Buying property in the UAE from abroad

The United Arab Emirates offer international buyers something few countries do: full freehold ownership in designated areas, no personal income tax, sunshine all year and airports that connect to almost everywhere. Dubai is one of the most liquid property markets in the world, and Abu Dhabi has opened more and more of its islands and districts to foreign owners.

After a record 2025, the market also had its first real test in years. The regional conflict involving Iran weighed on confidence from March 2026, sales in Dubai fell by half between the last quarter of 2025 and the third quarter of 2026, and rents in several popular districts came down. This guide sets out where things stand in November 2026.

One point matters more than any other: Dubai and Abu Dhabi are two markets with their own rules, fees and registries. Before anything else, establish which emirate and which zone a home is in, and deal only with licensed brokers.

The guide covers Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The other five emirates have rules of their own, and their smaller markets carry more risk.

The UAE property market at a glance

Dubai’s boom cooled in 2026. Dubai Land Department figures put sales at AED 94 billion in the third quarter of 2026, against AED 187 billion in the last quarter of 2025, and Savills measured the average apartment price at AED 1,817 per square foot in the third quarter, 4.8% below the quarter before. Apartment rents in Dubai Marina, Business Bay and Jumeirah Village Circle were 10–13% lower than a year earlier.

Abu Dhabi went the other way. Its official city price index was rising at 17.3% a year in August 2026, and the value of its sales grew 31% in the third quarter.

Supply is the thing to watch. Around 65,000 apartments and 12,500 villas were due for completion in Dubai by the end of 2026, though many will slip into 2027. More homes mean more choice for buyers, and more competition for tenants.

What changed in 2025–26

These are the changes that matter most to buyers, each as it stood in November 2026:

  • The conflict cooled the boom: Confidence weakened from March 2026 as the regional conflict involving Iran went on. Dubai’s quarterly sales halved between late 2025 and the third quarter of 2026.
  • Prices and rents softened: Average apartment prices in Dubai slipped 4.8% in a quarter, and rents fell 10–13% in a year in Dubai Marina, Business Bay and JVC.
  • A new Golden Visa rule: Since February 2026, a property worth AED 2 million or more qualifies on its value rather than on the amount already paid, so mortgaged and off-plan homes can now count.
  • Abu Dhabi opened up: Eight new investment zones were approved for foreign buyers in the first half of 2026, taking the total to 50.
  • A wave of new supply: Tens of thousands of homes were due in Dubai in 2026, many of them likely to arrive in 2027.
  • Relief for holiday-home owners: Dubai’s AED 1.5 billion relief package of May 2026 included a temporary exemption from holiday-home permit fees. Check what still applies when you register.
  • Off-plan still dominates: About 70% of Dubai’s residential sales in the third quarter of 2026 were off-plan, but ready homes gained ground as buyers preferred property they could see and let at once.

Most international buyers choose between Dubai’s waterfront and downtown districts and Abu Dhabi’s islands. Prices vary widely between neighbouring communities, and even between buildings, so use the figures below to compare areas rather than to value a home. They are third-quarter 2026 averages and medians from Espace, Property Monitor, fäm Properties and DARI-based data; AED 1,000,000 was worth about £202,000 or €242,000 at market rates on 5 November 2026.

  • Downtown Dubai: The Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, prime high-rise living; a one- or two-bedroom apartment runs at about AED 1.8–3.5 million.
  • Dubai Marina and JBR: Waterfront towers, the beach and strong rental demand; an average apartment of about AED 2.4 million, around AED 2,150 per square foot.
  • Business Bay: Canal-side offices and apartments next to Downtown; an average apartment of about AED 1.8 million.
  • Jumeirah Village Circle: Mid-market apartments and Dubai’s busiest community; an average apartment of about AED 1.0 million, around AED 1,480 per square foot.
  • Dubai Hills Estate: Family villas around a golf course, a park and a mall; about AED 2,340 per square foot.
  • Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi: Beaches, museums and low-rise luxury; about AED 2,700 per square foot.
  • Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi: Central apartment towers and Abu Dhabi’s largest resale market; about AED 1,500 per square foot.

Dubai, district by district

Dubai is the UAE’s commercial hub and one of the most international cities anywhere, with around 4.8 million residents. It is also the Gulf’s most liquid property market: about 37,700 deals were done in the third quarter of 2026 alone, and gross rental yields were put at about 5.5–7.7% before costs. The waterfront draws holiday-home buyers, Downtown and Business Bay suit city living, and the villa communities suit families.

