FGX Realty
Selling property in Dubai is a well-worn process. Ownership changes hands in a single appointment at a trustee office, and most of the work happens in the weeks before it: pricing, a listing agreement, an MOU with the buyer, the developer's NOC and, if you have a mortgage, clearing the bank. This guide walks through each step in order, shows who pays which fee, and covers the situations that slow sales down, such as tenants, mortgages and off-plan units.
The process in eight steps
- Step 1: Gather your documents.
- Step 2: Price the property on evidence.
- Step 3: Appoint a broker with a listing agreement (RERA Form A).
- Step 4: Market the property under a DLD advertising permit.
- Step 5: Agree terms and sign the MOU (RERA Form F).
- Step 6: Obtain the developer's NOC.
- Step 7: Arrange mortgage clearance, if you have a mortgage.
- Step 8: Transfer ownership at a trustee office.
Step 1: Gather your documents
- Your title deed, or for an off-plan unit, the Oqood registration and the developer's statement of payments.
- Passport, and Emirates ID if you are a resident.
- A recent service charge statement showing what is paid and what is due.
- If you have a mortgage, the loan account details so your bank can issue a liability letter.
- If the property is rented, the tenancy contract and Ejari registration.
- If you will not attend the transfer yourself, a power of attorney that specifically covers the sale, notarised and, if signed outside the UAE, legalised for use in the UAE.
Step 2: Price it on evidence
Buyers and their agents will price your property against recent registered transactions, not asking prices, so you should too. Look at sales of similar units in the same building or community over the past few months, adjusted for floor, view, layout, condition and whether it is vacant or tenanted. A property priced in line with evidence usually sells faster and with fewer renegotiations after the valuation, especially when the buyer is using a mortgage and the bank's valuer has to agree with the price.
Step 3: The listing agreement (Form A)
Form A is RERA's standard agreement between a seller and their broker. It records the asking price, the commission, the duration and whether the listing is exclusive. Your broker needs it, along with your title deed, to apply for the DLD advertising permit for your property. Commission is agreed between you and the broker; on a resale it is commonly up to 2% plus VAT.
An exclusive mandate with one competent brokerage usually produces cleaner marketing than the same unit advertised at different prices by several agents. DLD has also moved to limit how many brokers can advertise the same property.
Step 4: Marketing and viewings
Every advert for your property must carry the permit's QR code, which buyers can scan to confirm the listing is genuine (see how buyers verify a listing). Good photographs, an accurate floor plan, the service charge figure and clear information on tenancy status save time with serious buyers.
If the property is tenanted
The lease survives a sale: the buyer becomes the landlord on the same terms. If the buyer wants vacant possession, Dubai's tenancy law allows a landlord to recover a property at the end of the lease in order to sell it, but only with 12 months' notice served through a notary public or by registered mail. Many sellers therefore market tenanted units to investors, and agree viewing arrangements with the tenant in advance.
Step 5: The offer and the MOU (Form F)
Once you accept an offer, you and the buyer sign the MOU, RERA's Form F. It sets out:
- The price and how it will be paid (cash or mortgage).
- The security deposit, commonly 10% of the price, usually given as a cheque held by the brokerage until transfer.
- The target transfer date.
- Who pays which costs, including the developer's NOC fee.
- What happens if either side fails to complete. Typically a defaulting buyer loses the deposit, and a defaulting seller must compensate the buyer.
Read the default clause carefully, especially if your own plans depend on the sale.
Step 6: The developer's NOC
Before DLD will transfer the property, the developer (or the master developer for some communities) issues a No Objection Certificate confirming there are no outstanding service charges on the unit. Clear any arrears first (our guide to service charges explains how they are set), because the management entity has a legal lien on the unit for unpaid service charges and the transfer cannot proceed until they are paid. Each developer sets its own NOC fee and processing time. NOCs are usually valid for a limited period, so time the application to match the transfer date in the MOU.
Step 7: Clearing a mortgage
You can sell a mortgaged property; the debt is settled as part of the transaction.
- Liability letter. Your bank issues a letter confirming the amount needed to clear the loan on a specific date. It has a short validity, so request it close to transfer.
