Author: Dany

Dubai off-plan can be a strong strategy for long-term growth—but it’s also where foreign buyers lose money fastest. The reason is simple: buying from abroad reduces visibility, increases reliance on marketing, and makes it easy to confuse “a good payment plan” with “a good investment.” Below are the five most common mistakes non-resident buyers make when purchasing off-plan in Dubai. Each one is avoidable with a disciplined, investor-style process. Mistake 1: Buying the Payment Plan Instead of the Deal Foreign buyers often anchor on the monthly installments: “This is easy to afford.” But affordability is not profitability. A payment plan…

Reselling an off-plan unit before handover—often called an “assignment”—is one of the most misunderstood strategies in Dubai real estate. Many buyers assume they can flip easily during construction if prices rise. In reality, the ability to resell before completion depends on developer rules, your contract (SPA), how much you’ve paid, and—most importantly—real market liquidity. This article explains the assignment process simply: what it is, how it works, what developers usually require, what fees apply, when it can make sense, and the risks that can turn a planned exit into a costly problem. Quick Definitions (So You Don’t Get Misled) Assignment…

Handover is the moment an off-plan purchase becomes real. Until that day, your unit is a promise. At handover, it becomes a physical product—with real finishes, real defects (sometimes), and real consequences for your rental timeline and resale value.Snagging is the inspection process that identifies defects and pushes resolution. Done properly, it protects your asset, speeds up your rental setup, and reduces future headaches. Done casually, it can leave you paying service charges on an empty unit while defects delay leasing. This guide gives you a practical snagging checklist: what to inspect, the most common defects, how to document issues,…

In Dubai off-plan, most investors worry about the market. The bigger risk is often simpler: the project doesn’t deliver on the timeline you expected, the finished product differs from what you imagined, or the handover process delays your rental income. And the hard truth is this: in most cases, what happens next is determined by your contract—your SPA (Sales and Purchase Agreement). This article explains construction and handover risk in plain English. You’ll learn what the SPA typically allows (and what it doesn’t), which clauses matter most, what to look for before you sign, and how to protect your strategy…

In Dubai off-plan, the developer name is often treated like a guarantee. It isn’t. A strong brand can reduce risk, but it cannot eliminate it. What you are really buying is a future product delivered on a future date—inside a building that will have real running costs, real management quality, and real tenant demand. This is why developer due diligence matters. It helps you avoid the two expensive outcomes: buying into poor delivery quality, or buying into a building where service charges and management issues destroy net returns. This guide gives you a clear investor checklist: what to verify beyond…

Dubai off-plan can feel fast and confusing—especially for non-resident buyers. Brokers talk about “reservation,” developers mention “SPA,” someone asks you to pay “DLD,” and then you hear “Oqood” without a clear explanation of what it actually is. This article breaks the process down into a simple, practical flow. You’ll understand what Oqood, SPA, and DLD mean, when they happen, what you pay, what documents matter, and where investors make the biggest mistakes. Quick Definitions (So You Stop Guessing) DLD (Dubai Land Department) The government authority responsible for property registration and title deeds in Dubai. When people say “pay DLD,” they…

Dubai off-plan launches are built around one idea: urgency. “Launch price,” “early-bird,” “last units,” “today only.” The problem is that many buyers mistake a marketing label for a real discount. In practice, a launch price is only a deal if it is attractive versus the right comparables, after real costs, and with credible liquidity. This article gives you a fast benchmark method you can run in 15 minutes before paying any reservation fee. It won’t make you a valuer, but it will prevent the most common pricing mistake: buying an off-plan unit above fair value because the payment plan felt…

Post-handover payment plans are one of the most persuasive tools in Dubai off-plan marketing. The pitch sounds perfect: “Pay less now, get the keys, rent it out, and finish paying later.” Sometimes, that flexibility is genuinely useful. Often, it becomes a trap—because buyers confuse a convenient schedule with a strong investment. This article explains, in a practical investor framework, when post-handover plans work, when they don’t, and what you must calculate before paying any reservation fee. What “Post-Handover” Actually Means A post-handover plan simply means that a portion of the unit price is paid after you receive the keys. Common…

How to Read a Dubai Payment Plan: The 7 Numbers That Matter Dubai off-plan payment plans are often marketed as if the plan itself is the investment. It isn’t. A payment plan only changes when you pay, not whether the deal is good. If you’re buying from abroad, reading the plan correctly is one of the fastest ways to avoid overpriced units, cash-pressure surprises, and weak exits. Use the framework below: the 7 numbers that matter, why each matters, and what should stop you from reserving. The Trading Immo Rule A strong payment plan cannot fix weak fundamentals. Location, pricing,…

Off-plan launches in Dubai are designed to move fast. The marketing is polished, the urgency is real, and the reservation fee is positioned as a “small step.” In reality, that first payment is the moment most investors lose leverage—because once money is down, the decision becomes emotional. This article gives you a clear, practical checklist to follow before you pay any reservation fee, especially if you’re a non-resident buyer. Use it to validate fundamentals, pricing, liquidity, contract terms, and hidden costs—so you don’t end up with an illiquid unit sold on hype. What a Reservation Fee Really Means A reservation…