Farid NeggazReal Estate Advisor · Dubai

Dubai real estate

Investing in Dubai, made simple.

A fast-growing market with no tax on rent or capital gains. I help you choose the right property, from selection to resale.

7–9%average gross rental yield a year in Dubai
+79%price growth since 2020
0%tax on rent and capital gains

Why Dubai

Four good reasons

0%tax

No tax

No income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax. What you earn, you keep.

200,000+residents / yr

A growing city

More than 200,000 new residents every year. They need homes: demand is lasting.

7–9%gross yield

Strong rents

Between 7% and 9% average gross rental yield, nearly twice London or Paris.

Escrowon your payments

Safe rules

Your title is registered with the Dubai government and your payments are held in an escrow account.

The market

A market at its peak

In 2025, Dubai broke its records. Here is the short version.

Value of property transactions, in AED billions, 2020–2025.

≈ $250Bof transactions in 2025 (AED 917B), +20% in a year
215,583sales in 2025, +18.6% in a year
≈ $13.8Bof transactions in September 2026 (AED 50.8B, 16,490 sales), per the Dubai Land Department
$455/sq.ftaverage price in 2025 (≈ AED 1,672/sq.ft), all property types

And in 2026? Despite regional tension, the market held: the median price per sq.ft rose another ~10% in H1 2026 year on year (AED 1,750 vs 1,590), and the median new-lease rent ~10% (AED 55,000 vs 50,000). Source: DXBinteract / Dubai Land Department.

Districts that stand out

Where prices rose the most

Price per sq.ft growth, 2020–2025.

A yield that stands out

Average gross rental yield, Dubai vs major cities.

District price growth: DXBinteract / Dubai Land Department. Other cities' yields: indicative orders of magnitude. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Projects

Three ways to invest

Luxury to preserve capital, guaranteed income with appreciation, or other projects with no guaranteed return. Pick your type of project.

Acquisition structures

How to buy in Dubai: three options

You can buy in your own name, through a freezone company, or through a holding company. The right choice depends on your profile and goals. Here is the essentials, jargon-free.

Individual

Buy in your own name

The simplest: the property is in your name, no company.

Who it suits

A first UAE property, a residency visa, a straightforward rental investment.

Why choose it

  • Simplest and cheapest
  • Title deed in your name
  • 10-year Golden Visa possible from $545,000 (AED 2M)
  • No corporate tax for an individual

Keep in mind

  • Your personal estate is exposed in case of a dispute
  • No separation between you and the property
Setup

No company to set up, fastest process

★ Most flexible

Family office · Multi-property

One company per property (freezone)

Each property is held by its own company, created in a Dubai freezone.

Who it suits

Family offices, multi-property portfolios, investors planning to resell.

Why choose it

  • Each property is ring-fenced from the others
  • Resale by transferring the company shares: can reduce or remove the 4% registration fee (to be confirmed with the Dubai Land Department)
  • Easy succession: you pass on the shares
  • 9% tax only on net rent above $102,000/yr (AED 375,000); capital gains not taxed in the UAE

Keep in mind

  • Annual licence renewal and accounting
Setup

$4,100–6,800 per company (AED 15,000–25,000)

Institutional · Large estates

An offshore holding company

A holding company (DIFC, ADGM or British Virgin Islands) owns your properties.

Who it suits

Investors from Geneva, Luxembourg or Singapore, institutional mandates, estate planning.

Why choose it

  • Maximum privacy and asset protection
  • English common law at DIFC and ADGM
  • Built for passing wealth between generations

Keep in mind

  • Higher setup and compliance costs
  • A lawyer is essential; CRS / FATCA reporting
  • French tax residents: specialist tax advice required (Art. 209B CGI), but it is workable
Setup

On quote, with legal counsel

At a glance

IndividualFreezone companyOffshore holding
ComplexityVery simpleMediumHigh
SpeedFastestLongerLongest
Upfront costNone$4,100–6,800 / companyOn quote
Asset protectionBasicRing-fenced per propertyMaximum
ResaleSale of the propertyShare transfer possibleShare transfer possible

Indicative amounts. General information, not legal or tax advice: choosing a structure requires qualified advice. We work with licensed UAE legal partners for setup.

Common questions

Your questions, answered

Is my money protected?

Yes, in two ways. For an off-plan purchase, your payments sit in a regulated escrow account and are released only as construction progress is verified. And your title is registered in your name with the Dubai Land Department. Transactions are made through RERA-registered brokers or directly with the developer.

Will I pay tax?

In Dubai, an individual pays no tax on rent and no capital gains tax. Your country of residence may have its own rules: tax advice is recommended, especially for French residents.

What budget do I need to start?

Entry tickets run from about $463k to $4.36M per property for guaranteed-yield and high-potential projects (AED 1.7M to 16M), and from $1.09M to $131M for luxury projects (AED 4M to 480M). From AED 2M invested (≈ $545k) you can also qualify for the 10-year Golden Visa.

What are the costs?

A one-off 4% registration fee (Dubai Land Department), then service charges of about 1.3% of the property value a year. Rental management is optional: you can rent it out yourself. Net yield after charges: about 5.7%.

What about regional tensions?

First-half 2026 figures show a solid market: price per sq.ft up about 10% year on year, new-lease rents up about 10%, no forced sales. Sales slowed by 13%, a sign of brief caution, not a correction.

Farid Neggaz

Your advisor

Farid Neggaz

Real Estate Advisor

Real estate advisor specialising in Dubai residential property, a sales partner of several developers and working with RERA-registered brokers. I speak English, French, Arabic and Tamazight, and work with investors in Geneva, Luxembourg, Monaco, Paris and Brussels.

I findProperty selection, negotiation, contract and registration
I financeBank introductions and payment plan
I manageTenants, rent and upkeep, if you wish
I resellRight time to sell and repatriation of funds

Let's talk about your project

20 minutes, one specific project, detailed figures. No obligation.

Phone · WhatsApp+33 6 52 17 99 36

Or write to me here

I reply personally, usually within one business day.