for brokers and investors, checked in October 2026 against the sources shown under each emirate. Rules and fees change: always confirm with the emirate's authority before advising a client. CloserPass is not affiliated with any government entity.