Mortgages – Housess Real Estate

What we do

From the first eligibility check to the release of funds at the trustee office.

Eligibility check

What you can borrow, based on income, existing commitments, residency and age, before you fall for a property you cannot finance.
Comparing lenders

Rate, fixed period, what the rate reverts to, early settlement terms and arrangement fees, side by side.
Pre-approval

A pre-approval from the lender before viewing, so an offer can be made on the spot and the seller takes it seriously.
Valuation and final offer

The bank valuation booked, the final offer letter checked line by line, and the signing arranged.
Non-resident buyers

Lenders and terms for buyers who live outside the UAE, and what the paperwork looks like from abroad.
Refinancing and buyouts

Moving an existing mortgage to a better rate, or releasing equity from a property you already own.
Off plan and handover

Finance for off-plan purchases and for the final payment at handover, where the rules and the lenders differ.
Through to transfer

Coordination with the conveyancer so the funds are released on the day of transfer, not the week after.
Find out more

How much you can borrow

The UAE Central Bank sets the maximum loan-to-value for residential mortgages, and every bank works within it.

Buyer and property	Maximum loan	Minimum deposit
UAE resident, first property, up to AED 5 million	80%	20%
UAE resident, first property, above AED 5 million	70%	30%
UAE national, first property, up to AED 5 million	85%	15%
UAE national, first property, above AED 5 million	75%	25%
Second or subsequent property	60% (65% for UAE nationals)	40% (35%)
Off plan, any buyer	50%	50%

Two further limits are set by the Central Bank: the term cannot exceed 25 years, and total monthly debt repayments, including the new mortgage, cannot exceed half of monthly income. On top of that, each bank sets a maximum age at the final instalment, commonly 65 for salaried borrowers and 70 for the self-employed, and banks can and do apply tighter rules than the regulatory ceilings.

What a mortgage costs up front

Mortgage registration at the Dubai Land Department: 0.25% of the loan amount plus a fixed administration fee.
Valuation fee charged by the bank, typically in the low thousands of dirhams.
Arrangement fee, up to 1% of the loan at most banks, sometimes discounted or waived.
Life and property insurance, required by the lender and charged annually.
The purchase costs themselves: the 4% Land Department transfer fee, the trustee office fee and the agency commission. Since early 2025 banks have stopped adding these to the loan, so plan to pay them in cash alongside the deposit.

Put together, a buyer should plan for roughly 7% to 8% of the purchase price in cash on top of the deposit. We show the full figure before you commit to anything.

Fixed or variable

Most UAE mortgages offer a fixed rate for an initial period, commonly one to five years, after which the rate reverts to a margin over EIBOR, the interbank rate. The fixed rate is only half the comparison: the reversion margin, the early settlement fee and whether you can overpay are what decide the cost of the loan over its life. We put those side by side rather than leading with the headline rate.

Golden Visa

Buying property worth AED 2 million or more qualifies the owner to apply for a ten-year renewable residence visa. Since 2022 the property can be mortgaged, and off-plan purchases from approved developers qualify. If the visa is part of the reason you are buying, tell us at the start, because it affects how the purchase is structured.

From eligibility to keys

Eligibility

A short conversation and a few documents, and you know what you can borrow and what it will cost each month.
Pre-approval

The application goes to the lender that fits. A pre-approval is usually valid for 60 to 90 days, long enough to find the property.
Property and valuation

Once your offer is accepted, the bank values the property and confirms the loan against it.
Final offer letter

Checked line by line for rate, reversion margin, fees and settlement terms before you sign.
Signing and registration

The mortgage is signed and registered at the Dubai Land Department on the day of transfer.
Disbursal

Funds released to the seller at the trustee office, coordinated with the conveyancer so nothing waits on anyone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum salary for a mortgage in the UAE?

Most banks look for a monthly income in the region of AED 10,000 to 15,000 for salaried applicants, with higher thresholds for the self-employed and for non-residents. The more useful test is the debt burden ratio: total monthly repayments, including the new loan, cannot exceed half of your income.

How much deposit do I need?

At least 20% of the price for a resident buying a first property under AED 5 million, plus the purchase costs, which banks have stopped financing since early 2025. Plan for the deposit plus roughly 7% to 8% of the price in cash.

Can a non-resident get a mortgage in Dubai?

Yes, from a smaller group of lenders and usually at a lower loan-to-value and a higher rate than a resident would get. The paperwork can be handled from abroad, and we will say early on whether your profile fits.

How long does pre-approval take, and how long does it last?

Typically a few working days once the documents are in, and it is usually valid for 60 to 90 days. If it lapses before you find a property it can be renewed.

Can I get a mortgage on an off-plan property?

Yes, but the maximum loan is 50% of the price for any buyer, fewer banks lend on off plan, and some only release funds at handover. The payment plan and the lender need to be matched from the start.

Should I choose a fixed or a variable rate?

A fixed rate gives certainty for the initial period; what matters is the rate it reverts to and the cost of leaving early. We compare the whole term, not the introductory figure.

What is a mortgage buyout?

Moving an existing mortgage to another bank for a better rate or to release equity. The new bank settles the old loan; the costs are the early settlement fee on the old mortgage, and the registration and arrangement fees on the new one.

Do you charge for mortgage advice?

Mortgage brokers in the UAE are usually paid a commission by the lender, so in most cases there is no fee to the borrower. Any fee that does apply is set out in writing before you commit to anything, so you know exactly what, if anything, you pay.