Selling property in Dubai: the steps and the timeline
A typical sale of a ready property in Dubai takes 30 to 60 days from the signed Form F to the new title deed, plus the time needed to find a buyer. The order is always the same: valuation, Form A with an agency, marketing, offer and Form F, developer NOC, mortgage clearance if there is one, and transfer at a Trustee Office of the Dubai Land Department (DLD).
- Valuation from registered DLD transactions.
- Form A: listing agreement with a licensed agency, then a DLD advertising permit.
- Marketing on Property Finder, Bayut and broker networks, viewings.
- Offer, then Form F (the MOU) signed by both sides; the buyer gives a 10% security deposit.
- Developer NOC, plus a bank liability letter if the property is mortgaged.
- Transfer day at the Trustee Office: payment and a new title deed in the buyer's name.
A cash buyer can close in two to four weeks after Form F. A buyer with a mortgage usually needs four to eight weeks, because their bank values the property and issues a final offer. If your property is mortgaged too, add one to two weeks for your bank's paperwork.
How to price it: DLD transactions, not portal listings
The right asking price comes from registered sales in the same building or community over the last three to six months, not from asking prices on portals. Every sale in Dubai is registered with DLD, and the data is public: the Dubai REST app and DLD open data show transaction prices by area and building.
When I prepare a valuation, I compare the same layout, a similar floor and view, and adjust for condition, furniture and whether the unit is vacant or tenanted. Listings show what sellers hope for. Transactions show what buyers paid.
Two more checks matter. If the likely buyer uses a mortgage, their bank sends its own valuer, and a price far above recent transactions can fail that valuation. If you need an official document, DLD issues a valuation certificate through a registered valuer, usually for a few thousand dirhams.
After the regional conflict that began on 28 February, Q3 2026 sales fell about 45% against a year earlier, and prices are on average about 1.7% below last year. Well priced units still sell; overpriced ones sit. You can request a free valuation of your unit on the sell page.
Form A and marketing
Form A is the RERA listing agreement between you and a licensed agency. It sets the asking price, the commission, the term and whether the listing is exclusive. Without it the agency cannot get a DLD advertising permit (Trakheesi), and listings without a permit number and QR code are not allowed on the portals.
Documents you need: title deed (or Oqood for off-plan), passport copy, Emirates ID if you have one, and a power of attorney if someone signs for you.
Marketing usually runs on three channels:
- Portals: Property Finder and Bayut, where most buyers start.
- Broker networks: other agencies with buyers in hand. A shared listing with a clear commission split often brings the fastest offers.
- Direct databases: investors and partners abroad. At FOR YOU Real Estate we work with international partner agencies, which helps with larger units and off-plan resales.
I usually advise one exclusive agency for 30 to 60 days rather than five agencies with five different prices on the portals. Buyers who see the same unit at different prices assume the seller is in a hurry.
Offer, Form F and the 10% deposit
When you accept an offer, both sides sign Form F, the RERA memorandum of understanding. It fixes the price, the transfer date, who pays which fee and the penalties if either side walks away.
At signing the buyer gives a security deposit, by convention 10% of the price, usually as a cheque held by the seller's agency until transfer. Under the standard terms, a buyer who withdraws without cause loses the deposit, and a seller who withdraws pays compensation, typically the same 10%. Read the special conditions carefully: the deadline for mortgage approval, what stays in the property (furniture, appliances) and the handover condition.
Form F also states whether the property is sold vacant or with the tenant. This one line changes a lot, see below.
Developer NOC and clearing a mortgage
A developer NOC (no objection certificate) confirms that you owe nothing to the developer or the owners' association, and DLD will not transfer without it. You apply after Form F with the title deed, passports and the signed Form F. The fee depends on the developer, usually AED 500 to 5,000 plus VAT, and it is issued in about 2 to 7 working days once service charges are paid to date. An NOC has a validity period; if the transfer slips past it, you pay again.
If the property is mortgaged, you need a liability letter from your bank with the exact amount to settle. It is valid for a short time, often around 15 days, so it is timed close to transfer. On transfer day the buyer (or the buyer's bank) pays your bank directly by manager's cheque, your bank releases the mortgage, and the balance goes to you.
The cost of early settlement is capped. Under UAE Central Bank rules for individual home loans, the early settlement fee can be no more than 1% of the outstanding balance or AED 10,000, whichever is lower (VAT may be added). DLD charges about AED 1,290 to release the mortgage.
Selling a tenanted property
You can sell a property with a tenant in it, and the lease passes to the buyer on the same terms. The sale itself does not end a tenancy registered in Ejari. The buyer takes over the remaining rent cheques and the security deposit, which you settle between you in Form F.
If the buyer needs the unit vacant, Dubai law requires a 12-month eviction notice served through a notary public or by registered mail, with the sale as the reason. In practice tenanted units go to investors, while vacant units reach the whole market, including end users and mortgage buyers. Vacant units often sell for more, so it can pay to time the sale with the end of the lease. More on tenant rules in my guide to renting out property in Dubai.
Transfer day and what the seller pays
Transfer happens at a DLD Trustee Office, usually in one appointment of about an hour. The buyer brings manager's cheques for the price (split between your bank and you if there is a mortgage), the DLD fee and the trustee fee. You bring your original passport, or your attorney comes with the POA, plus the NOC and the bank clearance. The new title deed is issued electronically in the buyer's name the same day.
| Cost | Typical amount (2026) | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|
| Agency commission | Up to 2% of the price plus 5% VAT, set in Form A | Seller, to the seller's agency |
| Developer NOC | AED 500 to 5,000 plus VAT | Seller |
| Service charges to date | Depends on the building | Seller |
| Mortgage early settlement | Max 1% of balance or AED 10,000 | Seller |
| Mortgage release at DLD | About AED 1,290 | Seller |
| DLD transfer fee | 4% of the price | Buyer by custom, fixed in Form F |
| Trustee Office fee | AED 4,000 plus VAT (AED 2,000 under AED 500,000) | Buyer by custom |
For a sale without a mortgage, seller costs usually come to about 2 to 2.5% of the price. There is no capital gains tax on the sale for individuals in the UAE, though your home country may tax the gain. This is general information, not tax or legal advice. The buyer side of these numbers is in the guide to the costs of buying property in Dubai.
Selling from abroad and selling off-plan
You do not need to fly to Dubai to sell. A trusted person can sign Form F and attend transfer under a special power of attorney that names the property and the sale. If it is signed outside the UAE, it is notarised, legalised by your foreign ministry and the UAE embassy, stamped by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and translated into Arabic. Allow two to four weeks for this chain and start it when you sign Form A, not after the offer.
Off-plan units can be sold before handover through an Oqood transfer. Most developers allow it once you have paid a set share of the price, often 30 to 40% (it varies and is written in your SPA), and charge an admin or transfer fee. The buyer reimburses what you have paid, adds your premium and takes over the remaining instalments.
A real example: a 2-bedroom of 135 m² in UH East by Ellington in JLT was bought in February 2024 for AED 2,545,000 on a 70/30 plan and resold in January 2026, before handover, for AED 3,100,000. About AED 1,374,000 had been invested by then (half the price plus 4% DLD). Net profit after 2% commission was about AED 493,000: +36% on invested capital over 23 months, roughly 17% a year. That deal closed before the 2026 conflict, and past results do not guarantee future returns.
If you plan to sell and buy again, check what you can borrow on the mortgage page first, or send me the unit details through the form below.
