Buying property in Dubai, answered.

Casadior is a boutique international real estate brokerage helping investors buy and own property in Dubai and across the UAE. We were founded by three partners who grew up in Montréal and met in Dubai, so we understand both the international investor's perspective and the Dubai market from the inside. We're RERA-licensed, with offices in Dubai and Montréal, and we work with clients in English, French, and Arabic.

We focus on Dubai and serve the wider UAE, including Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah. Our team operates from Dubai, with a second office in Montréal for our North American clients, and we work with investors across Canada, France, the GCC, India, the UK, and beyond.

Yes. Casadior operates as a RERA-licensed brokerage in Dubai. RERA (the Real Estate Regulatory Agency) is the regulatory arm of the Dubai Land Department, and only licensed brokers with a valid ORN (Office Registration Number) can legally broker property in Dubai. We can share our registration details on request.

We show the arithmetic before the pitch. The broker who reaches out actually understands the project they're recommending, the operational layer (KYC, payment plans, residency, banking) is handled in advance, and we work in your language. Most of our business comes from repeat clients and referrals, which only happens when the advice is honest the first time.

For off-plan purchases, the developer pays the brokerage, so you typically pay us no commission at all. For resale (secondary-market) properties, a standard agency commission of around 2% applies. Either way, we walk you through the full cost breakdown before you commit to anything.

Our brokers work fluently in English, French, and Arabic, and the wider team covers several more languages, so you can do business in the language you're most comfortable with.

Book a call with one of our brokers or message us on WhatsApp. We'll learn what you're after, a home, a holiday-let investment, or a long-term hold, and build a shortlist of projects that fit your budget and goals. There's no pressure, just real guidance.

Yes. Foreign nationals can own property outright (freehold) in Dubai's designated freehold areas, which cover most of the popular communities. You don't need to be a UAE resident or citizen to buy, and there's no restriction on your nationality.

No. You do not need a residency visa to buy property in Dubai, anyone can purchase as a non-resident. In fact, it often works the other way around: buying property above certain values can make you eligible to apply for UAE residency.

Yes. Many of our international clients buy entirely remotely. The reservation, payment plan, and contracts can be handled digitally, and a Power of Attorney can be arranged for any in-person steps. We coordinate the whole process so you can buy from anywhere.

Freehold means you own the property and the land it sits on outright, indefinitely, with full rights to sell, lease, or pass it on. Leasehold means you hold the property for a long fixed term (commonly up to 99 years) without owning the land. Most international investors buy freehold, which is available across Dubai's designated freehold areas.

Dubai's property market is regulated by the Dubai Land Department and RERA, with strong buyer protections. Off-plan payments are held in government-supervised escrow accounts tied to construction progress, brokers must be licensed, and every transaction is registered with the DLD. These safeguards make it one of the more transparent markets for foreign buyers.

Yes. Property can be purchased jointly between individuals or held through eligible company structures, which some investors use for estate-planning or ownership reasons. The right structure depends on your situation, so we'll connect you with the appropriate legal specialists before you decide.

Off-plan means buying a property before or during construction, directly from the developer. It usually means a lower entry price, the pick of the best units, and the ability to pay in stages over the construction period through a developer payment plan, rather than the full amount upfront.

The advantages are a lower entry price, staged payment plans, first choice of units, and potential capital appreciation by the time it completes. The trade-offs are that you wait for handover rather than getting immediate rental income, and you take on construction-timeline risk, which Dubai mitigates through RERA escrow accounts and developer registration. We help you weigh both for each project.

With a developer payment plan you pay a down payment to reserve the unit (often around 10-20%), then a series of instalments tied to construction milestones or fixed dates, with the balance due around handover. Plans vary widely by developer and project, and we match you to ones whose structure fits your cash flow.

A post-handover payment plan lets you keep paying part of the price in instalments after you receive the keys, sometimes over several years. It eases cash flow because rental income can start covering payments once you take possession. Many of the projects we represent offer post-handover options.

Yes. Dubai law requires developers to deposit off-plan buyer payments into a government-regulated escrow account, where funds are released to the developer only as construction milestones are verified. This protects your money from being diverted and ties it to actual progress on the project.

Projects are registered and monitored by the Dubai Land Department, and the escrow system protects buyer funds. If a project is cancelled, the DLD has a defined process for handling the escrow funds and buyer claims. Delays can happen, which is why we steer clients toward developers with strong delivery track records and review the specifics before you commit.

