# Property Purchase (شراء عقار) Buy a home in the Gulf safely: confirm where foreigners may own, get mortgage pre-approval, run due diligence, sign the sale agreement, obtain the developer NOC and register the transfer to receive your title deed. Ownership rules, fees and land registries differ by country. - Gulf countries · Home and living - 10 steps · ~21 days · 4 documents - Last reviewed: 2026-10 - Web page: https://raaya.cloud/p/bundled_PROPERTY_PURCHASE_ME ## Steps ### 1. Check where you can buy and your full budget (2 days) Foreign nationals can own freehold property in the UAE only in designated areas, which each emirate sets. In Dubai the Dubai Land Department (DLD) registers all sales; Abu Dhabi uses the Department of Municipalities and Transport through TAMM, and the other emirates have their own land departments. Budget beyond the price. In Dubai, DLD charges a transfer fee of 4 percent of the sale value (split 2 percent buyer and 2 percent seller on DLD's schedule, though sale contracts often assign it all to the buyer), plus title deed and trustee centre fees, broker commission, mortgage registration and valuation if you borrow. Other Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia permits non-Saudi ownership under its own law and registry, and charges a 5 percent Real Estate Transaction Tax collected by ZATCA. Qatar allows non-Qatari ownership in designated areas, registered with the Ministry of Justice. Bahrain registers freehold sales with the Survey and Land Registration Bureau. Kuwait heavily restricts ownership by non-Kuwaitis. Oman allows expatriate ownership in designated projects and areas. Tip: Check on the DLD app that the broker and the project are registered before you pay anything. Online: https://dubailand.gov.ae/ ### 2. Get mortgage pre-approval (3 days) If you will borrow, get pre-approval from a UAE bank before making an offer. The bank checks your salary, existing debts and credit report and confirms how much it will lend. Loan-to-value limits set by the Central Bank are lower for non-residents and for more expensive or second properties, so plan for a substantial down payment plus fees. Pre-approval letters usually expire after a few weeks, so time it close to your search. Other Gulf countries: banks in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman offer home finance to eligible residents under their central bank rules; availability for expatriates varies. Tip: Ask the bank for a full list of its fees (arrangement, valuation, life and property insurance) in writing. Documents: Valid passport copy, Emirates ID card, Recent bank statements ### 3. Run due diligence on the property (3 days) Verify before you commit. For a ready property, confirm the seller's ownership and that the title deed is genuine using the DLD tools, and ask whether there is an outstanding mortgage that must be cleared at transfer. Check annual service charges and any arrears, as well as the tenancy status if the unit is let. For off-plan, check that the developer and project are registered and that payments go into the project's escrow account. Only deal through a broker registered with RERA (Dubai) and keep all agreements in writing. Other Gulf countries: use the official registry to verify ownership: Saudi Arabia's real estate registry, Qatar's Ministry of Justice, Bahrain's SLRB and Oman's Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. Tip: Never transfer a deposit to a personal account; use a manager's cheque or the official escrow. - [ ] Title deed verified on the DLD app - [ ] Seller identity matches the deed - [ ] Existing mortgage and bank liability letter checked - [ ] Service charges paid up to date - [ ] Broker RERA registration confirmed - [ ] Off-plan: project registered and escrow account confirmed ### 4. Inspect the property in person (1 day) Visit the property before signing. Check the condition of walls, plumbing, air conditioning, water pressure and appliances, and confirm the unit number, parking and storage match the documents. For a new build, plan a snagging inspection before handover and list defects for the developer to fix. Other Gulf countries: the same checks apply; in villa communities also confirm boundaries and any extensions are approved by the municipality. Tip: Take dated photos and video; they help if a dispute arises at handover. ### 5. Sign the sale agreement (MOU) (2 days) Buyer and seller sign a memorandum of understanding setting the price, deposit, transfer date and who pays which fees. In Dubai this is the standard DLD contract known as Form F, signed in front of the broker. For off-plan purchases, the developer's sale and purchase agreement is registered with DLD (Oqood) instead. Read the clauses on what happens if the mortgage is not approved or either side pulls out. Other Gulf countries: sale contracts are registered with Saudi Arabia's real estate registry, Qatar's Ministry of Justice, Bahrain's SLRB and Oman's land registry. Tip: Make the agreement conditional on mortgage approval if you