In many Dubai payment plans, most of the money is paid at handover. If you do not plan for it, you find out at the last minute that you need a mortgage, and that banks do not rush. Here are the UAE Central Bank rules, and what I have seen with investors I guide.
When you need a mortgage
When your payment plan leaves a large part of the price for handover, for example 50% or 75%, and the money is not ready. Your plan is in the contract and in the statement of account (SOA) the developer sends. Examples of such plans are in the guide to buying off-plan.
The Central Bank rules
- The monthly repayment on all your loans together cannot exceed 50% of your monthly income.
- Completed property, first home, for non-UAE nationals: a loan of up to 80% of the value for a property up to AED 5 million, and up to 70% above that.
- Second and further properties: up to 60%.
- Off-plan property: up to 50%, for every buyer.
These are ceilings. Each bank sets its own terms, usually lower.
Residency changes the terms
Buyers without UAE residency usually get less favourable terms and need a larger down payment. A Golden Visa or another residence visa makes you a resident (see the Golden Visa guide).
What the bank checks
- Your income, and where it comes from.
- Bank statements from recent months.
- Existing commitments, such as loans and credit cards.
- The property value, based on the bank's valuation.
From my experience
An investor I guided had already paid half the price and reached the point where he needed a mortgage for the other half. Exactly then one of his income sources ended, which could change the amount the bank would approve. So start checking with banks well before the handover letter arrives, not after.
What to do
- Check in your contract how much is left to pay at handover, and when.
- Prepare your documents in advance.
- Approach several banks, or a licensed mortgage adviser, and compare.
- Do not commit to a payment date before you have approval in principle.
Sources
- Central Bank mortgage regulations (debt burden, loan-to-value, off-plan): Al Tamimi & Company, CBUAE Rulebook, Mortgage Finder, masarif.ae.
- Terms for non-residents: mortgease.ae, kotook.ae.
- The story: my own experience with an investor I guided in 2026.
I am not a mortgage adviser. This is general information, correct as of the update date, and each bank sets its own terms.
Approaching handover?
Tell me how much is left to pay and when, and we will plan ahead.
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