Oqood is the Dubai Land Department's registration system for off-plan property. When you buy off-plan, your purchase is registered with the DLD via Oqood, which records your interest in the unit before the final title deed is issued at completion. It's a standard part of the off-plan process and we handle it with the developer.

Often, yes. Many off-plan contracts allow you to sell (assign) your unit before handover once a certain percentage of the price has been paid, subject to the developer's rules and a transfer/NOC process. This lets some investors realise gains before completion. We can advise on a specific project's resale terms.

Less than many people expect. Entry-level off-plan studios and one-bedroom apartments start in the low-to-mid hundreds of thousands of dirhams, and because off-plan is bought on a payment plan, the cash you need upfront is usually just a down payment of around 10-20%, not the full price, which is then spread across construction. We match you to projects that fit the amount you actually want to commit, and give you the full cost breakdown before you decide.

Beyond the price, the main one-time cost is the Dubai Land Department registration fee of 4% of the property value, plus a small admin/registration fee. For resale you'd also typically pay around 2% agency commission (off-plan is usually developer-paid). There are no annual property taxes to budget for. We give every client a full, itemised cost breakdown before they commit.

The DLD transfer/registration fee is 4% of the property's purchase value, payable on registration. It's the single largest transaction cost when buying in Dubai. A small fixed administrative fee applies on top.

No. Dubai does not levy an annual property tax, and there is no capital gains tax on the sale of property and no personal income tax on rental income for individual owners. This tax efficiency is one of the main reasons international investors choose Dubai. Your main government cost is the one-time 4% DLD registration fee at purchase.

Residential property sales are generally exempt or zero-rated for VAT, so you typically don't pay 5% VAT on a home purchase. VAT at 5% does apply to certain services, such as agency commission. We'll show exactly where VAT applies in your cost breakdown.

Service charges are annual fees owners pay to maintain the building and shared facilities (lobbies, pools, gyms, security, landscaping). They're charged per square foot and vary by community and amenity level. They're an ongoing cost to factor into your net rental yield, and we flag the rate for any project you're considering.

On a resale you'll generally account for the agency commission (around 2%), any DLD transfer-related fees, and a developer NOC fee. Because there's no capital gains tax, the profit on appreciation is yours. We can outline the full picture before you list.

Yes, property investment can qualify you for UAE residency. Most notably, buying property worth AED 2 million or more can make you eligible to apply for the UAE's 10-year Golden Visa. Other property-linked residency options exist at lower investment levels, and because the rules evolve, we connect you with the right specialists to confirm current eligibility for your situation.

The Golden Visa is a long-term (10-year, renewable) UAE residency that can be obtained through qualifying property investment of AED 2 million or more, among other routes. It offers stability without needing a local employer or sponsor. Casadior can point you toward projects that meet the investment threshold and help coordinate the application with the relevant authorities.

Property-based residency routes such as the Golden Visa generally allow you to sponsor immediate family members, including a spouse and children, under the same visa. Exact entitlements depend on the visa type and current rules, which we'll help you confirm with the relevant authority.

Long-term property visas like the Golden Visa are designed to be flexible and don't require continuous physical residence in the way some visas do. Conditions can change, so we recommend confirming the current requirements with the relevant immigration authority, which we can help arrange.

Dubai combines comparatively high rental yields, no property or capital gains tax for individuals, a growing population, and a stable regulated market, which is why it attracts global capital. As with any market, returns depend on the project, area, and timing, so the value of a good broker is steering you to the deals that actually make sense rather than the ones being pushed hardest.

It depends far more on your time horizon and goals than on trying to time the market. Dubai property moves in cycles and no one can reliably call the top or bottom, so we focus on buying well, the right location, developer, and price per square foot, because a sound purchase outperforms good timing over the long run. Off-plan also lets you secure today's price and pay in stages through to handover. Tell us your horizon and we'll be straight about whether a specific deal makes sense.

The most affordable entry points are generally in Dubai's emerging and outer communities, which launch below the established waterfront and downtown districts. But cheapest rarely means best value, a slightly higher entry price in the right area can deliver stronger rental yield and appreciation. Instead of chasing the lowest sticker price, tell us your budget and goal and we'll show you where it goes furthest; our Dubai area guides are a good place to start.

Dubai is known for relatively strong gross rental yields compared with most major global cities, commonly in the mid-to-high single digits, with the exact figure depending heavily on the area, building, and whether you rent long-term or short-term. We provide area-by-area yield context so you can compare projects on the numbers that matter.

