Dubai Marina towers along the waterfront

For property investors

Real estate investment advisory in Dubai

Dubai gives investors a lot of choice, and that’s exactly what makes it easy to buy the wrong property. We help you decide what to buy, where and why, with a written plan built on registered sales data, the full costs, and the risks, from a RERA-licensed advisor who stays with you after the purchase.

  • Advice in writing, with the numbers behind it
  • Ready and off-plan, every major community
  • One named advisor from first call to handover
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Book your investment consultation

A senior RERA-licensed advisor will call you within 24 hours.

No obligation. A licensed advisor contacts you within 24 hours.

Years in the Dubai market
15+
Transaction volume
AED 3B+
Properties sold and let
5,000+
Active buyers and tenants
750K+

Award-winning broker for

  • Emaar
  • DAMAC
  • Nakheel
  • Sobha
  • Meraas
  • Deyaar
  • Nshama
  • Azizi
  • Danube
  • Dubai Properties

The basics

What is real estate investment advisory?

Quick answer

Real estate investment advisory is evidence-based guidance on which property to buy as an investment, and why. In Dubai, a good advisor works out your goals and budget, compares areas and properties using registered sales and rental data, calculates the full cost and realistic returns, flags the risks, and helps you buy and manage the property afterwards. The aim is a sound decision, not just a sale.

Investor looking out over the Dubai skyline towards the Burj Khalifa
Advice that starts with you, not a listing

There’s an important difference between a property advisor and a salesperson. A salesperson starts with what’s available. An advisor starts with you: what you want the money to do, how long you plan to hold, how much risk you’re comfortable with, and how the property fits with anything else you own. Only then do we look at buildings.

Who we work with

  • First-time investors

    You’ve heard about Dubai’s rental returns and want to understand what’s realistic before you commit. We explain the market, the costs and the process in plain language, and help you avoid the common first-purchase mistakes.

  • Overseas investors

    You’re buying from London, Mumbai, Riyadh or Singapore and can’t inspect every option yourself. We do the groundwork, run video viewings, and handle the purchase through to handover, with updates at times that suit you.

  • Portfolio builders

    You already own property in Dubai and want the next purchase to balance what you have, perhaps adding a villa for growth to apartments bought for income, or spreading risk across communities and handover dates.

  • Golden Visa buyers

    You want residency as well as a sound investment. We help you meet the AED 2 million threshold with property that makes sense on its own merits, not just one that ticks the visa box.

The process

How we build your Dubai property investment plan

Every plan follows the same six steps. You’ll always know where we are, what we’re checking, and what you’ll receive next.

Client lounge at the Union Square House head officeStep 01 of 06

Understand your goals

We start with a conversation, not a brochure. What do you want the property to do: produce income, grow in value, give your family a home in a few years, or secure residency? How long will you hold it, and how would you feel if the market dipped in year two? Your answers shape everything that follows.You receiveA one-page summary of your goals and limits, to confirm we’ve understood you.

01 / 06
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Strategy

Dubai property investment strategy: the four choices that matter most

Most investment decisions in Dubai come down to four trade-offs. There’s no single right answer, only the right answer for your goals, budget and timeline.

01

Rental income or capital growth?

Apartments have tended to produce higher rental yields, while villas have recently shown stronger price growth but lower yields. According to REIDIN data reported in mid-2026, gross yields averaged around 7.1% for apartments and about 5% for villas across Dubai, as villa prices rose faster than villa rents.

Income focusGrowth focus
Typical propertySmaller apartments in established, well-rented communitiesVillas, townhouses and prime or emerging locations
SuitsInvestors who want cash flow nowInvestors who can wait and accept lower yield
Watch out forHigh service charges and new supply nearbyPaying a premium for growth that’s already priced in

Averages hide big differences between buildings. Your advisor will show you figures for the specific communities on your shortlist. Read more: capital growth vs rental yield.

02

Ready or off-plan?

Off-plan made up the majority of Dubai’s residential sales in the first half of 2026, but that doesn’t make it the right choice for every investor.

Ready propertyOff-plan property
IncomeFrom day oneOnly after handover
PaymentFull price at transfer (cash or mortgage)Spread over construction, under a payment plan
Expat mortgage limitUp to 80% (first home, up to AED 5M)Up to 50%
ProtectionYou see exactly what you buyPayments go into a regulated escrow account under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007
Main risksCondition, service charges, existing tenancyDelays, finished quality, market change before handover

Read more: off-plan vs ready · off-plan projects

03

Cash or mortgage?

Buying with cash keeps things simple and gives you negotiating power, especially with sellers who want a quick sale. A mortgage lets you keep capital free or buy a better property, but borrowing costs reduce your net return, and banks require a minimum down payment (20% on a first home up to AED 5 million for expats). We’ll show you both scenarios side by side for your budget.

04

One property or several?

One larger property is easier to manage and often holds its value well. Two smaller ones spread the risk of vacancy across different buildings and can produce a higher combined yield, but they double the paperwork, service charges and tenant management. For investors building a portfolio, mixing ready and off-plan, or apartments and villas, can balance income today with growth later.

Source: REIDIN data via Real Estate Club Dubai (July 2026); Engel & Völkers H1 2026 market report (off-plan share).

Client lounge at the Union Square House head office
Every recommendation comes with the numbers behind it.

Your investment brief

What you receive: your investment brief

Our advice comes in writing, so you can check it, share it with your family or your own adviser, and come back to it later.

  1. 01

    Your goals and limits

    What you told us, in one page, so the recommendation can be judged against it.

  2. 02

    A shortlist of three to five properties

    Each with the recent registered sales in the same building or community that support the price.