- Payoff. On transfer day, the buyer (or the buyer's bank) provides a manager's cheque to your bank for the payoff amount, with the balance of the price paid to you. Alternatively, you can clear the loan from your own funds before the transfer.
- Release. DLD registers the release of the mortgage once the bank provides its release letter. DLD's service page for selling a mortgaged property lists a mortgage release fee of AED 1,290 among its charges.
- Early settlement fee. Central Bank rules cap the fee your bank can charge for early repayment at 1% of the outstanding balance or AED 10,000, whichever is lower.
Step 8: Transfer at the trustee office
Buyer and seller, or their attorneys, attend a Real Estate Registration Trustee office. The trustee checks identities and documents, collects the manager's cheques (to you, to your bank if there is a mortgage, and to DLD for the transfer fee), and submits the transaction. Once DLD's auditor approves it, the new title deed is issued to the buyer and you receive your funds. The appointment itself usually takes well under an hour if everything is ready.
After the transfer, close your DEWA account and any district cooling account, and hand over keys, access cards and parking cards.
Who pays what
| Cost | Usually paid by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee (4%) | Buyer | By convention; can be negotiated in the MOU |
| Trustee office fee | Buyer | AED 4,000 plus VAT at AED 500,000 and above |
| Title deed and map fees | Buyer | About AED 580 |
| Buyer's agent commission | Buyer | Commonly 2% plus VAT |
| Seller's agent commission | Seller | Agreed in Form A, commonly up to 2% plus VAT |
| Developer NOC fee | Seller | Set by each developer |
| Outstanding service charges | Seller | Must be cleared before the NOC |
| Mortgage payoff and release | Seller | Plus any early settlement fee |
The buyer's side in full is in the real cost of buying property in Dubai.
How long it takes
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Pricing, Form A, permit and launch | About a week |
| Marketing to an accepted offer | Varies with price, condition and market |
| MOU to transfer, cash buyer | Often 2 to 4 weeks |
| MOU to transfer, mortgage buyer | Often 4 to 8 weeks |
The NOC, the buyer's bank valuation and, if relevant, your own bank's liability letter usually set the pace. These ranges are common rather than guaranteed.
Most delays in a Dubai sale are predictable: unpaid service charges holding up the NOC, an expired liability letter, or a valuation below the agreed price. Deal with all three before you sign the MOU.
Selling an off-plan unit before handover
You can usually sell an off-plan unit before completion, subject to the SPA:
- Developer threshold. Many developers allow resale only after a set percentage of the price has been paid. Check your SPA.
- Developer NOC. The developer must consent, and may charge an administrative fee. By law, developers may only charge resale fees that are approved by DLD.
- The buyer's costs. The buyer pays DLD's 4% on the resale price, reimburses what you have paid to the developer plus any premium, and takes over the remaining instalments.
- Registration. The transfer is recorded on DLD's interim register (Oqood) in the buyer's name.
Our comparison of off-plan vs ready property covers why exit terms matter when you buy.
Tax on the sale
The UAE does not levy personal income tax or a capital gains tax on individuals selling property they hold in their own name. Your country of tax residence may tax the gain, and property held through a company can be treated differently, so take advice where you are tax resident.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be in Dubai to sell?
No. An attorney can sign the listing agreement and MOU and attend the transfer under a power of attorney that specifically covers the sale.
Can I sell a property that is still mortgaged?
Yes. The loan is settled from the sale proceeds on transfer day, or beforehand from your own funds, and the mortgage release is registered with DLD.
Who holds the buyer's deposit?
Under the standard MOU, the security deposit cheque is usually held by the brokerage until transfer, then returned or credited according to the MOU.
Can I sell without a broker?
Yes. The DLD process is the same: MOU, NOC, mortgage clearance and transfer at a trustee office. You lose the marketing reach and the coordination of the paperwork, which is most of what a broker does.
Can the buyer take over my tenant?
Yes. The tenancy continues with the new owner, including the security deposit, which should be transferred to the buyer at completion.
Official sources
- DLD: registering the sale of a mortgaged property
- Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property (service charge lien)
Next step
If you are thinking of selling, an FGX advisor can talk through recent comparable transactions and a realistic timeline for your situation. Contact us to start the conversation, or read how FGX works first.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change; confirm current figures with the Dubai Land Department or your advisor before you commit.
