Question 1

Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Non-UAE nationals can buy freehold property in designated freehold areas (which include Downtown, Palm Jumeirah, Marina, DIFC, MBR City and most master communities). There is no restriction on nationality.

Question 2

What are the total upfront costs when buying?

Accepted Answer

Typical upfront fees are: 4% DLD transfer, 2% agency fee, ~AED 4,200 trustee fee, AED 2,000–4,000 admin fees, and for mortgaged purchases 0.25% mortgage registration + bank arrangement fees (~1%).

Question 3

How does the property Golden Visa work?

Accepted Answer

An investment of AED 2 million or more in one or more Dubai properties qualifies you for a 10-year renewable residency visa. The property must be complete and free from mortgage on the AED 2M portion.

Question 4

How much can I borrow from a UAE bank?

Accepted Answer

Up to 80% LTV for expatriate first-time buyers (property under AED 5M) and 75% for property over AED 5M. UAE residents can typically borrow up to 25× monthly income under the Central Bank's 50% DBR rule.

Question 5

Is there any property tax in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

There is no annual property or capital-gains tax on residential real estate for individuals. There is a one-off 4% DLD transfer fee at purchase and a 5% municipality tax on annual rent for tenants.

Question 6

How safe is buying off-plan in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Off-plan sales are strictly regulated: developer funds sit in escrow accounts under RERA supervision, and construction milestones must be verified before releases. Point Penta only markets projects from RERA-approved developers with a track record of on-time handover.

Question 7

How is rent regulated in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

The RERA rent index limits annual increases based on how far current rent sits below market. All tenancy contracts must be registered on the Ejari system before utilities activation.

Question 8

Do I need to sign an exclusive contract?

Accepted Answer

No. Point Penta operates on both open-mandate and exclusive-mandate bases. For premium properties we recommend exclusive listings because they enable the full marketing spend, off-market network and editorial photography — historically achieving higher net-of-fees sale prices.

Question 9

How many properties does Point Penta hold?

Accepted Answer

We deliberately keep our on-file inventory small — typically 60–120 curated mandates at any time. Off-market briefs and investor allocations may take total exposure well above that.

Question 10

Do you cover Abu Dhabi and other Emirates?

Accepted Answer

Yes. While our team is Dubai-headquartered, we cover Abu Dhabi (Yas, Saadiyat, Al Reem) and select Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah mandates for existing clients.

Everything youwanted to ask.

Everything you
wanted to ask.