Short answer. Since Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006, non-UAE nationals can own freehold property in areas designated by the Ruler of Dubai. A typical resale runs: agree price → sign the MOU (RERA Form F) with a deposit → seller obtains the developer NOC → transfer at a DLD trustee office, where the buyer receives the electronic title deed. Off-plan and mortgaged deals add a couple of extra checks but follow the same backbone.
1. Confirm the area is freehold
Only areas designated by the Ruler are freehold for non-UAE nationals. The mainstream ones — Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay, Jumeirah Village Circle, Emirates Hills, Jumeirah Bay Island, Dubai Hills Estate, MBR City and many more — all fall inside the designated zones. Some older or inland areas are still leasehold or restricted to UAE/GCC nationals only. Any RERA-registered agent will confirm the tenure before you begin.
2. Agree the price and sign the MOU (Form F)
Once you and the seller agree the price, both parties sign the standard MOU — RERA Form F. The buyer usually pays a good-faith deposit at this stage (commonly around 10% of the price, though the amount is negotiated between the parties — there is no fixed legal figure). The deposit is typically held by the registration trustee or the agent as a manager's cheque. The MOU sets the transfer date and the responsibility for each fee.
3. The developer NOC
Before any transfer of title, the developer (freeholder of the master community) issues a No Objection Certificate confirming there are no outstanding service charges on the unit and that they consent to the transfer. NOC fees vary widely by developer and are usually paid by the seller. Expect the NOC to take a few working days.
4. If you need a mortgage
Under the UAE Central Bank's mortgage rules, expatriates can borrow up to 80% LTV on a first home under AED 5 million, 70% on properties above AED 5 million, and 60% on a second or additional property. For an off-plan purchase, the maximum LTV is 50%. The maximum tenor is 25 years and your debt burden ratio should not exceed 50% of your regular income. Get a written mortgage pre-approval before you sign the MOU; you will also need a bank valuation. (See our mortgage guide for the full detail.)
5. Transfer day at the DLD trustee office
The transfer happens at a Dubai Land Department trustee office. Both parties (or their attorney-in-fact under a properly attested Power of Attorney) attend. The buyer brings:
- Original passport (and Emirates ID if UAE resident).
- Manager's cheques for the seller, DLD fees, trustee/registration fee, agency commission and any mortgage fees.
- The developer NOC.
- The signed MOU / Form F.
The trustee registers the transfer with DLD and issues the electronic title deed in the buyer's name the same day.
6. Off-plan buyers — the Oqood register
Off-plan units are registered with DLD in the interim Oqood register until handover. Payments are made into the project's escrow account under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, and the final title deed is issued at handover — see our escrow guide for more.
Post-purchase checklist
- Register your utilities with DEWA.
- If you plan to rent it out, get an Ejari registration and appoint a property manager.
- Consider applying for the Golden Visa if the property is worth at least AED 2 million.
- Update your home-country tax adviser — most jurisdictions want to know about a foreign real-estate purchase.
How Eylül Estate helps
We source curated on- and off-market listings inside the freehold zones, run a full RERA-compliant negotiation and MOU process, manage the developer NOC and the trustee-office appointment, and coordinate the mortgage or Golden Visa file at the same time so the whole thing feels like a single conversation, not a dozen separate ones.