Investment · Dubai

Property investment in Dubai

We match a property for letting and work out the net result, not just the rent on paper. We tell you what reduces income and handle the purchase and management, remotely too.

Work out the letting result All buyer routes

Buying to let in Dubai starts with the numbers, not with the property. The absence of personal income tax on rental income works in your favour, but the real result depends on the location, the costs and how long the home sits empty. We show this plainly, before you buy anything.

At a glance

Income tax on rental income (individuals): none in Dubai
Tax on gains from selling property: none in Dubai
DLD transfer fee: 4% of the price, one-off
Agency commission on purchase: usually 2% of the price
Long-term rental management: usually 5 to 8% of annual rent
Threshold for a Golden Visa purchase: from AED 2 million
Service charge: from a few to several dozen AED per square foot per year
Short-term letting permit: required, renewed annually (DET)
Off-plan resale before handover: with the developer's consent (NOC)

Numbers first, property second

We start a buy-to-let with the numbers, not the property. Gross rent is the figure in the listing; the net result is what actually stays in your pocket after costs.

The difference between gross rent and the net result comes from the charges and from the time the home sits empty. So we don't start from a listing, but from your goal, your horizon and your full budget, not the purchase price alone.

This order protects you from a purchase that looks good in a listing but adds up poorly in practice. Leave us your budget and your goal, and we'll work out the real net result before you buy anything.

What reduces the rent

A headline gross figure is only a starting point. To see the real result, you have to subtract the costs of buying and running the property, along with the periods without a tenant.

Below is a summary of the items that most often reduce the rent. We account for each of them in the figures for a specific property.

The costs of buying and running a buy-to-let property in Dubai.
Cost	When	Order of magnitude
DLD transfer fee	one-off on purchase	4% of the price
Agency commission	one-off	usually 2% of the price
Registration and trustee	one-off	fixed, a few thousand AED
Service charge	yearly	per square foot, depends on the building
Rental management	yearly	usually 5 to 8% of the rent
Maintenance and repairs	as needed	variable
Periods without a tenant	with demand	the rent lost over that time

We work out this breakdown for a specific property before we recommend it. Two homes with the same rent can produce quite different net results.

Send us the property you are considering and we'll prepare these figures for it, down to the dirham.

Long-term or short-term letting

Short-term letting can produce higher income, but it also demands considerably more work. Long-term is calmer and more predictable.

These are two different strategies, not a better and a worse option. The right choice depends on the home and on how much time you want to spend on letting.

Long-term. An annual contract, registration in Ejari, a single tenant, steady income and less to manage. Less volatility.
Short-term. Letting by the night, higher income in peak season, but also cleaning, guest turnover, a licence and higher operating costs.
Not every building and not every area suits the short term. Some communities forbid it, so we check the rules before purchase.

We match the right strategy to the specific home, the area and how much time you want to spend on letting. Describe your plans and we'll point you to whether long- or short-term letting suits you better.

What genuinely raises or lowers the result

The result from letting depends on several things that are not visible in the price or the floor area. Location, the service charge, the layout and the quality of management all count.

We look at all of these before we consider a purchase sound. When they work together, the home sits empty less often and costs less to run.

Location and tenant demand. An area where people want to live shortens the time a home stands empty.
Service charge. A high rate can eat a considerable part of the rent. It is one of the most overlooked costs.
A layout that is easy to let. A functional home lets faster and costs less to run.
Furnishing and standard. These raise the rent, but also the entry cost and wear. We work out whether it pays off.
Quality of management. A good manager keeps the home let and in good condition, which protects value.

When these work together, the property runs more calmly and produces a better net result. Let's assess together how the home you are considering fares on these points, before you make an offer.

Management, even when you are outside Dubai

You don't have to handle the letting yourself, especially when you live abroad. We take on the whole management, from preparing the home to paying out the rent.

You receive a report and make the decisions; we do the work on the ground. The property works even when you are not in Dubai.

Preparing the home, a photo shoot and listing it.
Selecting the tenant, the contract and registration in Ejari.
Collecting the rent, dealing with the community, minor repairs and renewals.
A statement for you and payment to your account, including abroad.

You don't need to be in Dubai for the property to work. We report on its condition and result, and the decisions stay with you.

Let us know where you live and what your home is, and we'll explain how we would run the letting remotely in your case.

Letting, the Golden Visa and value over time

When buying to let, it is worth looking further than the first year. A purchase from AED 2 million can give the right to a 10-year Golden Visa, which is sometimes a further reason for the decision.

The value of a property over time depends on the market and the location. We don't promise growth, but we match the home so that it stands up both in letting and at a later sale.

A good buy-to-let usually remains a good purchase at resale too. Tell us what matters more to you, current income or value over time, and we'll match the property to it.

What we don't promise

We speak plainly and honestly about profit. We don't quote promised rates or figures detached from costs, because such promises rarely stand up.

