The Dubai real-estate glossary.

The official regulator of Dubai's property sector, operating under the Dubai Land Department. RERA is responsible for licensing developers, registering brokers, and overseeing the trust accounts that protect off-plan buyers. Every legitimate broker in Dubai must be RERA-registered.

The government body that registers all property ownership in Dubai. Every sale closes with a 4% transfer fee paid to the DLD, and the buyer receives a Title Deed confirming legal ownership.

The binding contract between buyer and seller. The SPA sets out price, payment schedule, handover date, and penalties for delay. It's registered with the DLD, and its terms — payment milestones, completion dates, and cancellation clauses — govern the entire deal.

An interim registration certificate issued by the DLD for off-plan property, before the building is complete. Oqood ("contract" in Arabic) records your ownership of an under-construction unit and is later replaced by a full Title Deed at handover.

The official ownership document for your property, issued by the DLD after a sale or handover. This is the definitive proof you own the asset — and in freehold zones it's registered in your own name (or your company's).

A letter from the developer confirming they have no objection to a sale or transfer, with all service charges settled. An NOC is required for every resale, and the developer typically charges a fee with a 1–2 week turnaround.

For off-plan projects, RERA requires payments to flow through a regulated escrow account. Funds are released to the developer only as construction milestones are verified (e.g. 40%, 70%, 100%) — so your money is protected if a project stalls.

Outright ownership of both the property and the land it sits on, available to foreign nationals in designated zones. Since 2002, most prime areas — Marina, Downtown, JVC, Palm, Dubai Hills — are freehold and open to overseas buyers.

The right to occupy and use a property for a fixed term, typically up to 99 years, without owning the land outright. Leasehold is rarer and found in select areas. Every project Palmera works with is Freehold.

A property bought before or during construction, directly from the developer. Off-plan prices typically run 15–30% below ready stock, with staged payment plans during construction and a Down Payment to reserve, often plus a Post-Handover component.

A finished unit, available for immediate occupancy or rental. Ready property costs more than off-plan but carries no construction risk. Handover is the moment the developer delivers the keys — usually after a Snagging inspection.

A detailed inspection of a new unit before you accept handover — checking finishes, fixtures, plumbing, and electrics. A professional Snagging Inspector flags defects for the developer to fix before you take the keys, typically costing 500–800 AED.

A warranty window after handover during which the developer must fix defects at no cost — usually 1 year for MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) and up to 10 years for major structural defects, as defined in the SPA.

A developer that plans and builds an entire community or district, often selling plots to sub-developers within it. Examples include EMAAR in Downtown, NAKHEEL on Palm Jumeirah, and DAMAC in DAMAC Hills.

Yearly fees for maintaining shared facilities (lobby, pool, gym, gardens, security). Typically 12–80 AED per sq.ft per year, regulated by RERA via the Service Charge Index, which sets a benchmark for each building.

Dubai's utility provider. New owners pay a one-time DEWA security deposit — about 2,000 AED for an apartment (≈ 4,000 for a villa) — plus a small activation/connection fee, and monthly bills cover electricity, water, and a municipality housing fee. Activation takes 1–2 working days.

The initial payment to reserve an off-plan unit — usually 5–10% of the price. It locks in your unit and price, with the SPA typically signed within 7 days of the booking.

A plan where you keep paying part of the price after you've taken the keys — e.g. 20–40% spread over 5 years post-handover. Attractive because the property can be earning rent while you're still paying it off.

The maximum a bank will lend against a property. Residents can typically borrow up to 80% LTV on a first home under 5M AED (around 70% above that, and less on a second or investment property); non-residents typically 50%, and up to ~60–65% at some banks. Terms run up to 25 years; rates move with the market, so confirm the current rate with the bank.

Dubai has no annual property tax and no capital-gains or rental-income tax for individuals. The main one-off cost is the DLD's 4% transfer fee on purchase. (Separately: 5% VAT applies to commercial — not residential — rents, and residential tenants pay a municipality housing fee of roughly 5% of annual rent via the DEWA bill. Neither is an income tax.)

The official ID card for UAE residents, required to open a bank account, sign a lease, and connect utilities. Issued for 2–3 years and linked to your residency visa.

A 10-year residency for property investors who buy a unit worth at least 2 million AED (~$545K). It renews automatically as long as you hold the property, covers your family, and — unlike standard visas — doesn't require renewal every few years.

A renewable residency visa for property owners. Buy a property in your own name and you can qualify regardless of its value; if you co-own with partners, each partner qualifies on a share of 400,000 AED or more. It extends to your spouse and children — letting you live in the UAE without local sponsorship.

The total return on an off-plan purchase, combining capital appreciation (typically 10–30% between launch and handover) and rental yield (around 5–10% per year), which you can benchmark against live data on Bayut and Property Finder.