Developers & Projects · 11 min · 2026-04-19
How to Choose a Dubai Developer in 2026: The Off-Plan Buyer's Checklist
What to check before you reserve an off-plan unit in Dubai: project registration, escrow, Oqood, the developer's delivered projects, the payment plan and running costs.
Why the Developer Matters as Much as the Area
In Dubai's off-plan market you pay most of the price before the keys exist, so the developer and the specific project deserve as much attention as the location. Dubai has a clear framework that protects buyers, and a few checks let you use it fully. This checklist works for every developer, from the large master developers (Emaar, Nakheel, Meraas, Dubai Properties) to private developers such as DAMAC, Sobha, Ellington, Danube or Binghatti.
1. Check that the project is registered with the Dubai Land Department
Off-plan projects are registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and supervised by its regulatory arm, RERA. Ask for the project's registration details and check them through the DLD's official channels (website or Dubai REST app) before paying a booking amount.
2. Pay into the project escrow account
Under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007 concerning real estate development escrow accounts, buyer payments for an off-plan project go into an escrow account opened for that project and are released to the developer as construction progresses. Make every payment to the escrow account named in your sale agreement, never to a personal account. The law is listed on the DLD rules and regulations page.
3. Make sure your purchase is registered (Oqood)
Off-plan sales are recorded in the DLD's interim register, known as Oqood. Your registration certificate is what makes your purchase official before the title deed is issued at handover. The DLD registration fee applies at this stage; see the DLD fees calculator for the official schedule.
4. Look at the developer's delivered projects
The best guide to a project is the developer's earlier projects in the same community: when they were handed over, how the buildings are maintained, and how units trade on the secondary market today. Visit a completed building if you can, and read the DLD's open real estate data for registered transactions.
5. Read the payment plan line by line
A 60/40, 50/50 or post-handover plan changes how much cash you need and when. Model each instalment in the payment plan calculator and keep a buffer for the handover payment and fees.
6. Plan the running costs
Service charges vary from one building to another, even within the same developer's portfolio. Ask for the expected service charge per square foot and include it in your rental yield calculation.
7. If you need a mortgage, ask the lender early
Whether a lender finances a given project, and at what loan-to-value, is part of that lender's own policy, within the limits of the Central Bank of the UAE regulation. Ask before you commit and model the loan with the off-plan mortgage calculator.
Quick checklist
- Project registered with the DLD
- Escrow account named in the sale agreement
- Oqood registration after booking
- Delivered projects visited or reviewed
- Payment plan modelled with a cash buffer
- Service charges included in the yield
- Mortgage terms confirmed in writing
Run your own numbers in the ROI simulator.
Read Next
Reviewed by Ahmed Benjas, co-founder & CEO of Cevitas Real Estate
Moroccan real estate expert based in Dubai, co-founder & CEO of Cevitas Real Estate, a RERA-licensed brokerage (NGI House, Deira), with an AED 200M+ track record. He works in French, Arabic, Darija and English.
Who is Ahmed Benjas? · Moroccan real estate broker in Dubai · His guides on cevitas.ae
Related guides
Calculators for this guide: Dubai property ROI calculator · Off-plan calculator Dubai