Dubai
Check the broker and the advert
Every licensed broker in Dubai has a broker card, and every property advert must carry a permit QR code. You can verify both in the Dubai Land Department's Dubai REST app.
Good to know
Guides and frequently asked questions
Practical points from Dubai, Morocco and the Netherlands, checked against official sources.
Guide
Guides by topic
Clear answers to the questions buyers ask us most, with the sources included.
Guides about Dubai
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying an apartment in Downtown Dubai or Business BayBuying an apartment in Downtown Dubai or Business Bay? Location, developers, home types, freehold status, metro access and what to check first.
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying property in Dubai Creek Harbour: location, homes and what to checkLooking to buy property in Dubai Creek Harbour? Location on the creek, developer Emaar, home types, freehold status, metro and what to check.
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying property in Dubai Hills Estate: apartments, villas and what to checkBuying property in Dubai Hills Estate? Location, developer, apartments and villas, freehold status, access and what to check before you buy.
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying property on Dubai Islands: location, homes and what to checkThinking of buying property on Dubai Islands? The five islands off Deira, developer Nakheel, home types, freehold status and what to check first.
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying an apartment in Dubai Marina and JBR: what to knowBuying property in Dubai Marina or JBR? Location, developers, freehold status, tram and metro access, and what to check before you sign.
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying property in Dubai South: location, homes and what to checkLooking to buy property in Dubai South? Location by Al Maktoum Airport, the master developer, home types, freehold status and what to check first.
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying an apartment in JVC Dubai (Jumeirah Village Circle): area, homes and what to checkThinking of buying an apartment in JVC Dubai? Location, master developer Nakheel, home types, freehold status, access and what to check first.
- Dubai · Areas and citiesBuying an apartment or villa on Palm JumeirahBuying property on Palm Jumeirah? Location, Nakheel, the Trunk, Fronds and Crescent, freehold status, monorail access and what to check first.
- Dubai · BuyingBuy-to-let in Dubai: Ejari, the RERA rental index, holiday home permits and service chargesBuy-to-let in Dubai explained: Ejari registration, the RERA rental index and rent caps, the holiday home permit and service charges paid by owners.
- Dubai · BuyingBuying property in Dubai as a foreigner: rules, costs and pitfallsCan foreigners buy property in Dubai? The ownership rules, the official Dubai Land Department fees and the checks to do before you sign anything.
- Dubai · MarketDubai property market now: the figures for autumn 2026The Dubai property market in autumn 2026, in sourced figures: sales, mortgages, prices, rents, new supply and the effect of the regional war.
- Dubai · FinancingMortgage in Dubai for foreigners: loan limits, deposit and costsCan foreigners get a mortgage in Dubai? The UAE Central Bank loan limits, how much deposit you need, and the fees for registering the mortgage.
- Dubai · BuyingBuying off-plan in Dubai: escrow, Oqood and payment plans explainedBuying off-plan property in Dubai means paying a developer in stages before completion. How escrow, Oqood registration and your buyer rights work.
- Dubai · TaxDubai property tax for residents of the Netherlands and Belgium: box 3, treaties and cadastral incomeDubai property tax for Dutch, Belgian and French residents: how box 3 works, what the UAE treaties do and how Belgium taxes a home in Dubai.
- Dubai · LivingDubai Golden Visa through property: requirements, costs and how to applyThe Dubai Golden Visa for property investors: own property worth AED 2 million or more for a 10-year residence visa. Requirements, fees and steps.
- Dubai · LivingLiving in Dubai as a European: residence, tax, health insurance and schoolsLiving in Dubai as a European: which residence visa you need, how tax residence works, mandatory health insurance, schools and swapping your licence.
Guides about Morocco
- Morocco · Areas and citiesBuying property in Marrakech: districts, new-builds, riads and what to checkBuying property in Marrakech: Gueliz, Hivernage, Agdal, the Palmeraie and golf areas, a new-build or a riad, and what to check before you sign anything.
- Morocco · BuyingBuying property in Morocco as a foreigner: rules, titre foncier and stepsCan foreigners buy property in Morocco? Who may buy, titre foncier or melkia, notary or adoul, the steps, and how to repatriate your money when you sell.
- Morocco · CostsBuying costs in Morocco: registration duties, land registry, notary and taxesBuying costs in Morocco explained: 4% registration duty, 1.5% land registry fee, notary fees, capital gains tax on resale and annual local property taxes.
