Buyer's Guide

FAQ's

Residents and Non-Residents can purchase properties in Dubai, in the designated areas set out by the Dubai Government.

The majority of properties in Dubai are Freehold, there are only a few communities which offer Leasehold. Your agent will be able to confirm these to you.

Yes there are many different residency options available when purchasing a property. Our experienced agents will be able to walk you through what these options are.

There are no taxes to pay in the UAE at the moment. However you will need to check the legislation from your home country to understand if you need to pay income tax or capital gains tax from investments in Dubai.

The speed of your transaction is ultimately dependent on price presentation and promotion. If a property Is priced correctly for the market and marketed well, there is no reason an offer can't be received within the first week. Our community experts are aware of every single property for sale within your area, and will know which are comparable in order to market your property correctly.

House Hunters work closely with a select number of mortgage brokers and banks to help our buyers secure the best finance deals possible. There are many options available whether you are resident/non-resident, employed or self-employed. Our experts will be able to assist you.

Unlike many property markets it is not essential to appoint the services of a solicitor to assist you with your purchase. The majority of the work is carried out by both the broker and our conveyancing team.

This will vary from deal to deal and will depend on whether you are purchasing a completed or an off-plan property. Generally, a 10% downpayment is required for off-plan properties. When it comes to the secondary market, depending on the finance option you select, deposits may vary from 20% to 35% depending on the value of property.

This is dependent on the type of purchase. Off-plan purchases can be as quick as 1 day when the funds have reached the country. However, when buying within the secondary market, the length of time can vary depending on the type of purchase. Cash purchases can be anything from a few days, whereas finance purchases can be from 6-8 weeks.

No commission is required when purchasing any off-plan property from a developer, however there is a Land Department fee of 4% to register the pre-title deed in your name. If you are buying in the secondary market from an individual rather than a developer, the buyer is expected to pay the agent's commission- 2% of the purchase price +VAT. For a secondary market sale you are also required to pay the 4% transfer fee for the land department to register the title deed in your name.

  • Transfer fee 4% of Property Sale Price
  • Trustee office admin fee AED 4,000+VAT
  • Manual Transfer fee AED 1,545 (If relevant)
  • Conveyancing Fee AED 5,000+VAT
  • Mortgage registration of 0.25% of the loan

House Hunters has a dedicated property management team who will help you optimize your investment, minimize void periods and take away the day to day headache of managing the property.

For properties under construction a minimum of between 30-50% of the purchase price must have been paid in order to sell the property. This % varies depending on the developer but the amount will be included in your sales and purchase agreement. Should you have a Golden Visa attached to your property, this would have to be canceled before selling.