Buying here: the back story
-
The back story
Buying in Dubai: the back story
Freehold areas for foreign buyers, the Dubai Land Department’s fees and the communities people choose: what the official sources say.
Market guide · Middle East
Dubai Property: Our Market Guide
Buying in Dubai: the prime neighbourhoods, the agents and developers, the new developments and how a purchase works, from our Dubai guide and official sources. No prices, no rankings.
What's onThis week in the world’s prime property markets
Read more:The ULTIMATE Dubai guide Property on the Dubai guide How buying works in Dubai
Prime neighbourhoods
-
-
-
Where people live
Downtown Dubai and Business Bay
Apartments around Burj Khalifa and along the canal.
-
Where people live
Emirates Hills and Dubai Hills Estate
Villas on golf courses, with schools, a mall and a hospital.
-
Estate agents and brokers
-
Control Tower, Motor City
Allsopp & Allsopp
A Dubai brokerage headquartered in Motor City.
Control Tower, Motor City, Dubai (30th Floor)Explore View on map
-
Prime homes
Dubai Sotheby’s International Realty
The Sotheby’s International Realty affiliate in Dubai.
-
Al Khail Plaza
Engel & Völkers Dubai
Engel & Völkers’ Dubai office in Jumeirah Village Triangle.
Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai (7th Floor, Al Khail Plaza)Explore View on map
-
Residential and commercial
Savills Middle East
Savills’ UAE office for residential and commercial property.
New developments
-
Mall, hospital and business park
Dubai Hills Estate (open)
An established community with Dubai Hills Mall, King’s College Hospital and a business park.
-
First homes from late 2026
Palm Jebel Ali (under construction)
Nakheel’s second palm-shaped island, south-west of the city.
Official bodies and registers
-
Register every sale
Dubai Land Department (DLD)
The government department that registers property sales and regulates brokers.
Bought in Dubai? Share your advice
Share what you learned about neighbourhoods, agents and the buying process with other buyers.
- Loading the conversation…