Yes. Short-term and holiday-home letting is legal in Dubai but requires a holiday-home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) for the unit. Short-term rentals can earn more than long-term leases in the right location, at the cost of more active management. Casadior can manage holiday-home letting on your behalf.

It depends on your goal, capital appreciation, long-term rental yield, or short-term/holiday-let income each favour different communities. Established areas, emerging masterplans, and waterfront districts all behave differently. Browse our area guides and project directory, and we'll tailor a shortlist to your strategy.

Dubai property values have historically moved in cycles, with strong growth in well-located, well-managed communities over the long term. Off-plan units in particular can appreciate between launch and handover. No one can guarantee appreciation, so we focus on fundamentals, location, developer, supply, and price per square foot, rather than hype.

Yes. We offer holiday-home and property management for overseas owners, covering letting, guest or tenant handling, and upkeep, so your Dubai property earns without you having to be there. It's a natural fit for international investors buying from abroad.

Yes, several UAE banks offer mortgages to non-residents, though typically at a lower loan-to-value than for residents, meaning a larger down payment. Terms depend on the bank, your income, and the property. Many off-plan buyers instead use the developer's payment plan rather than a mortgage, and we can walk you through both routes.

For off-plan, the down payment to reserve a unit is often around 10-20% of the price, with the rest spread over the payment plan. For a mortgaged ready property, non-residents generally need a larger down payment than residents. We'll give you the exact figures for any specific project or financing route.

Payments are typically made by international bank transfer into the developer's regulated escrow account (for off-plan) or through the official transfer process (for resale). We coordinate the payment schedule and the banking steps, and can guide you on moving funds cleanly from your home country.

In some cases, yes, a growing number of developers and transactions can accommodate crypto-funded purchases, subject to compliance checks. If you'd like to use crypto, tell us up front and we'll confirm which projects and processes support it.

In short: you define your goals and budget, we shortlist suitable projects, you reserve your chosen unit with a booking form and down payment, you sign the Sale & Purchase Agreement, the purchase is registered with the Dubai Land Department (via Oqood for off-plan), you follow the payment plan, and at completion you receive the title deed and keys. We manage each step with you and the developer.

For most purchases you'll need a valid passport and basic KYC details; a UAE residency visa or Emirates ID is not required to buy. Some steps may call for proof of funds or address. We tell you exactly what's needed for your specific transaction before you start.

The SPA is the binding contract between you and the developer (for off-plan) or seller (for resale). It sets out the price, the payment plan, the unit details, the handover date, and each party's obligations. We review the key terms with you before you sign so there are no surprises.

An NOC is a document the developer issues confirming they have no objection to a property being transferred, typically required when reselling, to confirm service charges and dues are settled. It's a standard step in resale transfers, which we coordinate for you.

Reserving an off-plan unit can happen in a day or two once you've decided, with the purchase then following the construction-linked payment plan to handover. A ready/resale property transfer typically completes within a few weeks, depending on financing and the NOC process. We keep the timeline moving on your behalf.

For a ready or resale property, the title deed is issued by the Dubai Land Department on completion of the transfer. For off-plan, your interest is first recorded via Oqood, and the title deed is issued once the project completes and you take handover. We make sure registration is completed correctly.

At handover the developer notifies you the unit is ready, you (or an inspector) carry out a snagging inspection to flag any defects, the final balance is settled, the property is registered and the title deed issued, and you receive the keys. We help coordinate snagging and the handover steps, especially for overseas owners.

Casadior offers property and holiday-home management for clients who don't live in Dubai, handling letting, tenant or guest management, maintenance, and the day-to-day so your property performs while you're abroad. It's one of the main reasons international investors work with us beyond the purchase itself.

Dubai has an active, liquid resale market, and there's no capital gains tax on your profit. Off-plan units can often be sold before completion (subject to the developer's rules), and ready properties trade through the standard DLD transfer process with an NOC. We can handle the resale for you when you're ready.

The main ongoing cost is the annual service charge for building and community maintenance, charged per square foot. There's no annual property tax. If you let the property, you'd also account for management fees and, for short-term letting, the holiday-home permit. We outline these so your net-yield expectations are realistic.

There's no single best area, it depends on whether you want appreciation, rental yield, lifestyle, or short-term-let income, and on your budget. Waterfront, central, and emerging-masterplan communities each suit different goals. Explore our Dubai area guides and tell us your priorities, and we'll match you to the right communities and projects.