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Ready homes and the secondary market

Ready and resale property in Dubai

Homes you can move into or let straight away, bought from their current owner. What they sell for, how the transfer works and what it costs.

What ready apartments sold for

Median ready apartment prices and prices per sq ft in the 12 months to Q2 2026, in Dubai and the communities we cover, with the off-plan price per sq ft for comparison. From our analysis of the Dubai Land Department's open transaction data; a median reflects the mix of homes sold, not the price of any one home. Quarterly series are on Dubai property prices.

AreaMedian ready apartmentReady, per sq ftOff-plan, per sq ftReady share of sales
DubaiAED 1,108,990AED 1,407AED 1,83924%
Dubai MarinaAED 2,000,000AED 1,819AED 3,09083%
Downtown DubaiAED 2,875,000AED 2,537AED 3,81760%
Palm JumeirahAED 4,450,000AED 2,666AED 5,41961%
Dubai Hills EstateAED 1,800,000AED 2,338AED 2,45833%
Business BayAED 1,450,000AED 1,837AED 2,65530%
Jumeirah Village CircleAED 933,139AED 1,291AED 1,56633%
Dubai Creek HarbourAED 2,500,000AED 2,340AED 2,58332%

In Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Hills Estate, Business Bay, Jumeirah Village Circle and Dubai Creek Harbour, ready homes sold for less per sq ft than off-plan ones, a gap that partly reflects the age and finish of the buildings.

Ready homes for sale now

Each home shows its advertising permit and the full cost of buying it.

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How buying a resale home works

  1. Agree the price and sign Form F.The Dubai Land Department's standard sale contract records the price, the deposit and the transfer date. By custom the buyer pays a 10% deposit.
  2. Arrange the mortgage, if you need one.The bank values the home and issues its final approval before the transfer.
  3. The seller clears what they owe.Any existing mortgage and the service charges due, since the developer will not issue its NOC until they are paid.
  4. The developer's NOC.Issued online through the Dubai REST app in freehold areas, and valid for a limited time, so set the transfer date close to it.
  5. Transfer at a registration trustee.The price is handed over in manager's cheques, the DLD fees are paid and the title deed is issued in your name.

Every step in detail: buying a resale property in Dubai.

What it costs

FeeAmount
Transfer fee (Dubai Land Department)4% of the price, by custom paid by the buyer
Title deed feesAED 520 for an apartment or villa
Registration trusteeAED 4,000 + VAT, or AED 2,000 + VAT under AED 500,000
Agency feeUsually 2% of the price + VAT
Developer NOCAED 500 to 5,000
Mortgage registration (if financed)0.25% of the loan + AED 270
AED
The home is
Paying with
Fees on a home priced at AED 2,000,000
FeeAmount
DLD transfer fee4% of the price, customarily paid by the buyerAED 80,000
DLD title deed feesItemised by DLD for apartments and villasAED 520
Registration trustee feeAED 4,000 + VATAED 4,200
Agency fee2% + VAT, the customary rateAED 42,000
Developer NOCAED 500 to 5,000, set by the developer; who pays is agreed in Form F. The top of the range is shownAED 5,000
Fees and chargesAED 131,720
Price plus fees
AED 2,131,720
Fees as a share of the price
6.6%

An estimate. Government fees are the Dubai Land Department's, checked 16 September 2026; agency, bank and developer fees vary and are shown at their customary or upper level. How each fee works

Borrowing on a ready home

The Central Bank of the UAE caps the share of the price a bank may lend:

HomeExpatriatesUAE nationals
First home, AED 5 million or less80%85%
First home, over AED 5 million70%75%
Second or investment home60%65%
Off-plan home50%50%

More in mortgages in Dubai, or try the mortgage calculator.

Ready or off-plan?

  • Ready: live in it or let it from the transfer day, see exactly what you buy, and borrow up to 80%.
  • Off-plan: pay in stages while it is built, but no home or rent until handover, and borrow up to 50%.
  • The full comparison is in off-plan vs ready property in Dubai, and projects on sale are on off-plan property.

Before you sign

  • Verify the title deed and the identity of the seller, or their attorney, with the Dubai Land Department.
  • Scan the advert's Madmoun QR code to confirm its permit.
  • Compare the service charge with DLD's Service Charge Index and ask for the seller's statement of account.
  • If the home is let, read the lease before Form F: buying a tenanted property in Dubai.
  • The full list: checks before buying a ready property.

Guides to buying a ready home

Questions buyers ask

What is a secondary market (resale) property in Dubai?

A home that is already built and has a title deed, bought from its current owner rather than from the developer. The sale is registered and ownership passes at a Dubai Land Department registration trustee's office.

Are ready apartments cheaper than off-plan in Dubai?

Per square foot, on average, yes: in the 12 months to Q2 2026 the median ready apartment in Dubai sold for AED 1,407 per sq ft against AED 1,839 off-plan, by our analysis of DLD data. Location and age differ between the two, so compare similar homes in the same area.

Where do most ready homes sell in Dubai?

Of the communities we cover, Jumeirah Village Circle (4,819), Business Bay (2,398) and Dubai Marina (1,949) recorded the most ready-home sales in the 12 months to Q2 2026.

Where can I find a cheaper ready apartment in Dubai?

Of the communities we cover, Jumeirah Village Circle had the lowest median ready apartment price: AED 933,139 in the 12 months to Q2 2026.

Can I get a mortgage on a resale property?

Yes. Expatriates can borrow up to 80% of a first home worth AED 5 million or less, 70% above that and 60% on a second home, under the Central Bank's limits.

Who pays the 4% DLD fee on a resale?

By custom the buyer pays all of it. The Dubai Land Department's schedule divides it equally between buyer and seller, so the two sides can agree a different split in Form F.

Find a ready home

Tell us the area, budget and bedrooms you need, and an adviser will send ready homes on the market today.

Sources