Question 1

Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Yes — since 2002, all nationalities can own freehold property in designated zones (which include every project we represent), with 100% ownership, no local partner and full inheritance rights.

Question 2

What does 'off-plan' mean?

Accepted Answer

Buying directly from the developer before construction completes. You pay in stages tied to construction milestones; funds sit in a RERA-supervised escrow account that the developer can only draw against verified progress.

Question 3

Is off-plan safe in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Far safer than its reputation: Law 8/2007 forces every project to run through escrow, RERA audits construction draws, and cancelled projects refund buyers from the protected account. The residual risks are developer delays — which is why developer selection is most of our job.

Question 4

How much money do I need to start?

Accepted Answer

Entry tickets in our portfolio start around AED 1.2–1.65M (Ghaf Woods, Lunaya, Sobha River Cove 1BR). Initial outlay is typically a 10–20% down payment plus 4% DLD fee — from roughly AED 180,000–400,000 depending on the project.

Question 5

What taxes will I pay?

Accepted Answer

The UAE levies no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no annual property tax and no inheritance tax. One-off costs: 4% DLD transfer fee, ~AED 3,000 Oqood/registration, and annual service charges of roughly AED 12–25 per sqft.

Question 6

Does buying property give me UAE residency?

Accepted Answer

From AED 750K you can obtain a 2-year investor visa; from AED 2M — the 10-year Golden Visa covering your spouse, children and parents, with no minimum-stay requirement. Off-plan qualifies.

Question 7

Can I buy remotely without visiting Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the full chain (reservation, SPA signing, payments, registration) is executable remotely via certified e-signatures and, where needed, power of attorney. Roughly a third of our clients buy before ever flying in.

Question 8

How do payment plans work?

Accepted Answer

Developers finance you at 0% interest: typically 10–20% down, milestone payments through construction, and the balance at or after handover (60/40, 80/20, or Danube's 1%-monthly format). No bank, no credit checks for the standard plans.

Question 9

Can I get a mortgage as a non-resident?

Accepted Answer

Yes — UAE banks lend to non-residents at up to 50% LTV on completed property; off-plan financing is developer-plan based until handover. Most of our off-plan buyers use developer plans, then refinance after handover if desired.

Question 10

What rental yield is realistic?

Accepted Answer

City-wide, quality stock yields 5.5–9% gross depending on district: 6–9% in Dubailand-corridor communities, 5.5–7.5% in Downtown, 4.5–6% on Palm Jumeirah. Net figures run 1.5–2.5 points lower after service charges and management.

Question 11

Can I resell my off-plan unit before handover?

Accepted Answer

Yes — assignment is legal once you've paid the developer's threshold (typically 30–40% of price). NOC fees run AED 5,000–10,000, and there is no capital gains tax on the uplift.

Question 12

What happens if the developer delays handover?

Accepted Answer

SPAs include grace periods (usually 6–12 months); beyond them, compensation clauses activate. Escrow protection means funds can't vanish, and RERA can transfer stalled projects to new contractors. Our portfolio selection weights heavily toward developers with on-time records — Binghatti and Sobha lead the market on this.

Question 13

What is the buying process timeline?

Accepted Answer

Reservation to registered ownership typically takes 2–4 weeks: EOI/booking (day 1), SPA within 7–14 days, DLD/Oqood registration after the down payment. Golden Visa processing, if applicable, adds 4–8 weeks in parallel.

Question 14

Do you charge buyers a commission?

Accepted Answer

For off-plan purchases, our fee is paid by the developer — buyers pay the listed developer price with no markup. You get our selection, negotiation and lifetime support at zero added cost.

Question 15

Why buy through Pikfine instead of directly from the developer?

Accepted Answer

Same price, more leverage: we benchmark the unit against the whole market, negotiate launch allocations and premiums, model real yields rather than brochure numbers, and stay your single point of contact across visas, handover and leasing — in your language.

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