How to buy off-plan property in Dubai: every step from booking to keys

An off-plan purchase is not one transaction but a chain of 10 steps spread over 2–4 years. Here is each of them: what you sign, what you pay, what to check and where buyers most often go wrong.

Step 1. Budget and the full cost

Count the full cost, not the advertised price: the unit price, the 4% DLD fee, the Oqood registration admin fee and, after handover, the title deed fee, the advance service charge and the DEWA deposit. Keep a reserve too: the balance on handover (often 30–60%) is due at once, and banks finance off-plan only to a limited extent and usually close to completion.

Step 2. Choosing and checking the project

Make sure the project is registered with the Dubai Land Department and has an escrow account — both are visible in the Dubai REST app and the DLD project registry. Look at the developer's record: how many projects it has delivered and how late, plus the current completion percentage and the planned completion date. Compare the price per square metre with ready homes and other new projects in the area.

Step 3. Booking (EOI and reservation form)

At launch developers often collect expressions of interest (EOI) with a refundable deposit. Once you pick a unit you sign a reservation form and pay a booking deposit — usually 5–10% or a fixed amount. A passport is enough; UAE residency is not required. Get in writing when the booking deposit is refundable.

Step 4. First instalment and the DLD fee

Usually within a few weeks of booking you top up the first instalment of the plan (most often to 10–20% of the price) and pay the 4% DLD fee. The developer cannot register the deal in Oqood until the fee is paid. Some developers cover the fee as a promotion — this must be stated in the documents.

Step 5. The sales and purchase agreement (SPA)

The SPA is the key document. Check the exact unit number and area (and the allowed deviation), the finishing specification, the payment plan, the handover date and grace period, compensation for delays, penalties for your late payments, and the termination and assignment terms. If something was promised verbally, ask for it in the contract or an annex.

Step 6. Oqood registration

Once the SPA is signed and the fee paid, the developer registers the deal in the Dubai Land Department's Oqood system and you receive the Oqood certificate (Initial Contract of Sale). This is your protection: the deal sits in the government registry and the unit cannot be sold twice.

Step 7. Payments during construction

The remaining instalments follow the schedule — by date or by construction milestone. Money goes only to the project escrow account named in the SPA, never to the developer's or agent's own account. Keep every receipt and statement: you will need them for a resale, a mortgage and the handover.

Step 8. Selling before handover (assignment)

If your plans change, the unit can be assigned before handover. Developers usually allow this only after a set share of the price has been paid (often 30–40%) and issue a NOC for a fee. The new buyer replaces you in Oqood, and the DLD fee is paid again on the resale.

Step 9. Completion and snagging

When the building receives its completion certificate, the developer sends a handover notice and the final payment statement. Before you sign the handover, inspect the unit yourself or with a snagging inspector: cracks, plumbing, air conditioning, windows, the area. Every defect goes on the snagging list and the developer must fix it.

Step 10. Keys and the title deed

You pay the balance (in cash or with a mortgage), settle the service charge and connect DEWA. The developer hands over the keys and the DLD converts the Oqood record into a full title deed in your name. From then on you can rent the home out (the lease is registered in Ejari) or sell it as a ready property.

How PromptEstates helps

PromptEstates matches off-plan projects to your budget and shows for each one its DLD registry status, completion percentage, escrow bank, payment plan including the DLD fee and the developer's record.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Dubai Land Department

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Updated: 2026-10-07