Community averages hide a 30% spread. Here is how to compare like with like.
The short version
Most of what is written about this topic online is either a sales page or out of date. This guide is what we tell clients on the phone, written down, with the numbers that applied the week it was last reviewed.
Step by step
- Work out your actual budget. Price plus about 6–7% in transaction costs, plus the first year of service charges.
- Pick the community before the unit. The address decides liquidity; the unit decides the price.
- Check the building, not the brochure. Service charge history, the state of the lifts, how fast units re-let.
- Negotiate on terms as well as price. Payment schedule, handover condition and furniture are all moveable.
- Register properly. Title deed in your name at the DLD, Ejari if you are letting it out.
What it costs
| Item | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee | 4% of the purchase price |
| Agency commission | 2% + VAT |
| Trustee / registration | 4,000 – 4,200 |
| Mortgage arrangement | ~1% of the loan |
| Valuation | 2,500 – 3,500 |
Where people go wrong
The three most expensive mistakes we see: buying the community average instead of the specific building, ignoring the service charge until after the offer is accepted, and assuming the advertised rental yield is net. None of those are hard to avoid once somebody points them out.
If a broker cannot give you the building’s last twelve months of transactions, they are not close enough to the market to advise you.
What to do next
Send us your budget, your timeline and whether this is for living in or letting out. You will get a shortlist with the numbers attached, and an honest note about which one we would drop.