INVESTOR GUIDES
Practical answers on Dubai property: off-plan, payment plans, districts, developers, taxes and residency.
Quick answers
The Dubai Land Department offers a Project Status Enquiry service where you can look up a registered off-plan project and see its official registration and progress information. Your advisor can also confirm this on your behalf if you prefer not to search it yourself.
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Quick answers
In most Dubai towers, developers apply a floor-based pricing structure, so a higher floor typically carries a price premium tied to view and privacy, but the exact amount and whether it applies at all depends entirely on the building and the developer. There is no fixed rule across projects.
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Quick answers
One square foot equals 0.0929 square metres, so you multiply the sq ft figure by 0.0929 to get square metres. For example, The Woods Abode at Sobha Sanctuary publishes saleable areas from 539.7 to 963.7 sq ft, which converts to roughly 50.1 to 89.6 square metres.
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No. Off-plan payments go into a project-specific escrow account that the developer opens under Dubai Land Department rules, not an account you open yourself. As a buyer, you simply pay into that existing account according to the published payment plan.
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The payment plan a developer publishes for a project, such as 20% at reservation with the balance staged through construction and handover, is generally the standard structure offered to buyers. Some margin exists depending on availability and timing, but it is confirmed with your advisor and the developer, not assumed.
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Yes. Dubai's freehold zones are open to foreign buyers regardless of nationality, and you can complete the purchase from wherever you currently live, not only from your passport country. You will still go through standard KYC checks and provide documentation on the source of your funds.
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Yes. Several projects in the Orven selection, including Porto View, Golf Greens, Terra Woods and DAMAC Casa, list townhouses alongside apartments in their published unit mix. The off-plan process for a townhouse follows the same steps as an apartment, from reservation to DLD registration.
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Sobha publishes 2029 as the delivery year for The Woods Abode, without a specific month. What that means for planning your payments and your move, and what remains unconfirmed.
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The published size ranges for The Woods Abode's one- and two-bedroom units, what each layout suits, and how to decide between them without a confirmed floor plan yet.
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Emaar's Valia tower faces a future blue metro line announced for Dubai Creek Harbour. Here is exactly what that means today, with no construction date attached, and how to weigh it when buying off-plan in the district.
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There is no single best project for rental income; the fit depends on district demand, unit mix and branding. Waterfront branded addresses, business-district studios and one-beds each attract different tenant profiles, with no ranking between them.
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The building's management company handles common areas, while you are responsible for the interior of your own unit. Any warranty period covering defects from the developer is precised in your contract.
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In practice the tenant registers and pays for DEWA (water and electricity) and internet during the lease, while the owner remains responsible for the property itself. The exact split is confirmed in the tenancy contract registered through Ejari.
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There is no single best family project; look at unit size, indoor and outdoor play spaces, and the district's community feel. Sanctuary Residences, The Grove and Golf Residences each offer a different family setting, without one ranking above another.
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In Dubai's designated freehold areas, a foreign owner can rent the property out, resell it, and pass it on, with the same title rights as any other freehold owner. Some steps, like resale before handover, follow their own developer process.
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Service charges begin once your unit is handed over and registered in your name, not while the building is still under construction. The exact amount is set by the owners' association and confirmed by the developer at handover.
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Expect a developer receipt for each instalment, an escrow account statement showing the funds received, and your Oqood registration once the sales contract is registered. Keep every document, since you will need them later.
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Orven's advisers work in English, French and Arabic, so your first call and every step after it can happen in the language you are most comfortable in. This includes documents, WhatsApp exchanges and any follow up questions.
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Dubai's off-plan system is built around an escrow account controlled by the DLD, with RERA overseeing developers, precisely to limit this risk. No outcome can be guaranteed, and a concrete case depends on the specifics and needs its own legal advice.
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The first step is a conversation with an advisor about your budget, goals and timeline, followed by a short brief and a selection of matching projects, all before any payment is made. Nothing is reserved or signed until you have seen real options.
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The main fees on top of a Dubai purchase price are the DLD registration fee at 4%, a fixed Oqood fee for off-plan sales confirmed in your contract, service charges once the unit is handed over, and furnishing if you choose it. None of these are optional add-ons your advisor invents; they are standard costs to plan for from day one.
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After your reservation payment, you sign the sale and purchase agreement (SPA), the developer registers the sale through Oqood with the DLD, and your instalment schedule begins according to the project's payment plan. Each step is confirmed to you in writing before it happens.
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Nothing changes about your ownership; a Dubai freehold title does not depend on where you live. Update your contact details with the developer and your adviser so notices, invoices and eventual handover communication still reach you.
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You can withdraw before signing the sale and purchase agreement, but whether your reservation payment is refunded, and how much of it, depends on the developer's specific terms, not a fixed Dubai-wide rule. Check this before you pay, not after you want to withdraw.
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