Off-plan, explained
Before you reserve an off-plan property
The short answer
Match the home to an officially registered project, verify the payment destination and read the reservation and sale terms. A brochure describes the proposal. Your documents need to say exactly what you are buying, what you owe and what happens if plans change.
Start with the exact project
Similar names can describe different buildings or phases. Record the developer’s legal name, the registered project name and number, and the unit identifier. Compare these across the quotation, reservation form and draft sale agreement. If a sales nickname differs from the registered name, ask for the connection to be documented.
For Dubai, the DLD project-status service lets you check project details and reported completion. Save the result with the date you checked it. A construction percentage describes progress at a point in time; it does not promise a move-in date or tell you that every amenity around the building is ready.
Verify where the money goes
Dubai has a legal framework for project escrow accounts, which are dedicated accounts for project funds. Ask for the project’s official payment instructions and independently confirm that the account details match. Do not rely only on a forwarded message, an invoice logo or a last-minute request to use a different beneficiary.
Escrow is part of the transaction structure, not a guarantee of a return or an on-time home. Ask how your purchase will be registered and what proof you will receive. Keep the signed documents, receipts and correspondence together so a later question can be answered from records rather than memory.
Read the reservation as a commitment
Before paying, ask whether the reservation amount forms part of the price, whether it can be refunded and under which exact conditions. Find the deadline for signing the sale agreement and paying the next amount. A short reservation period can leave very little time to arrange advice or move funds.
Request the full sale agreement early. Read its provisions for delay, changes to the unit, default, cancellation, resale and dispute resolution with an independent adviser where needed. Do not substitute a salesperson’s summary for a clause that will govern a substantial payment. Rights and remedies depend on the agreement and applicable rules.
Compare the actual home
A starting price is a way into a project, not a description of your unit. Compare the floor, orientation, internal space, balcony, parking and included finishes. Ask which area measurement the price uses and which items in the showroom are upgrades. A furnished specification should list the included items clearly.
Think beyond the handover photograph. Where will you park, how will you reach work and what construction may continue nearby? If a school, beach facility or transport connection is central to your decision, establish whether it exists today or is planned. Record assumptions that still need checking before calling the shortlist complete.
- Get a unit-specific price and dated payment schedule.
- Separate contractual handover terms from a marketing target.
- Check the large final payment without assuming a future resale or mortgage.
- Ask for written answers to unresolved points before the reservation deadline.
In actual money
A booking payment needs a second date beside it
Hypothetical AED 2,000,000 home; the agreed schedule calls for 10% on reservation and another 10% 30 days later. These are invented terms for illustration.
| Stage | Cash towards the price |
|---|---|
| Reservation · 10% | AED 200,000 |
| 30 days later · 10% | AED 200,000 |
| Total due by day 30 · 20% | AED 400,000 |
Being able to make the first payment does not establish that the commitment is affordable. Fees and other costs are additional, and the signed terms determine the actual dates.
What to take away
A useful reservation file contains the project check, unit details, verified payment instructions, full contract and dated cash plan. If one is missing, it is still an open question.
Sources & scope
- DLD · Real estate project status enquiry
- Dubai legislation · Project escrow accounts, Law No. 8 of 2007
General guidance, checked against the sources above on 30 September 2026. Examples are illustrative. Your contract, transaction and circumstances determine the advice and costs relevant to you.