A practical, step-by-step guide to buying in Dubai for the first time — how to qualify, what to prepare, and how the transaction flows from first viewing to title deed.
What you'll learn
Three things every first-time buyer needs to know
Residency tiers, AED 2M Golden Visa threshold, and mortgage eligibility for residents and non-residents — what gets you to the table.
Passport, attestations, NOC for mortgage, bank statements, salary certificate — the paperwork to have ready before you arrive.
Offer, SPA, deposits, escrow, registration at the Dubai Land Department, and final title deed handover — the full path to ownership.
Have these ready before you start viewing. Attestations from your home country take three to ten days; doing them from Dubai takes three weeks. Get them done first.
These aren't theoretical. They're the four conversations we have most often with first-time buyers in the second month of ownership — when the problem has already shown up.
The Sales & Purchase Agreement is the contract that binds the deal — and the developer's standard SPA is written for the developer. A two-hour review by a Dubai real-estate lawyer (around AED 2,500) catches payment-plan ambiguities, delay-penalty clauses, and exit terms that quietly cost five-figure sums later.
A AED 1.5M Marina apartment with AED 22 / sq ft annual service charge looks identical on a listing to one at AED 14 / sq ft — until you do the maths on year-three operating cost. Always ask for the building's last two years of service charges and the developer's planned increases, not the launch estimate.
Most off-plan projects deliver close to schedule, but a six-to-twelve-month slip is normal. If your strategy depends on rental income from a specific handover date — a Golden Visa application, a school year, a relocation — build the buffer in. Check the developer's track record on their last three completed towers, not their marketing brochure.
A 2% INR/AED swing on an AED 2M purchase is AED 40,000 — more than the DLD fee. NRIs and UK buyers who wire in one lump on the wrong day pay for the mistake forever. Stagger transfers against payment-plan milestones, lock forward rates where you can, and use a regulated forex broker, not retail banking.
We're an advisory firm, not a listings portal. The relationship doesn't end at the SPA — it starts there.
One point of contact through the whole journey — discovery, transaction, handover, portfolio. No agent rotation, no handoffs.
Authorized with 34+ Dubai developers including EMAAR, DAMAC, Sobha, Aldar and Ellington — launch-day pricing, first-tower allocations.
We co-ordinate attestations, mortgage applications, escrow setup and Oqood registration so the paperwork doesn't stall the deal.
Snagging inspection, DEWA setup, DLD registration, title deed collection, rental management — handled, so you don't fly back for paperwork.
Rental yield, capital appreciation, or AED 2M Golden Visa? Each leads to a different property. Confirm capital — cash plus mortgage capacity — and let strategy filter the inventory.
Why Invest in Dubai →A channel partner of the developer gets you launch pricing and first-tower allocations. Ask three questions: which developers, post-handover service, last five transactions.
How Briza Works →Off-plan trades a discount and payment plan for build risk. Ready trades immediacy and cash flow for full price. Inspect three times: photos, video, and in person before the SPA.
Off-Plan Guide →Off-plan payments go to a RERA-regulated escrow, not the developer. Negotiate payment plan and DLD fee split. AED 2,500 for a lawyer review saves five-figure problems later.
Legal Guide →10% deposit at SPA signing. Off-plan interest is registered via Oqood until handover. Submit passport, residency, salary certificate, and bank statements. Plan the foreign wire two weeks ahead.
Mortgage Guide →Run a snagging inspection (AED 1,200) before signing. Set up DEWA and chiller. Register at the Dubai Land Department, pay the 4% DLD fee, collect the title deed.
Handover Guide →Thirty minutes with a senior advisor. We'll map your budget, residency goal and timeline against the right inventory — and tell you, candidly, where to start.
Tell us a little about your situation and we'll set up a 30-minute call with a senior advisor. No obligation, no sales pitch.
By submitting, you agree to be contacted by a Briza advisor. We'll never share your details. See our privacy policy.
Compare listings
CompareTell us a little about you. We’ll come back within one business day to confirm a time that fits your zone.
