Online purchasing in 2024: buying property in Dubai

Against the backdrop of the 2020 pandemic, there have been new changes regarding the acquisition of real estate by foreigners. A year ago, the Dubai Lands Department (DLD) officially authorized remotely conducting purchase and sale transactions, and leasing commercial and residential properties through special online services. It is now possible to buy or lease property from anywhere in the world. This system includes transactions as well as the finalization of documents and certificates of ownership online.

Content:

• Step 1: Make your choice
• Step 2: Register funds transfer and pass identification
• Step 3: Make an advance payment and pay the fee
• Step 4: Obtain title deeds
• We will help you buy real estate in Dubai online

Potential buyers from other countries have the opportunity to purchase property in the Emirates with the help of an intermediary. It is also possible to rent a house or buy property in special freehold zones where an intermediary or local representative is not necessary.

In general, it is worth noting that you should not expect any serious difficulties in the process of buying and selling real estate remotely. All you need to do is the following:

• Choose your accommodation;
• Collect the necessary documents;
• Make and register a future payment on the DLD website;
• Verify your identity and signature via videoconference;
• Make the necessary payments for state fees and specialist services;
• Receive your property documents.

Let us outline the steps of the transaction process in more detail below.

Step 1: Make your choice

You decide on the cost, area, and the number of rooms of the potential housing. It is worth knowing all the details - check the rental rate, get acquainted with the location, and find out the payment plan.

There are official resources where all the information regarding the construction of real estate is publicly available.

Have you chosen a property? Great, now you need to take care of all the documents.

The main documents (a complete list can be found on the DLD or RERA websites) includes the following:

• Registration Form A and Form B provided by agents of the parties to the seller and the buyer.
• Purchase agreement (Form F) that must be signed by all parties to the transaction.
• Proof of ownership provided by the seller (Title Deed).
• NOC is a special certificate that guarantees the absence of objections to a property rights transfer and is issued by the developer. Most recently, it has become possible to obtain an electronic version of the certificate, called eNOC, or you can use a smartphone. You need to install the Dubai REST application and the certificate will be available to you from anywhere in the world!
• Passports of the seller and the buyer, and an Emirates ID card if any.

A future investor should take a closer look at the DLD and RERA services even at the stage of property selection. These sites provide many tools through which you can ascertain rental rates and tax information, or open a bank account, register a legal entity, and much more.

In order to keep up with the most relevant information, it is worth employing professional assistance. This way you can avoid getting into an unpleasant situation when problems arise due to a lack of awareness. Given that laws often change in Dubai, the requirements for potential investors change and the market itself changes with enviable regularity.

Step 2: Register funds transfer and pass identification

If you have chosen a house and collected all the necessary documents then you need to register the transfer of the buyer's funds to the seller's account and upload it to the DLD online system. It is worth noting that you should have the most complete information about the cost of the property at this stage:

• It is necessary to obtain the most complete information about utility bills, possible taxes, and commissions that will be charged when transferring funds to municipal authorities.
• When purchasing a new building, an additional 2% of the amount may be charged for land registration.

In addition, if you have taken out a mortgage then you must have funds to cover at least 6 months of payments.

When making a transaction and registering a transfer, we advise you to seek the help of a lawyer so that they can check and confirm the accuracy during all stages.

When all the documents are filled in, the transaction is completed, and the future payment is officially registered, DLD will create a video conference with both participants present to confirm the identity of both parties and sign agreements and other documents.

This is the most important step in the real estate acquisition process.

Step 3: Make an advance payment and pay the fee

After confirming the identity of the parties and checking the documents, you can proceed to make an advance payment (available for those buyers who decide to use a mortgage or register a payment plan with the developer) or transfer the full amount to the seller's IBAN account.

State duty, transaction commission, land plot fees, etc. are paid only after the advance payment or the full amount has been paid. It is worth paying for the services of a realtor and trustee at the same stage and not earlier.

Major Dubai developers such as DAMAC, Emaar Properties, Meraas, Dubai Properties, and Select Group offer payment plans in 30/70, 40/60, or 60/40 schemes. In these cases, the payment is usually over a period of 3 to 5 years.

Step 4: Obtain title deeds

After completing all stages, you will receive a document confirming your title (Title Deed) and an electronic copy of the registered sales contract.

From this moment on, the acquisition of real estate can be considered complete.

However, it is a given that the acquisition process can have nuances and difficulties emerging both with distance selling or a regular purchase at an office.

• It is necessary to accurately select and evaluate real estate to understand its condition and market indicators.
• Do not be incorrectly select and fill out documents.
• Do not lose extra money and ensure that you sign a fair contract.
• Conduct negotiations with representatives from the government agency.
• Make all payments on time.
• Consider the less obvious points.

Of course, you can do it yourself. However, this brings a high probability of spending too much time and effort while risking your budget.

We will help you buy real estate in Dubai online

Buying real estate is an important process involving large amounts of money so it is important to be careful and attentive to all the little things.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you find a trusted real estate agent, lawyer, and trustee to conduct the transaction.

Our company also provides these services. To clarify the details, you can contact us and get free advice regarding any concerns on interests you might have.