A seven-step checklist for buying off plan in Dubai: the developer and project, the escrow account, the contract, the payment plan, registration, your assumptions and the handover, with examples by handover window.
Quick answer
Before you pay for an off-plan unit, check three things separately: the developer and the project, where your money goes, and what the contract says. In the Golden Hills catalogue 329 projects are due within a year, 515 are one to three years away and 70 are further out, so the timing of what you are checking differs from one project to the next.
Last updated: 13 November 2026. Property figures come from the Golden Hills catalogue on that date. The toman figures use 71,944 toman per dirham (rate of 10 November 2026) and are an approximate conversion only.
The checklist
- Check the developer and the project separately. A known developer name is not enough: the project itself must be registered, and the project name, the developer's legal name and the details in the contract must agree.
- Confirm where the money goes. Buyer payments for off-plan units are paid into the project's escrow account. Check the bank, the account name and its link to the project before you transfer anything. A request to pay to a personal account, or to an account the project documents do not describe, is a reason to stop.
- Read the sales and purchase agreement, not only the brochure. It should state the unit, the price, the installments, the expected handover date, what happens if the date slips, the rules on changes of area, service charge, resale and termination. Where the brochure and the contract differ, the contract is what binds you.
- Test the payment plan against your income. Small early installments look light, but the larger payments near handover matter more. Build a month-by-month table and try a scenario with delayed income.
- Record the registration. A new off-plan sale is registered through the Oqood system with a 4% registration fee, so ask who pays it and when you receive the proof.
- Write down your investment assumptions in three versions: cautious, base and optimistic. Future price, rent and resale timing are not guaranteed, and service charge, vacancy and furnishing belong in the model.
- Plan the handover. Ask about the inspection, the defects list, the time to fix them and when you receive the keys. If you plan to rent at once, add the time for furnishing and connecting services.
Handover within a year
329 projects sit in this group. The Eighty Three in Dubai South starts at AED 464,083 (about 33.4 billion toman) with a December 2026 date. A listed date is not proof the building will be finished by then, so ask for the completion status. With a short wait, the checks on the escrow account and the contract matter most, because the unit is close to being handed over. See the Dubai South page.
Handover in one to three years
515 projects fall here. Waada in Dubai South starts at AED 460,000 (about 33.1 billion toman) with a December 2028 date. A longer wait means more installments paid before you can use the unit, so the payment plan and your cash flow need the most attention. Ask how the developer reports construction progress.
Handover beyond three years
70 projects are three years or more away. Sorrento in Damac Lagoons starts at AED 680,000 (about 48.9 billion toman) with a March 2030 date. A long horizon increases the weight of the developer's track record, because there is more time for plans to change. A further 44 projects list no date, so ask for one in writing.
Signs to stop
- Pressure to pay the same day without showing documents.
- A promised return or guaranteed resale with no binding commitment.
- A mismatch in the project name, the developer or the account holder.
- Costs that are not in the contract.
- Vague answers about escrow, registration or handover.
Foire aux questions
Where does my money go when I buy off plan in Dubai?
Buyer payments for off-plan units go into the project's escrow account. Check the bank, the account name and its link to the project before you transfer.
Is the brochure or the contract what binds me?
The contract. Where the brochure and the sales and purchase agreement differ, the agreement is what you are held to.
What is the registration fee on a new off-plan unit?
It is 4% of the price, registered through the Oqood system. Ask who pays it and when you receive the proof.
Is the handover date a guarantee?
No. A listed date can slip, so ask for the current completion status.
What should make me stop before paying?
Pressure to pay the same day, a guaranteed return or resale with no binding commitment, mismatched names, costs outside the contract, and vague answers about escrow or handover.
Dernière vérification: 13 November 2026 · Examen prévu: —
