Aumra / Buyer education / September 2026
Buying your first property in Dubai
From the first realistic number to the title deed. What the government programme offers, what it does not, and who helps with the rest.
Start with your numberThe short answer
You can buy without living here. The first-home programme is a different question.
Foreign nationals can own property in Dubai’s designated freehold areas. Eligible UAE residents buying their first Dubai freehold home under AED 5 million may also qualify for the government’s First-Time Home Buyer Programme. Buying from overseas does not itself qualify you for that programme. Before choosing a unit, work out cash due at each stage, verify ownership and financing, and decide whether you need help with banking, residency or relocation.
DLD transfer/registration fee to budget for unless a written offer says otherwise
Property-value ceiling for the resident first-time programme
General qualifying property-value threshold for a property-linked Golden Visa
Interactive / 01
What would your first cheque actually be?
A planning estimate, not a bank offer or a property quote. Ready resale and off-plan are different purchases: switch between them rather than comparing their returns as though they were the same asset.
Where do you live?
How will you buy?
Illustrative 80% financing only. Resident first-home limits depend on nationality, property value and bank assessment; non-resident lending varies. Above AED 5 million the resident loan ceiling may be lower. Get pre-approval before reserving.
Estimated cash due at purchase / booking
AED 271,500
- Price paid now
- AED 200,000
- DLD 4%
- AED 40,000
- Illustrative resale agency fee
- AED 21,000
- Other estimated registration / finance fees
- AED 10,500
AED 800,000 is the example loan principal, not free money: monthly repayments, insurance and interest follow.
See the full five-route buying cost studyAssumptions: 4% DLD; 2% plus VAT resale agency fee where applicable; other fees rounded to AED 4,780 cash resale, AED 10,500 mortgage resale, or AED 1,500 off-plan registration. Contracts, bank fees and concessions vary. Allow separately for inspections, furnishings, service charges, upkeep, FX and a cash buffer. This is not a quotation.
The programme / 02
Dubai’s First-Time Home Buyer Programme: who it is for
This is a Dubai Land Department and Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism initiative, not an Aumra discount. It targets UAE residents aged 18 or older buying a first freehold residential property in Dubai for less than AED 5 million. The applicant must not already own a Dubai freehold residential property. Check the current rules directly before relying on any benefit.
What may be available
- Priority access or preferential prices from participating developers
- Instalment options for DLD registration fees with eligible credit cards
- Preferential mortgage terms from participating banks
What not to assume
It is not a universal fee waiver, guaranteed loan, automatic visa or a benefit every developer must offer. Partner offers change, and a home bought solely as an overseas non-resident is not the same as meeting the UAE-resident programme criteria. Ask for the named partner offer in writing before reserving.
Check Dubai Land DepartmentThe purchase / 03
From first conversation to keys
Set a ceiling
Separate day-one cash from the total commitment. Decide whether you want to live in the home, rent it or move later. Compare ready and off-plan on their own timelines.
Check the money
If borrowing, seek bank pre-approval. For overseas funds, check remittance rules at home and prepare proof of funds. Never plan a handover around a loan you do not have.
Verify the asset
Check ownership, title or project status, escrow details for off-plan, service charges, the payment schedule and every written promise. Inspect ready homes where possible.
Complete and protect
Review the contract and transfer fees, register ownership with DLD, retain every receipt, and arrange insurance, utilities, tenant management or relocation as needed.
Beyond the purchase / 04
The home is one decision. The life around it is another.
Aumra can help coordinate the property side and introduce appropriate licensed or regulated specialists for the decisions outside a broker’s remit. None of these services or approvals is automatically included with a purchase.
Banking and moving funds
Prepare a source-of-funds file, verify payment instructions and understand non-resident versus resident account requirements. Account approval is the bank’s decision.
Property-linked residency
Understand when a qualifying property may support a Golden Visa, and what documentation the immigration authority requires. Buying alone is not approval.
Business setup and licensing
If the move includes a business, compare free zone and mainland costs and suitable activities with licensed specialists. A company is not required to buy personally.
Mortgage preparation
Check bank appetite, income documents and deposit before paying a reservation. We help coordinate introductions; a lender makes the credit decision.
Relocation planning
Put housing, residency, banking and daily life in an order that works for your family rather than treating the purchase as the whole move.
After the keys
We can help you plan utilities, letting and property-management introductions, or prepare for your own arrival and handover.
Your questions / 05
The questions worth asking before you sign
Your first purchase
Make a plan before you pick a property.
Tell us where you live, what you can put down and whether you are buying a home or an investment. We will help you map the property, finance and next steps to your situation.
Sources and important limits
- Dubai Land Department: services and property registration
- UAE Central Bank: consumer information
- UAE Government: Golden Visa
- Invest in Dubai: starting a business
Programme offers, mortgage products and immigration criteria change. Confirm current terms with the relevant authority, bank or participating developer before paying. Examples are illustrative, not financial, legal, tax or immigration advice. For cross-border tax or remittance rules, see your country buying guide and seek qualified local advice.
Aumra · ONKAR REAL ESTATE L.L.C. · Dubai, UAE · For Elevated Thinking.