This is the story of my purchase in Dubai, from my first visit to the day I opened U810.
June 2024
I landed in Dubai for the first time. I went from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, sat in a meeting with a big developer, and came out more confused than I went in.
Summer 2024
I went back and forth between a villa and a townhouse, and in the end I chose a family townhouse at Damac Riverside.
The setbacks
The developer's payment link did not work. A unit I had already reserved was almost lost. And my parents were worried about the size of the commitment.
The bank and the tax authority
I gathered documents, submitted form 2513, and got stuck at my bank branch. In September the transfer finally went through (see the guide to transferring money to Dubai).
October 2024
The purchase was registered in Oqood, the Dubai Land Department register for off-plan property, and after that the contract arrived by post.
2025
I bought a second apartment. I received a golden visa, after about two and a half weeks in Dubai of medical tests, fingerprints and a local ID card, and I opened a local bank account. In October I exchanged my Israeli driving licence for a Dubai one.
2026
I opened U810. I realised that the real value was not the property itself but the process: the checks, the negotiation and the signing. That is what I do today for other investors.
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Send a WhatsApp messageAnother guide: Buying an off-plan apartment in Dubai: how the payment plan works and what to check before you sign
Another guide: How much does it cost to buy an apartment in Dubai: the costs on top of the price
Another guide: What is true and what is not: things people hear about buying in Dubai
Another guide: Transferring money to Dubai: how I did it from Israel, what the bank asked for, and where it got stuck
Another guide: A Dubai golden visa through property: who qualifies, how the process works, and how long it took me
Another guide: A Dubai driving licence: how I exchanged my Israeli licence, without tests