  • Downtown and Business Bay: Around the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, with Business Bay along the canal next door. Prime apartments, strong short-let demand and a premium price.
  • Dubai Marina and JBR: Waterfront towers, the beach and a walkable promenade, and one of the most active rental markets in the city, though rents eased in 2026.
  • Palm Jumeirah: The man-made island of beachfront villas, apartments and hotels, at the very top of the market and aimed at high-net-worth buyers.
  • Dubai Hills Estate: A master-planned community of villas and apartments around a golf course and a park, popular with families.
  • Jumeirah Village Circle: Mid-market apartments and townhouses, and the busiest community in Dubai by sales. Entry prices are lower; check each building closely.
  • Creek Harbour and MBR City: Newer master plans close to Downtown with many off-plan launches. Check the delivery dates and the developer’s record before you commit.

Abu Dhabi and beyond, area by area

Abu Dhabi is the capital and the largest emirate. Its property market is smaller than Dubai’s but was one of the region’s strongest performers in 2026, and its registration fee is half of Dubai’s. Foreigners buy freehold in the investment zones: Saadiyat for beaches and museums, Yas for theme parks and family living, Al Reem for city apartments.

  • Saadiyat Island: Beaches, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the new cultural district, with low-rise luxury villas and apartments at the top of the city’s prices.
  • Yas Island: Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and the Formula 1 circuit, with family villas and townhouses and many off-plan projects.
  • Al Reem Island: Apartment towers close to the centre and the city’s biggest resale market. Transfers on Al Reem and Al Maryah go through the ADGM registry rather than ADREC.
  • Al Raha Beach and Masdar City: Waterfront apartments near the airport, and a low-carbon city with steady long-term rental demand.
  • Beyond the two cities: Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan Island is drawing buyers ahead of its planned integrated resort. Smaller markets carry more risk, so look closely at the developer and at resale demand.

Investing in UAE property

Dubai has deep demand from tenants and from tourists alike, and gross yields were estimated at 5.5–7.7% in the third quarter of 2026, before costs. Abu Dhabi offers lower fees and a market that was still rising in 2026.

Ownership in the designated areas is full freehold, but the rules differ between the emirates and even between islands: the next section explains what a foreigner may own and where.

Treat income forecasts with care. Rents in several popular districts fell 10–13% in a year as new supply arrived, so underwrite on your own figures, after service charges, fees and empty periods, and be wary of any developer’s “guaranteed rental return”: ask who pays it, from what, and what happens if they stop.

What foreign buyers need to know

What a foreigner can legally own

Foreigners can own property outright in designated areas of both cities, and you do not need to live in the UAE to buy: a passport is enough. What you may own depends on the emirate and the zone.

  • Dubai, freehold: In the designated freehold areas, which include Downtown, the Marina, the Palm, Business Bay, Dubai Hills and JVC. Elsewhere, property is mostly reserved for UAE and GCC nationals, with long leaseholds of up to 99 years in some areas.
  • Abu Dhabi, freehold: In the 50 investment zones, including Saadiyat, Yas, Al Reem, Al Raha and Masdar. Outside them, a foreigner can hold musataha or usufruct rights for a fixed term, not freehold.
  • The regulators: The Dubai Land Department (DLD) and RERA in Dubai; ADREC on the DARI platform in Abu Dhabi, with the ADGM registry for Al Reem and Al Maryah.
  • Buying through a company: In Dubai a foreign company usually buys through an approved free-zone company; in Abu Dhabi it is possible in the investment zones, with rules that vary by zone.

“Freehold” in a brochure does not always mean freehold for you. In Abu Dhabi especially, confirm that the unit is inside an investment zone and that the title on offer is freehold before you sign anything.

The buying process, step by step

A resale in Dubai can complete in 30 days. The process is fast and digital, which is exactly why the checks before you sign matter so much.

  • Use licensed professionals: Deal only with a broker licensed by RERA in Dubai or ADREC in Abu Dhabi, and check that the advert carries a valid permit number. Take independent legal advice: a conveyancer is common, a lawyer is wiser for a large or complex purchase.
  • Sign the sale agreement: In Dubai this is the RERA Form F, the memorandum of understanding, which sets the price, the timetable and who pays which fees. A 10% deposit is usual, typically held by the broker or the trustee until the transfer.
  • Get the developer’s NOC: The seller applies to the developer for a No Objection Certificate confirming that the service charges are paid. The seller usually pays its fee.
  • Arrange any mortgage: The bank values the property and issues its final offer. If the seller has a mortgage, it is cleared at the same time as the transfer.
  • Transfer the title: Buyer and seller, or their attorneys, meet at a Registration Trustee office in Dubai or complete through DARI in Abu Dhabi. You pay the balance and the fees, and the new title deed is issued in your name.
  • Buying off-plan instead: You sign a sale and purchase agreement with the developer, register it (Oqood in Dubai, DARI in Abu Dhabi) and pay in stages into the project’s escrow account. The title deed follows on completion.

