Guide · Direct purchase
Buying property directly from an owner in Dubai
A direct conversation with the owner does not remove the need for a clear agreement, current records, accepted documents and the applicable registration process. Identify who will perform each job that still needs to be done.
Confirm the property and the person acting
Obtain the relevant current registration record and reconcile it with the proposed seller and property. Use the official title-verification guidance where applicable. If a representative or company is involved, identify the required authority rather than relying on an introduction.
Confirm how the agreement will be documented
Agree the commercial terms through the appropriate process and obtain qualified advice where needed. Ask the authorised channel which documents and process apply to the direct transaction. Do not assume that an informal email exchange is the full registration file or that a broker-facing digital workflow is available unchanged to every party.
Read the Form F guide for the questions about parties, property, conditions and fees.
Assign the coordination work
| Work | Decision to make |
|---|---|
| Agreement and advice | Who handles the document and any legal review? |
| Developer requirements | Who obtains the required instructions and output? |
| Lender steps | Who progresses each borrower’s bank actions? |
| Document file | Who tracks current versions and gaps? |
| Funds and appointment readiness | Who confirms payment instructions and attendance? |
| Handover | Who records and completes the agreed practical actions? |
Avoid leaving a task unassigned simply because no broker is managing the conversation.
Select the conveyancing route using the facts
For a standard individual sale, identify the seller’s mortgage status and the buyer’s funding. Our route finder shows the relevant published service fee. Corporate ownership, representation, off-plan status and other exceptions need their specific scope checked.
Confirm the costs rather than assuming savings
Itemise the charges and read any existing appointment or agreement. Buying directly does not automatically establish that no broker fee or other obligation is payable, nor does it remove official and third-party charges. Obtain advice if an existing appointment or entitlement is disputed.
Use the cost calculator as a preparation aid and the actual confirmed schedule for payments.
Before sending money or attending
Verify payment instructions independently, resolve document and authority gaps, and confirm the required people and originals. The readiness check provides a practical action list.
Conveyance coordinates the agreed procedural service. We do not negotiate the sale, hold purchase money or replace legal advice on the agreement.
One walkthrough · Buying a Dubai Marina apartment directly from the owner
Buyer B finds an apartment in Dubai Marina advertised by Owner A with no broker. They agree a price and a target completion date.
Step 1 — Confirm the property and the person acting. Buyer B obtains the current title record, verifies it through the official channel and checks that the recorded owner is the person selling. Owner A confirms there is no registered mortgage.
Step 2 — Document the agreement. The parties obtain appropriate contract advice and record the price, deposit, completion conditions and who pays which charge in a written agreement that a registration trustee will accept.
Step 3 — Assign the coordination work. With no broker in the file, the parties appoint a conveyancer for the procedural coordination and agree the scope and fee in writing.
Step 4 — Select the route. No seller mortgage and no buyer mortgage: the cash-to-cash route applies. Published service fee AED 4,999 + VAT; official and third-party charges are separate.
Step 5 — Confirm the costs. The itemised schedule lists the registration percentage on the price, the trustee partner fee, the service fee and the developer’s NOC and clearance charges once confirmed. Unknown items stay marked unknown.
Step 6 — Before sending money or attending. Every payee is confirmed independently, originals and attendance are arranged, and the appointment is booked only when the developer NOC is usable.
Source: dubailand.gov.ae · reference
Source: dubailand.gov.ae · reference
Source: conveyance.ae · reference