are borrowing. Online: https://dubailand.gov.ae/ Documents: Emirates ID card ### 6. Pay the security deposit (1 day) Pay the deposit agreed in the MOU, commonly 10 percent of the price for a resale, usually by manager's cheque held by the broker until transfer. For off-plan, pay the first instalment into the project escrow account named in the agreement. Other Gulf countries: deposits are a matter of contract; pay through traceable bank channels and keep receipts. Tip: Write the deposit terms, including refund conditions, into the MOU before paying. ### 7. Obtain the developer NOC (5 days) In Dubai freehold areas the seller must obtain a no-objection e-certificate (e-NOC) from the developer, requested through the Dubai REST app. The developer issues it once service charges are paid. If the seller has a mortgage, their bank issues a liability letter and the loan is settled at transfer. Other Gulf countries: check whether the developer or master community must approve the sale in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain or Oman; requirements vary by project. Tip: Ask for the NOC early; developers can take several working days. Online: https://dubailand.gov.ae/ Documents: Developer no-objection certificate (e-NOC) ### 8. Pay the transfer and registration fees (1 day) Pay the DLD transfer fee of 4 percent of the sale value (2 percent buyer and 2 percent seller on DLD's schedule, unless the contract says otherwise), AED 250 for the title deed, map fees and the trustee centre service fee: AED 4,000 plus VAT for sales of AED 500,000 or more, or AED 2,000 plus VAT below that. A mortgage adds a registration fee. Other Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia charges 5 percent Real Estate Transaction Tax through ZATCA; registration fees in Qatar, Bahrain and Oman are set by their registries. Tip: Prepare manager's cheques in the exact amounts the trustee centre confirms in advance. Fee: AED 4,000 (DLD trustee centre service fee for a sale of AED 500,000 or more, plus VAT (AED 2,000 below that)) Fee: AED 250 (DLD title deed issuance fee) ### 9. Complete the transfer at a trustee centre (1 day) Buyer and seller (or their attorneys) attend a Real Estate Registration Trustee centre with Emirates ID or passport, the e-NOC, the manager's cheques and, if relevant, the bank's mortgage documents. The trustee checks everything, collects fees and registers the sale. The new title deed is issued electronically. Other Gulf countries: the transfer is registered with the national or municipal registry, such as the Ministry of Justice in Qatar or the SLRB in Bahrain. Tip: Powers of attorney signed abroad must be attested before the trustee will accept them. Documents: Valid passport copy, Emirates ID card, Developer no-objection certificate (e-NOC) ### 10. Settle in and register utilities (2 days) After transfer, connect utilities in your name (DEWA in Dubai), register with the owners association and set up service charge payments. If you will rent it out, register each lease with Ejari. Owners of property worth AED 2 million or more may be eligible for a 10-year Golden Visa through DLD. Other Gulf countries: register utilities with the local provider; in Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, property ownership above set values can support residence, so check the immigration rules. Tip: Store the title deed, MOU and fee receipts together; you will need them to sell or remortgage. - [ ] Connect electricity and water in your name - [ ] Register with the owners association - [ ] Set up service charge payments - [ ] Register any tenancy on Ejari - [ ] Check Golden Visa eligibility if the value is AED 2 million or more ## Documents you'll need - **Valid passport copy**: Non-resident buyers use a passport instead of an Emirates ID at transfer. - **Emirates ID card**: Required for residents at the bank, the MOU and the trustee centre. - **Recent bank statements**: Banks ask for several months of statements for pre-approval; also proof of funds for the deposit and fees. - **Developer no-objection certificate (e-NOC)**: Required in Dubai freehold areas; the seller requests it through the Dubai REST app. ## Official sources - [Dubai Land Department - Property sale registration (fees, e-NOC)](https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/property-sale-registration/) - [Dubai Land Department - Title transfer application](https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-transfer-of-ownership/) - [Dubai Land Department - Golden Visa (investor)](https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-golden-visa-investor/) - [Bahrain Survey and Land Registration Bureau](https://www.slrb.gov.bh/) - [Qatar Ministry of Justice](https://www.moj.gov.qa/) - [ZATCA - Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority](https://zatca.gov.sa/) General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Confirm with the official source before you act. Use this template free in Raaya: https://raaya.cloud/p/bundled_PROPERTY_PURCHASE_ME