Taxes and fees when you buy

There is no stamp duty and no VAT on most homes. The big cost is the government registration fee: 4% in Dubai, 2% in Abu Dhabi.

  • Transfer fee, Dubai: 4% of the price plus AED 580 in administration, paid to the DLD. It can be split, but by custom the buyer pays it all; check your Form F.
  • Transfer fee, Abu Dhabi: 2%, paid to ADREC through DARI. Agree in the contract who pays it.
  • Trustee, Dubai: AED 4,000–4,200 plus VAT to the office that processes the transfer.
  • Agent’s commission: About 2% plus 5% VAT, usually paid by the buyer on a resale and often nothing off-plan.
  • Mortgage costs: In Dubai, 0.25% of the loan plus AED 290 to register it, and a valuation and bank fee of up to 1%.
  • VAT: Resales are exempt and the first sale of a new home is zero-rated, so there is none on homes.

In our worked example for an AED 2,000,000 home bought for cash, the indicative costs on top of the price come to about AED 127,500 (6.4%) for a Dubai resale, about AED 80,300 (4.0%) for a Dubai off-plan purchase and about AED 83,000 (4.2%) in Abu Dhabi, assuming the buyer pays the full registration fee. AED 2,000,000 was worth about £405,000 or €485,000 on 5 November 2026. Your lawyer or conveyancer will confirm the figures for your own purchase.

Visas and residency options

Buying property does not by itself give you the right to live in the UAE, but property above set values can unlock a long-term visa for you and your family.

  • Visiting: UK and EU citizens can visit without arranging a visa in advance; how long you may stay depends on your nationality.
  • Golden Visa through property: Ten years, renewable, for property valued at AED 2 million or more. Since February 2026 mortgaged and off-plan homes can qualify. It covers your spouse, children and parents, with no minimum stay.
  • Property investor visa: Dubai also offers a two-year residence visa to owners of property worth at least AED 750,000.
  • Retirement visa: Five years for people aged 55 and over, through property worth AED 1 million, savings of AED 1 million or a monthly income of AED 20,000, with lower thresholds in Dubai.
  • Remote work visa: One year, renewable, for people employed or running a business abroad and earning at least US$3,500 a month.
  • Other routes: Employment, business and entrepreneur visas. Citizenship is granted only rarely.

You can obtain a UAE tax residence certificate after 183 days in a year, or after 90 days if you also hold UAE residence and have a permanent home or job there. Leaving your home country’s tax net is a separate test: in the UK, for example, the Statutory Residence Test decides. Visa rules and thresholds change, so check with the ICP (icp.gov.ae) or GDRFA Dubai and take cross-border advice before you apply.

Owning a home: running costs and tax

There is no annual property tax and no personal tax on rent in the UAE. The costs to watch are service charges and utilities.

  • Service charges: Paid to the owners’ association for maintenance, security, pools and gyms, often AED 10–30 or more per square foot a year and higher in luxury towers. Dubai publishes approved rates in its service charge index.
  • Utilities: Electricity and water from DEWA in Dubai or ADDC and AADC in Abu Dhabi, with air-conditioning driving the bill. Some buildings add separate district-cooling (chiller) charges.
  • Housing fee: A municipality fee collected through the utility bill: 5% of the annual rent for tenants in Dubai, while owners who live in the home pay a fee based on its value.
  • Insurance and management: Contents and landlord insurance. Long-let management typically costs 5–10% of the rent, holiday-home operators 15–25% of the revenue.
  • Tax in the UAE: No personal income tax, capital gains tax or inheritance tax for individuals. Companies may pay 9% corporate tax, and VAT of 5% applies to commercial property and some services.
  • Tax at home: Your own country may tax your UAE rent and gains: UK residents, for example, report foreign rental income and gains to HMRC.
  • Make a will: Register a UAE will, for example through the DIFC Wills Service or the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, so that your property passes as you intend.

Letting your property: the rules

Dubai has deep demand from both tenants and tourists, and a clear, enforced permit system for holiday lets.

  • Get a permit first: In Dubai every short let needs a holiday-home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), shown on every listing. Abu Dhabi licenses holiday homes through DCT Abu Dhabi.
  • Permit fees: Registration of about AED 1,520, then an annual permit from AED 370 for a one-bedroom home plus AED 300 for each extra bedroom.
  • Tourism Dirham: Collect AED 10 (standard) or AED 15 (deluxe) per occupied bedroom per night from your guests and pay it to DET monthly.
  • Check the building: You need the developer’s or the owners’ association’s NOC, and some towers restrict short lets.
  • Long-term lets: Register every lease, with Ejari in Dubai or Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi. In Dubai, rent rises are limited by the official RERA rental index; deposits are usually 5% unfurnished or 10% furnished, and rent is often paid in one to four cheques.
  • Be realistic about income: Gross yields of about 5.5–7.7% were estimated for the third quarter of 2026, but rents in several popular areas fell 10–13% in a year as new supply arrived. Underwrite on your own figures, after service charges, fees and empty periods.