  3. 03

    Total cash required

    Purchase price plus every fee, so there are no surprises at transfer.

  4. 04

    Expected rent, gross and net yield

    Based on recent leases, after service charges and other running costs.

  5. 05

    The risks we see

    For each option, from new supply nearby to service charge levels or developer track record.

  6. 06

    An exit view

    Who is likely to buy the property from you later, and what could affect resale.

  7. 07

    Our recommendation

    Which option we’d choose for your goals, and why.

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Costs and yield

The true cost of investing in Dubai property

The asking price is only the starting point. Two numbers matter more: how much cash you actually need, and what the property earns after its running costs.

What you pay to buy

Example: a ready apartment bought for AED 1,500,000 in cash.

Buying costs on a AED 1,500,000 cash purchase
CostAmount
Purchase priceAED 1,500,000
DLD transfer fee (4%)AED 60,000
DLD admin feeAED 580
Registration Trustee fee (AED 4,000 + VAT)AED 4,200
Agency commission (2% + VAT)AED 31,500
Total cash neededabout AED 1,596,280

Fees as of November 2026. Mortgage buyers also pay registration, valuation and bank fees. Work out your own figures with our property purchase calculator, or read the full breakdown in our guide to buying property in Dubai.

Buying costs on top of the price≈ 6.4%

Gross yield vs net yield

Gross yield = annual rent ÷ purchase price × 100

Net yield = (annual rent − running costs) ÷ total cost × 100

Marketing material almost always shows gross yield. Net yield is what actually reaches you. Market analysis published in 2026 put the gap at typically 1 to 2.5 percentage points in Dubai, mainly because of service charges, management fees, maintenance, insurance and time between tenants.

Illustration (same apartment, AED 105,000 a year rent):

Net yield illustration for the same apartment
AED
Annual rent105,000
Service charges (850 sq ft × AED 15)− 12,750
Property management (5% of rent)− 5,250
Maintenance and insurance (estimate)− 2,500
Two weeks’ vacancy− 4,040
Net income80,460
Gross yield (on price)7.0%
Net yield (on total cost)about 5.0%

This is an illustration of the calculation, not a forecast for any property. Rents, service charges and costs vary widely by building. Test your own numbers with our ROI calculator.

Source for the gross–net gap: Real Estate Club Dubai (July 2026), citing REIDIN and Polaris data.

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Risks

The risks of investing in Dubai property, and how we manage them

Every property investment carries risk, and Dubai is no exception. Here are the ones we discuss with every client, and what we do about each.

Risk 01 / 08Photo: Sharon Vishakham, CC BY-SA 4.0

Market cycles

What it means

Prices and rents rise and fall. Dubai has had sharp corrections in past cycles, most notably after 2008.

How we reduce it

We plan around your holding period, avoid overpaying against recent registered sales, and stress-test the numbers if rents fall.

01 / 08

Choosing an advisor

How to choose a real estate investment company in Dubai

There are hundreds of real estate investment companies in Dubai, and many look alike online. Before you trust anyone with a decision of this size, ask these 6 questions. They’re the same ones we’d ask.

AskWhy it mattersHow USH answers
Are they RERA-licensed, and does your advisor have a BRN?You can check both on the DLD’s Dubai REST app.Licensed brokerage; your advisor’s BRN is on their profile.
Will you get the advice in writing?A written recommendation can be checked and compared.Yes, in your investment brief.
Where do their numbers come from?Prices and yields should come from registered transactions and real leases, not brochures.DLD-registered sales and recent leases, cited in the brief.
Do they show net yield and total cost?Gross yield and asking price flatter every property.Both, for every option.
Do they talk about risk?Advice that’s all upside isn’t advice.Every brief has a risks section.
What happens after you buy?Tenants, management and resale matter as much as the purchase.Leasing and property management.

Research and tools

Research and tools for Dubai property investors

Do your own homework too. These are the guides and calculators our advisors use and recommend.

FAQs

A real estate investment advisor helps you decide which property to buy as an investment, based on your goals, budget and appetite for risk. In practice, that means comparing areas and buildings using registered sales and rental data, calculating the full cost and realistic net return, checking the property and the developer, and handling the purchase. A good advisor also tells you when not to buy, and stays involved after the transfer.

Get started

Book an investment consultation

Tell us what you’re looking for and a senior advisor will call you within 24 hours to understand your goals. If it makes sense to go further, you’ll receive your investment brief. No obligation.

WhatsApp us Call +971 4 458 9090

Property values and rents can go down as well as up. Figures on this page are illustrations or market averages, not forecasts or guarantees. We provide real estate brokerage and advisory services, not tax, legal or general financial advice.

Book your investment consultation

A senior RERA-licensed advisor will call you within 24 hours.

No obligation. A licensed advisor contacts you within 24 hours.

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Gaurav Aidasani
Expert-verified content

Reviewed by Gaurav Aidasani

Co-Founder, Union Square House

Gaurav Aidasani co-founded Union Square House in 2010 and has led the business through more than a decade of the Dubai property market. Entrepreneur Middle East named him among the 100 agents driving the UAE property market.

Last reviewed

  • How this page is reviewed

    The content on this page is written by the Union Square House team and checked for accuracy by a senior RERA-licensed advisor. Fees and processes are reviewed every six months, or sooner if the Dubai Land Department changes them. Last reviewed .

  • Data sources

    Registered Dubai Land Department transactions, current listings on major UAE property portals and Union Square House sales and leasing records. Official fees from the Dubai Land Department.

  • Please note

    A Union Square House valuation is a free market appraisal to help you price your property. It is not a certified valuation and cannot be used for mortgage, legal or other official purposes. Learn more about Union Square House.

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