v256.0 · real-estate · AE · verified 2026-04
United Arab Emirates real-estate market
Real-estate market in United Arab Emirates for foreign buyers — ownership rules, residency-by-investment, average prices, mortgage availability, transaction costs, rental yields, top brokerages, recent regulatory changes.
Market size
AED 600B+ residential transactions (Dubai + Abu Dhabi 2024)
Currency
AED
Foreign-buyer access
Foreign ownership ALLOWED in designated freehold zones (Dubai: most areas; Abu Dhabi: 9 zones including Yas/Sa...
Rental yields
Dubai: 6-9% gross (among world's highest in major cities) · Abu Dhabi: 6-8% · Short-term holiday let licensi...
Ownership rules + RBI pathway
| Foreign-buyer rules | Foreign ownership ALLOWED in designated freehold zones (Dubai: most areas; Abu Dhabi: 9 zones including Yas/Saadiyat/Reem) · Leasehold available outside freehold · 0% capital gains tax on personal real-estate |
| Residency-by-investment | Golden Visa via property AED 2M+ (USD 545K, single or aggregate) — 10-year renewable · Property must be ready/handover-complete (off-plan eligible if 50%+ paid) · Spouse + children + parents (under thresholds) included |
| Regulator | Dubai Land Department (DLD) · Abu Dhabi DMT (Department of Municipalities and Transport) · RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency, Dubai) |
Average prices
| Capital city | Dubai Marina: AED 16,000-25,000/sqm · Downtown Dubai: AED 22,000-40,000/sqm · Palm Jumeirah: AED 25,000-60,000/sqm · JVC/Business Bay: AED 12,000-20,000/sqm |
| Secondary markets | Abu Dhabi Saadiyat: AED 18,000-32,000/sqm · Yas Island: AED 12,000-22,000/sqm · Sharjah: AED 8,000-15,000/sqm · Ras Al Khaimah: AED 7,000-14,000/sqm |
| Rental yields | Dubai: 6-9% gross (among world's highest in major cities) · Abu Dhabi: 6-8% · Short-term holiday let licensing required |
Mortgage + transaction costs
| Mortgage availability | Foreign buyers: 60-70% LTV for under AED 5M / 50-60% over AED 5M (Central Bank rules); Emirati: up to 80% LTV · Rates 4-6% (2024) |
| Transaction costs | Dubai DLD transfer fee 4% (split buyer/seller) · Trustee fee AED 4,000 · Conveyancing AED 4,000-8,000 · Real-estate broker 2% · Mortgage fee 1% · Total ~7-9% buyer-side |
| Top brokerages | Bayut, Property Finder (portals) · Allsopp & Allsopp, Engel & Völkers, Knight Frank, Savills, Better Homes, Espace, Driven Properties, fäm Properties |
Recent changes (2023-2026)
2024-25: Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan continuing · DLD digital transfer mandatory · Golden Visa thresholds stable AED 2M · Corporate Tax 9% June 2023 (does not apply to personal real-estate gains) · Capital gains personal exemption continues · Renting tightening in Dubai (Rent Index official benchmark)
Strengths
- Among world's highest residential rental yields (6-9%)
- 0% personal capital gains tax on real-estate
- Golden Visa pathway via AED 2M property
- Strong USD-pegged AED stability
- Modern legal framework (DLD digital + RERA registration)
- High build quality + amenities standard
Drawbacks
- Off-plan delays + cancellations (RERA-protected but real risk)
- Transaction costs ~7-9% buyer-side
- Rental yields can dip in oversupplied zones
- Service charges high in towers (AED 15-40/sqm/year)
- Some areas summer-season heavy occupancy variability
Source: official United Arab Emirates regulator page · Last verified 2026-04
See also: United Arab Emirates country profile · real-estate atlas