Instead, we show real ranges based on actual transactions and rents in a given building, along with a full account of the costs. If the numbers don't add up, we'll say so plainly.

An honest number at the start is worth more than a promise that won't survive the test of time. Book a conversation and we'll show you real ranges based on transactions and rents in a given building.

Service charge and community fees

Beyond the costs of buying, a property has costs that return every year. The largest of these is the service charge, calculated per square foot of the home's area.

The rate depends on the building and on what it covers: security, cleaning of the common areas, pool, gym, lifts and the reserve fund. It usually falls between a few and several dozen AED per square foot per year, and in prestigious towers it can be higher.

Service charge. Charged per square foot, payable yearly, usually in instalments. It covers the upkeep of the building's common areas.
Community fee. On large developments a second layer applies, for the shared infrastructure of the whole scheme: roads, greenery, lighting.
Mollak. Fees in jointly owned buildings pass through a Dubai Land Department platform, which brings order to the community's accounts.
RERA index. The Land Department publishes an annual index of service charge rates for buildings, against which you can compare what you pay.

We check the service charge for a specific building before we recommend it, because at the same rent it can tip the figures. Give us the building and we'll check its rate and the services it covers.

Primary or secondary market from an owner's view

When buying to let, it is worth separating two things: when the home starts earning rent, and how easily you can sell it later. The primary and secondary markets differ clearly here.

A property from the secondary market is ready to let as soon as ownership transfers. An off-plan project earns rent only after handover, but it lets you spread payment across construction stages.

Readiness to let. A resale home you can let straight away. Off-plan earns no rent until handover.
Payment plan. Off-plan lets you pay in instalments tied to construction progress. On the secondary market you pay in full at the transaction.
Liquidity before handover. Selling an off-plan unit before completion requires the developer's consent (NOC) and usually repayment of an agreed part of the price.
What you see. On the secondary market you view a real home and know the service charge. With off-plan you rely on the plans and the developer's track record.

Which option fits better depends on whether you want rent from the first month or to spread payment over time. Tell us what matters more and we'll match the market to that goal.

Exiting a property and its liquidity

A good buy-to-let also takes the moment of sale into account. Liquidity, how quickly you find a buyer at a sensible price, depends on a few things you can influence at the time of purchase.

What counts is an area where people want to live, and the condition and standard of the home on the day of sale. A home in a well-kept building, in a sought-after location, changes hands faster than one in a place without demand.

Area and demand. A location with a lively rental and sales market shortens the search for a buyer.
Condition of the home. A well-kept property, with no arrears on charges, is simpler to sell.
Type and layout. Homes of a popular size and a functional layout have a wider pool of buyers.
Formalities. A sale needs an NOC from the developer, and where the seller has a mortgage, its prior repayment.

We think about the exit at the time of purchase, because it decides whether a property can be sold when you choose. Tell us how long you plan to hold the home, and we'll match it so that it stands up at resale too.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Do you pay tax on rental income in Dubai?

Individuals pay no tax in Dubai on rental income or on gains from selling property. It is one of the reasons for interest in this market.

What gross rent does a property in Dubai produce?

It depends on the segment, the area and the type of letting. Rather than promising a single figure, we work out the real net result for a specific property, after costs and voids.

Is long-term or short-term letting better?

Short-term can produce higher income, but it needs a licence, management and the community's acceptance. Long-term is steadier and less demanding. We match the strategy to the home and your involvement.

Can a foreigner buy a property to let?

Yes, in freehold areas on full ownership, with no residency requirement. We also handle letting and management after purchase.

Will you manage the letting if I live abroad?

Yes. We run letting and management remotely: from preparing the home, through the tenant and Ejari, to collecting the rent and paying it to your account.

Does a buy-to-let give a Golden Visa?

A purchase from AED 2 million can qualify for a 10-year Golden Visa. We handle the purchase so that it meets the programme's requirements.

How much is the service charge in Dubai?

It is charged per square foot of area, yearly, and the rate depends on the building and the range of services. It usually falls between a few and several dozen AED per square foot, and in prestigious towers it can be higher. We check it for a specific building before purchase.

On a large development, do you pay two charges?

There can be two layers: the service charge for your building and the community fee for the shared infrastructure of the whole development. Both pass through the Mollak platform overseen by the Land Department.

Can I sell an off-plan property before handover?

Usually yes, but it requires the developer's consent in the form of an NOC and most often repayment of an agreed part of the price. The terms depend on the project, so we read them in the contract before purchase.

What permit is needed for short-term letting?

Letting by the night requires a holiday home permit issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism and the consent of the building manager. The permit is renewed annually. We check these requirements before we consider a home suitable for the short term.

Let's work out the result before you buy. No promises, just numbers.

You tell us about your budget and goal. We'll show what genuinely remains after costs.

Work out the letting result Other buyer routes