Legal considerations: the zone, the title and the escrow

Check the zone, not just the brochure

In the UAE, what you may own is decided by where the home stands. Dubai’s freehold areas and Abu Dhabi’s investment zones are defined by the authorities, and a property outside them cannot be yours outright whatever the marketing says. In Abu Dhabi especially, confirm that the unit is inside an investment zone and that the title on offer is freehold, not a fixed-term musataha or usufruct right.

Check the title before you pay

Freehold title is registered with the government, which makes it easy to verify. Before you pay anything, check the property’s registration, its ownership and any mortgage on it through the official channels, Dubai REST or DARI, or through your lawyer. On Al Reem and Al Maryah islands the register is the ADGM’s, not ADREC’s.

Off-plan: pay into escrow only

  • The escrow account: Off-plan payments must go into a project escrow account regulated by the authorities, never to the developer or an agent. Confirm that the project is registered and ask for its escrow account number before you pay.
  • The registration: Your sale and purchase agreement is registered with Oqood in Dubai or DARI in Abu Dhabi, and the title deed follows on completion.
  • The developer: Check the delivery dates and the developer’s record, particularly in the newer master plans where many launches are off-plan.

Before you instruct a lawyer or a conveyancer, ask exactly which checks the fee covers and who will verify the title, the zone and the escrow.

How to find the right property in the UAE

Set your budget

Plan for the costs on top of the price: about 4–6.5% in Dubai depending on whether you buy off-plan or a resale, and about 4% in Abu Dhabi, as set out above.

Then decide how you will pay. UAE law does not require a lawyer and many buyers rely on the broker and a conveyancer, but pay for independent legal advice anyway, especially for off-plan contracts, powers of attorney and anything involving a company.

Mortgages are capped by the Central Bank: resident expats can borrow up to 80% of the value on a first home up to AED 5 million, 70% above that and 60% on a second home; off-plan is capped at 50% for everyone. Non-residents can borrow from fewer banks, typically 50–60%.

The dirham is pegged to the US dollar at 3.6725, so if you earn in pounds or euros your real cost moves with the dollar.

  • Use a regulated currency specialist rather than a high-street bank transfer.
  • Consider a forward contract to fix the rate for your deposit and your completion payment.
  • Off-plan, match your transfers to the payment plan.
  • Keep proof of the source of every transfer: the UAE’s anti-money-laundering checks are strict.

Choose your location

Start with how you will use the home, then compare several areas before you narrow your search: prices and rental demand vary sharply between communities, and a prime waterfront tower and a mid-market suburb can be a short drive apart.

Match the home to your needs

  • Families and relocating professionals: Dubai Hills Estate and Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island for villas, townhouses and schools; Downtown and Business Bay for city living.
  • Holiday-home buyers: Dubai Marina, JBR and the Palm, with Saadiyat Island for beaches and museums; check the building’s rules on short lets.
  • Holiday-let investors: Downtown, the Marina and JBR have the visitors, but every short let needs its permit, and the building its NOC.
  • Long-let investors: JVC and Al Reem Island offer lower entry prices and steady demand; Al Raha Beach and Masdar City have long-term tenants near the airport.

Get professional help

Your broker must be licensed, by RERA in Dubai or ADREC in Abu Dhabi, and every advert must carry a valid permit number. Independent legal advice is the best money you will spend, even though the law does not demand it.

On MiMove, every listing shows the agency behind it, each agency has its own page with all its listings, and the WhatsApp, phone or email buttons put you straight through to it. Set up alerts to hear when new homes match your search.

Take advice from a qualified tax adviser too, particularly on how your home country treats UAE rent and gains and on when you become tax resident.

Ten mistakes to avoid

  • Skipping the broker check: Use RERA- or ADREC-licensed brokers and permitted adverts.
  • Paying outside escrow: Off-plan money goes into the project’s escrow account only.
  • Forgetting the 4% fee: Dubai’s DLD fee is paid in cash on top of the price.
  • Assuming an 80% mortgage: Non-residents get 50–60%, and off-plan is capped at 50%.
  • Believing in “guaranteed returns”: Underwrite on realistic, net rental income.
  • Short-letting without a permit: Register with DET and collect the Tourism Dirham.
  • Not checking the zone: In Abu Dhabi, freehold only applies in the investment zones.
  • Ignoring service charges: Ask for the charges and any chiller fees before you buy.
  • Forgetting tax at home: No UAE tax does not mean no tax anywhere.
  • Not making a UAE will: Register one so your property passes as you intend.