Real estate agent, Dubai
Dubai property, handled properly.
Sales, lettings and off-plan across Dubai, from an agent who spent seven years inside a UK mortgage lender. Clear advice on what a property is worth, what it costs, and what happens next.
Where I work
Off-plan, secondary and the lending side. Anywhere in Dubai.
I began in off-plan, selling waterfront property in Dubai Maritime City to investors from across the world. From there I moved into the secondary market, sales and leasing, in communities including JVC, Arjan, an area still on its way up, Palm Jumeirah and Business Bay. The property that fits the brief decides where we look.
What I offer that most agents cannot is the other side of the transaction. I hold CeMAP, the UK mortgage advice qualification, and spent seven years inside a lender, so I read a purchase the way a bank does: the valuation against comparable sales, the running costs against the income, and the paperwork that decides whether it completes. You get the agent's view and the lender's view together, before you commit.
Family communities
Dubai Hills Estate, Arabian Ranches, Damac Hills, Mudon, Town Square, Jumeirah Village and the villa communities along the E311. Schools, parks and the commute matter more than the brochure, so that is where I start.
Yield markets
JVC, Arjan, Dubai South, Sports City, Silicon Oasis, International City and the mid market towers of Business Bay. I underwrote buy to let for a living, so I price these the way a lender would: net of service charges, against real rents, with an exit in mind.
Marina, Palm, Downtown
Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, Downtown, Business Bay, Dubai Maritime City and the Creek. Larger tickets, more competition, and a market where the difference between two towers on the same street can be a third of the price. Worth an adviser who reads the numbers.
Off-plan, anywhere in the city
Where I began in Dubai, selling waterfront property in Dubai Maritime City to investors from across the world. I look at the developer's track record, the escrow account, the completion date, what else is launching next door and whether the payment plan survives a bad year. If a project does not pass, I will tell you, and show you one that does.
What I do
Buying, selling, letting and off-plan, explained before you sign anything.
Each of these is straightforward once someone walks you through it. Here is the shape of each, so you know what to expect.
Buying
From the first viewing to the title deed in your name. Every fee explained before you commit to anything.
- 01Brief and budgetWhat you need, where, and the real budget including costs on top of the price.
- 02Shortlist and viewingsOnly properties that fit. I check the building, the service charges and the seller's position first.
- 03Offer and Form FThe binding sale agreement, with your deposit cheque held, not banked, until transfer.
- 04NOC and financeThe developer clears the property; the bank, if there is one, completes its valuation. I know what the bank will ask for, so it is ready before they ask.
- 05TransferAt the registration trustee, fees paid, title deed issued in your name, keys handed over.
Selling
Honest pricing from live transaction data, proper marketing, and a clean transfer without surprises.
- 01ValuationBased on what has actually sold in your building, not what is being asked.
- 02Form A and permitThe listing agreement and the advertising permit, so the property is marketed legally.
- 03MarketingPhotography, the portals, and buyers I already know are looking.
- 04Offer and Form FTerms agreed and recorded properly, including who pays what.
- 05NOC and transferService charges cleared, the developer's certificate issued, transfer booked.
Letting
For landlords who want a tenant who pays on time, and tenants who want a home that is what it says it is.
- 01ListingPriced against real lettings in the building, with the permit in place.
- 02Tenant vettingIdentity, employment and payment terms checked before anything is signed.
- 03Contract and chequesThe tenancy contract agreed, cheques collected and handed over.
- 04EjariThe tenancy registered with the government, which protects both sides.
- 05Move inUtilities connected, keys and access cards handed over, condition recorded.
Off-plan
Buying from the developer before completion. Where I began in Dubai, and where a lender's eye for the numbers matters most.
- 01Brief and budgetWhat you want it to do: a home to move into, or a return on completion. The answer changes the project.
- 02Developer and projectTrack record, escrow account, completion date, and what else is launching nearby.
- 03Reservation and contractThe booking, the sale and purchase agreement, and a payment plan you have actually stress tested.
- 04Oqood registrationYour interest recorded with the Dubai Land Department, which is what protects you until the title deed exists.
- 05HandoverSnagging, final payment, title deed, keys. Or a resale before completion, if that was the plan.
Buying costs, in plain terms
Budget six to seven percent on top of the price.
Roughly seven to nine percent if you are buying with a mortgage. Some of these are government rules, some are market convention, and a few are fixed fees that change from time to time. I will give you the exact figures for your purchase in writing before you make an offer.
About
I read a property the way a lender does.
Before Dubai, I spent seven years at Paragon Bank, a UK specialist mortgage lender, first working alongside the surveyors who value property, then underwriting buy to let mortgages: reading valuations, accounts and bank statements, and deciding whether the numbers held up. I hold CeMAP, the UK qualification for mortgage advisers.
That is the lens I bring to every viewing. Not whether a property photographs well, but whether the yield survives the service charges, whether the valuation will stand, and whether the paperwork will get through. In Dubai I have worked across off-plan, sales and lettings, so I know what is completing, where, and what that does to the price of the building next door.
I am a registered agent with M&M Real Estate, working across the whole of Dubai. Whether you are buying, selling, letting or looking at a launch, start with a message. I will tell you what I think, and what I would do in your position.
Questions I am asked most
Straight answers.
How long does a resale purchase take?
A cash buyer and a cash seller can complete in two to four weeks from signing Form F. Add a mortgage on either side and it is more often six to twelve weeks, because the bank's valuation and the settlement of any existing loan each take time. The transfer date is written into Form F, so you will know the target before you sign.
Is the four percent Dubai Land Department fee negotiable?
The fee itself is not; it is a government charge calculated on the contract price. Who pays it is technically a matter for the contract, but in practice the buyer pays it in almost every Dubai transaction, and a seller will expect that.
Can you help me with a mortgage?
I do not arrange or advise on mortgages in the UAE; that is a job for a bank or a licensed broker, and I will introduce you to one. What I do bring is seven years inside a UK lender, three of them underwriting, so I know how a bank reads an application, what it will ask for, and where a purchase can stall. I will have the numbers and the documents in order before you make an offer, which is usually the difference between a smooth transfer and a slow one.
What is a NOC, and why does everyone talk about it?
A No Objection Certificate from the developer, confirming the seller owes nothing on the property, chiefly service charges. Without it the Dubai Land Department will not transfer the title. It is valid for a short period, so the timing matters, and it is the single most common reason a transfer is delayed. I check the service charge position before a property is listed, not after an offer is accepted.
What are service charges, and how much are they?
An annual charge per square foot, set for each building by its owners association, covering maintenance, security and facilities. They vary a great deal from one building to the next and they directly affect the return on an investment property, so I always quote yield before and after service charges, using the actual figure for the building rather than an average.
Can I buy if I am not in Dubai?
Yes. Viewings can be done by video, and if you cannot attend the transfer in person a Power of Attorney allows someone to sign on your behalf. It needs to be arranged in advance, so tell me early if you expect to be abroad.
Contact
Start with a message.
A brief, a budget, or just a question. I reply the same day.