Editorial team
The Projects Scout editorial team writes the guides on this blog for people buying, financing and owning property in the UAE. Every article is built from primary sources: Dubai Land Department and RERA rules, federal and emirate laws, Central Bank regulations and registered transaction data. Sources are listed at the end of each article, and articles are updated when the rules or the numbers change.
Since 1 February 2023 a non-Muslim who dies without a will gets a civil split, not Sharia succession, though real estate is unsettled. Wills and DLD fees.
Subletting needs the landlord's written consent, and the statutory remedy is eviction, not a fine. The AED 500,000 penalties belong to shared-housing law.
Portal averages are cleaned and blended. DLD transaction data shows registered sales but omits floor, view and condition, so comparables need adjusting.
Seller costs run from 2% commission to the DLD fee and mortgage settlement. A worked AED 2 million sale shows what is left in net proceeds.
Dubai law sets no deposit percentage and no early-exit penalty. The 5%/10% deposit and two-month fee are market custom, not statute.
A resale runs through Form F, the developer NOC and DLD registration. The 10% deposit is custom, not law, and a seller's mortgage can add weeks.
A full cost model of a AED 1,500,000 flat shows owning costing AED 218,694 more than renting over five years unless prices rise about 2.8% a year.
A renovation can need a developer NOC, a permit from Dubai Municipality, DDA or Trakhees by zone, and a registered contractor under Law No. 7 of 2025.
Dubai Police cases show money moving before anyone checks the listing. The Land Department's own tools let you verify permit, broker, title and developer first.
Per commentary on DLD Circular 29/R/2025, a sale needs a special POA naming the property and the deal, with a full attestation chain if signed abroad.
Near-handover buyers get direct snagging and the one-year warranty, but the developer-customer, discount and financing advantages hold only under conditions.
Switching lenders means an early-settlement charge, two Land Department fees and new bank costs. A worked example puts break-even at roughly 17 months.
