Free · 17 pages · 2026 edition
Buy in Dubai
without the costly mistakes
The complete guide for international buyers. Costs, communities, mortgages, residency and the buying process, explained the way I'd explain them to a client rather than the way a brochure would.
- What buying actually costs, every fee included
- Ten communities compared on price, yield and service charges
- How UAE mortgages work when you're not resident here
- The buying process end to end, from offer to title deed
- Six mistakes I watch buyers make, and how to avoid them
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What's inside
Fifteen chapters, every question answered
This isn't a generic overview. Every chapter answers a question international buyers actually ask before committing to a Dubai purchase.
Why Dubai: the compelling case
Tax position, lifestyle and the real growth drivers behind the market.
Market timing: where are we now?
An honest read on where the 2026 cycle actually sits, not where anyone wishes it sat.
Which buyer are you?
Four buyer profiles, and what each one should be prioritising.
Villas vs apartments
A straight comparison with the trade-offs laid out, so you can pick on purpose.
The true cost of buying
Every fee broken down: Land Department, agency, mortgage registration, NOC, admin.
Mortgages & finance for expats
Loan-to-value limits, eligibility, fixed against variable, and what lenders will ask for.
Residency through property
How a purchase can support a long-term UAE residency application, and where to confirm the current criteria.
Urban lifestyle: Marina, Downtown & Palm
City living and the ultra-prime end, and who each genuinely suits.
Family communities: Dubai Hills, Arabian Ranches & Tilal Al Ghaf
Master-planned family living, with the trade-offs stated.
Investor hotspots: JVC & Business Bay
The highest-yield areas, and the supply caveat that comes with them.
Area comparison table
Every area side by side: price range, yield, service charges, growth.
Step-by-step buying process
From offer to title deed, in the order it actually happens.
Common mistakes to avoid
What separates the buyers who do well from the ones who wish they'd waited.
Glossary of key terms
Every term you'll meet, from NOC and MOU to Ejari, freehold and escrow, in plain English.
Your next steps
What to do with all of it, and how to work with me if you'd like to.
Who it's for
Written for international buyers
Whether it's your first Dubai property or an addition to a portfolio, the guide is built around the position you're actually in.
The investor
You want yield and capital growth in a tax-efficient structure. The guide covers the stronger yield areas, gross against net once service charges are in, and where the numbers stop working.
The family relocator
You're moving here and need to know which communities have the right schools, space and lifestyle. Every major family area is profiled with the trade-offs stated honestly.
The remote buyer
You're buying from abroad and want to understand the process, the risks and the protections that exist. Every step and every cost, in plain English.
Who wrote it
Chris Channer
Real Estate Advisor · Aurabella Properties
I'm a real estate advisor here in Dubai. I spent years investing in and developing property in the UK before I moved out here, and I own in Dubai myself now. So I've made these decisions with my own money, and I've been through the buying process from your side of it, not just the agent's.
I've worked across both off-plan and ready property, which means I can compare the two properly rather than recommending whichever one I happen to be selling. That's the perspective the guide is written from.
My approach is simple. Clear advice, no pressure, and I'll tell you what suits your goals even when that means telling you not to buy. That's the kind of advisor I wanted when I was buying, and it's the kind I try to be.
Everything in the guide I also say on camera, publicly, every week. If you want to sense-check whether I'm worth listening to, that's the quickest way.
Ready when you are
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