Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about buying off-plan property in Dubai — how the process works, where your money sits and what can go wrong.
What does “off-plan” mean?
An off-plan property is bought from the developer before the building is completed. You buy at today’s value with a staged payment schedule tied to construction milestones, and receive the keys at handover.
Where does my money go? Is it protected?
Payments for a DLD-registered off-plan project go into a supervised escrow account dedicated to that project. The developer can only draw funds as construction progresses under RERA supervision — this is a legal requirement in Dubai, not a courtesy.
How do I check that a project and a broker are legitimate?
Every legitimate project, developer and broker is registered with the DLD. You can verify our licence and our broker’s BRN yourself in the official Dubai REST app — the link is in the footer of every page of this site.
What taxes and fees should I expect?
Dubai has no annual property tax and no capital-gains tax. Expect the DLD registration fee (4% of the value), an administrative fee, and service charges once the building is handed over. We put every fee on the table before you commit.
Can I buy remotely, without flying to Dubai?
Yes. Reservation, signing and DLD registration can be completed remotely with a passport and, where needed, a power of attorney. Many of our clients complete their first purchase without a visit.
What are the real risks of off-plan?
The main risks are handover delays and a market dip between purchase and completion. Escrow protects your money, but not the timeline. We mitigate this by checking the developer’s delivery history against official DLD registry data and by being honest about market figures — including when the data is thin.
Does buying property in Dubai help with a residence visa?
Property ownership above certain value thresholds can make you eligible to apply for a UAE residence visa, subject to the government’s current rules and process. We flag the current thresholds during selection, and the application itself runs through official channels.
What exactly does Strategic Yield do differently?
We built our own system that reads the official DLD market data, answers you in under a minute at any hour, and never loses an enquiry. A licensed broker (BRN in the footer) personally leads every deal to closing. You see the result: options matched to your goal, with the numbers shown honestly.