Photo: Eslam Tawakol / Unsplash
Guide
Selling property in Dubai
How to price it, what you will pay, and how the transfer works, including when there is a mortgage on the property.
Before you list
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Price from evidence
The asking price should sit on recent Land Department transfers in the same building or community, not on portal listings that have not sold.
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One agent, in writing
A listing agreement (Form A) with one brokerage gives you a single accountable point of contact and one permit per advert.
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Clear the service charges
The developer will not issue the NOC until service charges are paid to date. Check the balance before you go to market.
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Know your mortgage terms
If the property is financed, ask the bank for a liability letter early. Early settlement is capped at 1% of the balance, up to AED 10,000.
What selling costs
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Agency commission | Customarily 2% of the price + VAT, payable at transfer |
| Developer NOC | Set by the developer, commonly AED 500 to 5,000 |
| Mortgage early settlement | Capped by the Central Bank at 1% of the outstanding balance, maximum AED 10,000 |
| Mortgage release at the Land Department | AED 1,290 |
| Land Department transfer fee | 4%, customarily paid by the buyer unless agreed otherwise |
There is no capital gains tax on the sale of property by an individual in the UAE.
Marketing
Each advert needs its own Trakheesi permit from the Land Department, which the brokerage obtains against the signed listing agreement and your title deed. We photograph the property, prepare a floor plan and list it on the major portals. Offers are presented with the buyer’s financing position, because a cash offer at one price and a mortgage offer at a higher price are not the same offer.
A sale with a mortgage on the property
The seller’s bank issues a liability letter stating the settlement figure. If the buyer is paying cash, they settle the mortgage directly, the bank releases the title deed, and the transfer follows. If the buyer also has a mortgage, their bank pays off yours and the two banks coordinate the release and the new registration. The steps are routine but add two to four weeks, which is why the settlement figure should be in hand before the property is listed.
Transfer day
Both parties, or their attorneys, attend a registration trustee office. The buyer’s manager’s cheque is handed over, the fees are paid, the old title deed is cancelled and the new one issued. Keys, access cards and the DEWA final bill are handed over the same day. If the property is tenanted, the tenancy and the deposit pass to the buyer.
Selling with a tenant in place. A tenanted unit is often attractive to an investor. If a buyer wants vacant possession, the tenant is entitled to 12 months notice through a notary public or by registered post, and the notice must be served before the sale is agreed.
The process, in order
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Valuation
A price supported by recent transactions in the same building or community, shown to you with the comparables.
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Listing agreement and permit
Form A signed, the Trakheesi permit obtained, and the property photographed and listed.
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Viewings and offers
Accompanied viewings; every offer presented with the buyer's financing position and timeline.
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Form F
The sale contract signed; the buyer's deposit held by the brokerage until transfer.
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NOC and liability letter
Service charges cleared and the developer NOC issued; the bank settlement figure confirmed if financed.
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Transfer
Completion at the trustee office; payment received, title deed transferred, keys handed over.
Frequently asked questions
The questions sellers ask most.
How long does a sale take?
From an accepted offer, a cash sale usually completes in two to four weeks and a financed one in six to eight. Time on the market before that depends on price and community; a property priced on transaction evidence sells faster than one priced on hope.
Can I list with several agencies?
You can, but each needs its own listing agreement and permit, and multiple listings of the same unit at different prices undermine it. One agency with a defined marketing plan and a review date is the usual recommendation.
What is a developer NOC?
A no-objection certificate from the developer or owners association confirming that service charges are paid and there is no objection to the transfer. The Land Department will not register the sale without it.
Do I have to attend the transfer?
No. A power of attorney, notarised in Dubai or at a UAE embassy abroad and attested, allows someone to sign on your behalf. Many overseas owners sell without travelling.
What happens to the tenant's deposit?
It passes to the buyer with the tenancy, usually as a deduction from the price at transfer, so the buyer holds it for return to the tenant at the end of the lease.
Is there any tax on the sale?
No capital gains tax applies to an individual selling residential property in the UAE. Corporate owners should take advice on corporate tax.
Find out what it would sell for
Send us the building and unit type and we will come back with recent comparables and a recommended price.