Investing
What a Dubai seller actually pays: commission, NOC, DLD fee and net proceeds
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.
Investing
Numbers first: what the fees add up to, what yields look like once service charges are deducted, and what financing is open to residents and non-residents.
Investing
Dubai rent vs buy: why an AED 1.5m flat does not break even in five years
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.
Investing
Refinancing a Dubai mortgage: what switching costs and when it breaks even
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.
Investing
Dubai mortgage valuations: the bank picks the valuer, and the loan follows the appraisal
Circular 31/2013 caps the loan as a share of appraised value, not price. The bank chooses the valuer, and a DLD certificate will not replace its report.
Investing
Missing a Dubai mortgage payment: the notice, court and auction steps a bank must follow
A missed payment starts a notice, court and auction process under Law No. (14) of 2008, not instant repossession. A surplus after sale goes to the borrower.
Investing
Dubai home insurance: who insures what, and what the law actually requires
Building cover in a jointly owned tower is a statutory duty of the management entity. Contents, villas, tenants and mortgages each follow different rules.
Investing
Buying a tenanted Dubai property: the lease transfers, vacant possession takes 12 months
A sale does not end the tenancy. A buyer inherits the lease, rent and deposit, and needs 12 months' notice by notary or registered mail to move in.
Investing
Dubai holiday homes: the licence, the costs and the 35% yield claim
One widely repeated licence fee is wrong, and the headline yield premium compares a gross short-let number against a net long-let one.
Investing
Non-resident mortgages in the UAE: why every bank quotes a different LTV
The Central Bank Rulebook keys loan-to-value to nationality and property price, never to residency. Banks invented the category to fill the silence.
Frequently asked questions
Is rental income taxed in the UAE?
An individual holding property in a personal capacity pays no UAE federal tax on rent or on capital gains, because personal real estate investment sits outside the Corporate Tax regime. A company holding the identical property can owe Corporate Tax at 9% once taxable income passes AED 375,000, and free-zone status usually does not shelter property income.
Can a non-resident get a mortgage in the UAE?
Yes, from several banks, but on terms the banks set themselves. The Central Bank Rulebook's loan-to-value table is keyed to nationality and property value, not to residency, so the 50% and 60% figures quoted for non-residents are bank credit policy rather than a regulatory cap. Confirm the number directly with the lender.