Yes. Buyers of any nationality can own freehold property outright in Dubai’s designated freehold areas under Regulation No. 3 of 2006, as amended. You do not need a UAE residence visa to buy, and there is no age limit. See our guide to Dubai’s freehold areas for where foreign ownership is allowed.
The main government charge is the 4% DLD transfer fee. In law it splits 2% seller and 2% buyer, but in practice the buyer pays all 4%. You will normally also put down a 10% deposit cheque when you sign Form F. Budget roughly 6–7% of the price in total costs as a cash buyer, or 8–10% with a mortgage. Our step-by-step buying guide lists every fee in order.
A cash purchase of a ready property typically completes in around 30 days. With a mortgage, allow about 6 to 10 weeks, because the lender’s valuation and final approval sit inside the timeline. The full sequence is set out in our step-by-step buying guide.
Both markets are active. In the first half of 2026 Dubai recorded AED 139.75 billion of off-plan sales across 58,840 deals and AED 146.69 billion of ready sales across 27,160 deals. Off-plan usually starts from a 10–20% down payment on a staged plan; a ready home needs the full price, or a deposit plus mortgage, at transfer. Only a ready property earns rent from day one — Dubai gross yields average about 6.7%. Our off-plan vs ready comparison sets out the numbers for each route.
Regulatory loan-to-value ceilings depend on the property’s value and how you are buying. For a ready home, an expat first-time buyer can borrow up to 80% on a property under AED 5 million. For off-plan the cap is 50% LTV for everyone. Always get lender approval in principle before you fix your deposit budget. More detail in our off-plan vs ready guide.
Owning property does not automatically grant a visa — residency is a separate application. The main route is the 10-year Golden Visa, which requires a DLD-certified property value of AED 2 million on the day you apply. The valuation is what counts, not how much you have paid so far, and you can combine properties to reach the threshold. Off-plan homes from approved Dubai developers qualify, and the visa covers your spouse and children. Full conditions in our Golden Visa guide.
Every payment on an off-plan purchase goes into a RERA-supervised escrow account under Escrow Law No. 8 of 2007, and the sale must be registered on Oqood under Law No. 13 of 2008 — an unregistered off-plan sale is legally void. Be realistic about timing, though: delivery delays are the base case, and historically around half of announced handovers slip. See our off-plan vs ready guide.
Every property advertisement in Dubai must display a DLD Trakheesi permit number, and you can verify it with the Dubai Land Department before you view or pay anything. Each listing on this site shows its own permit number and QR code. Rich Property is a licensed Dubai brokerage, ORN 27978. If anything about an advert looks unverifiable, contact us and we will check it for you.