A monthly plan makes the entry ticket look small. It does not make the apartment cheaper, and the balance due at handover is where most buyers get caught. This guide is what we tell clients on the phone, written down, with the numbers that applied the week it was last reviewed.
The short version
A monthly plan makes the entry ticket look small. It does not make the apartment cheaper, and the balance due at handover is where most buyers get caught. 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
- Read the whole schedule, not the monthly figure. Booking deposit, instalments to handover, and the balance due on completion.
- Plan the handover payment now. Whatever is left at completion is paid in cash or with a mortgage, and banks lend on the valuation at that date.
- Budget for the upfront costs. The 4% DLD fee is paid when you book, not when you get the keys.
- Check what “furnished” includes. A furnished unit lets faster, but compare the specification before comparing price per square foot.
- Register properly. Oqood registration at the DLD now; title deed and Ejari after handover.
What it costs
| Item | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| DLD registration (Oqood) | 4% of the purchase price |
| Oqood and admin fees | approx. 1,000 – 5,000 |
| Agency commission | usually paid by the developer on primary sales |
| Service charges | from handover – ask for the developer’s estimate per sq ft |
| Mortgage at handover | ~1% arrangement fee + valuation 2,500 – 3,500 |
Where people go wrong
The three most expensive mistakes we see on monthly-plan launches: treating the instalment as the price, reaching handover without the balance arranged, and comparing a furnished unit with an unfurnished one on headline price. None of those are hard to avoid once somebody points them out.
If a broker cannot show you the full payment schedule in dirhams, line by line, they are not close enough to the deal 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.