- Morocco · Areas and citiesBuying property in Nador, Al Hoceima or Saïdia: what to knowBuying property in Nador, Al Hoceima or Saïdia: facts on each town, the Marchica project near Nador, the summer season and what to check before you buy.
- Morocco · FinancingMortgage in Morocco for foreigners and MRE, including Islamic financingGetting a mortgage in Morocco as an MRE or foreigner: up to 80% in dirhams for MRE, Islamic financing through Mourabaha, and interest-free routes.
- Morocco · FinancingMorocco housing subsidy: who qualifies for Daam Sakane direct housing aidThe Morocco housing subsidy Daam Sakane pays 70,000 or 100,000 dirhams to Moroccans, including MRE. Conditions, end date and why foreigners cannot apply.
- Morocco · Areas and citiesBuying property in Tetouan, Martil and Cabo Negro on Morocco's north coastBuying property in Tetouan, Martil, M'diq or Cabo Negro: how the towns on Tamuda Bay differ, what homes you find there and what to check before you buy.
- Morocco · BuyingBuying off-plan in Morocco: VEFA rules and the legal payment stagesBuying off-plan in Morocco under the VEFA law: reservation contract, legal payment stages from 5% to 20%, the developer's guarantee and delay penalties.
- Morocco · Areas and citiesBuying an apartment in Tangier: districts, new-builds and what to checkBuying an apartment in Tangier: Malabata, Tanja Balia, the city centre, Route de Rabat and Achakkar, new-builds with a sea view and what to check first.
Good to know
Read before you buy
Dubai
Pay off-plan only into escrow
Payments for an off-plan home must go into the project's escrow account at a bank approved by the Dubai Land Department. That money may only be used to build your project.
Dubai
Off-plan and financing
UAE banks may finance at most 50% of an off-plan purchase. Plan your own contribution around the developer's payment schedule from the start.
Morocco
Titre foncier first
A titre foncier is a registered title that banks accept. An unregistered melkia can be contested. A certificat de propriété from the land registry shows owners, mortgages and seizures.
Morocco
Pay traceably, keep the proof
Under the 2026 Finance Law, a part of the price paid in cash can cost an extra 2% registration duty. Paying with funds from abroad by bank transfer also lets you transfer the proceeds back when you sell.
Netherlands
Your Dutch tax return
A home abroad counts towards your box 3 assets, and a second home gives no mortgage interest deduction. The Netherlands has tax treaties with the UAE and Morocco against double taxation. Box 3 is changing, so plan with a tax adviser.
Checked October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?
Yes. Foreign buyers can own property outright (freehold) in areas designated for foreign ownership, which include most new developments. Every purchase is registered with the Dubai Land Department.
Can foreigners buy property in Morocco?
Yes. Foreign nationals can buy and later sell residential property in Morocco. Agricultural land outside urban areas is reserved for Moroccans. The sale is completed by a notary, and it is best to buy a property with a registered land title (titre foncier).
What are the purchase costs in Dubai?
The Dubai Land Department charges a transfer fee of 4% of the price, plus fixed administrative fees. There is no annual property tax. Service charges must be approved by the regulator and are published in the Service Charge Index.
What are the purchase costs in Morocco?
For a built home, registration duty is 4% of the price, plus 1.5% for the land registry. Notary fees come on top; they are not fixed by law, so always ask for a written quote first.
Does buying property in Dubai give me a residence visa?
A property worth at least AED 2 million can qualify for a renewable 10-year Golden Visa. Off-plan property from an approved developer can also qualify. The exact conditions are set by the UAE authorities.
Do I pay tax in the Netherlands on a home abroad?
If you are a Dutch tax resident, a home abroad counts as a box 3 asset, and the mortgage interest on a second home is not deductible. The Netherlands has tax treaties with the UAE and Morocco to prevent double taxation. Box 3 is changing, so ask a tax advisor.
Who is Akram Toub?
Akram Toub is a licensed real estate broker in Dubai (broker number 93674) who also works in Morocco. He helps Dutch and European buyers from the first conversation to handover, in Dutch, English, French or Arabic.
How do I get started?
Book a free, no-obligation consultation through the form on this page or call +971 52 717 2539. We discuss what you are looking for, and you receive a personal shortlist.
Consultation
Tell me what you are looking for
Leave your details and I will get back to you personally to plan a call. There is no cost and no obligation.
- An honest answer, even when that answer is no
- A wide network of trusted contacts for every step
- Your details are never sold or shared without your consent
- Consultations in Dutch, English, French or Arabic
Prefer to call or send a message?
- Phone (Dubai):
- +971 52 717 2539
- E-mail:
- akram@toubrealestate.com
