Why you need transaction support in Dubai
The broker wants to close, the developer wants to sell. The buyer's lawyer looks at the deal from one side only — yours. We check that the property and project exist on the registers, that the seller can dispose of it, where the money goes and what you will end up with: an Oqood registration or a title deed in your name.
Buying off-plan
- Project and developer checks. DLD/RERA project registration, project number, escrow account and construction status — via official DLD services, including the Dubai REST app.
- Escrow. Under Dubai's escrow law (Law No. 8 of 2007), off-plan buyers' payments must go into the project escrow account, not the company's own account. We check payment details before every instalment.
- SPA. Contract analysis — dates, penalties, termination; see SPA review.
- Oqood. Registration on the DLD interim register (Oqood) secures your rights before handover. We make sure the entry is in your name.
- Handover and title deed. Snagging, final settlement and conversion to a full title deed.
Buying a ready property
- title deed and ownership checks, mortgages and encumbrances;
- outstanding service charges and utility bills;
- the existing lease if the property is sold tenanted;
- the memorandum of understanding (MOU, Form F in Dubai), deposit and exit terms;
- developer NOC, completion at a trustee office, transfer of funds, new title deed.
Buyer's costs
The main cost is the DLD registration fee of 4% of the property price, plus administrative and trustee office fees, broker commission and, with a mortgage, mortgage registration costs. Exact amounts depend on the property and the deal — we include them in the estimate before we start.
Buying remotely
You don't need to be present: you sign a legalised power of attorney and we act on your behalf, agreeing every step with you. If the purchase is linked to residency, we check in advance whether the property meets Golden Visa requirements.
Typical risks when buying
- the broker asks for the reservation fee to be paid to their own or a company account instead of escrow;
- the unit is sold by assignment, but the developer has not consented and the seller has not paid the required share of the price;
- the seller's mortgage is not synchronised with the transfer;
- unpaid service charges become the new owner's problem;
- names are spelt differently across passport, SPA and payment documents.
Each of these risks is checked before you pay, not after.
How we work and fees
- Diagnosis in 1–2 days: we review the property, the broker's offer and the documents.
- Contract and POA — remotely, 1–3 days.
- Checks, negotiation, control of payments and registration, with weekly reports.
- Outcome: ownership documents and a transaction report.
Support is a fixed-price project from AED 5,000. DLD fees, commissions and translations are extra. More on our real estate practice.
FAQ
It is the Dubai Land Department's interim register for off-plan property. An Oqood registration evidences your rights to the unit before handover and the title deed.
Off-plan payments should go into the project escrow account. Paying anywhere else is a serious risk — check the details before every transfer.
The DLD registration fee is 4% of the property price, plus administrative and trustee office fees.
No, the purchase can be completed under a legalised power of attorney.