Who can own, what to budget, which forms you sign, and what happens at the registration trustee when the home becomes yours.
Moving to Dubai with Enesco
Rent first or buy, which areas fit your commute, what a non-resident needs, and a home ready on the day you land.
Finding a rental home carries a fee agreed in writing before you sign; buying carries the customary 2% plus VAT on a resale and nothing extra on an off-plan purchase from a developer.
In short
- Enesco helps families and companies moving to Dubai find a home before they arrive: rent or buy, areas chosen by commute, viewings by video, Ejari and utilities handled.
- Most people rent first, because a tenancy can be in place within weeks and a purchase carries about 7% in fees on a ready home.
- You do not need a residence visa to buy, and a valid passport identifies a non-resident at the registration trustee.
Brief.
Who is moving, where you will work, where children will go to school, your budget, your arrival date and whether you want to rent or buy.
Rent or buy.
We set out both routes with their costs and timing, so the choice is made on numbers.
Areas by commute.
We map the shortlist against your workplace and schools using each area's Metro, tram and road links.
Viewings.
In person if you are visiting, or by video with the adviser walking the home, with the advert's permit and the service charge checked first.
Contract and Ejari.
For a rental we negotiate the rent, cheques and deposit, check the landlord's title deed, draw up the contract and register it on Ejari for AED 177.75 online.
Utilities and arrival.
With the Ejari certificate, the DEWA account for electricity and water is opened in your name, the keys are collected and the condition of the home is recorded.
Renting first or buying
| Renting | Buying | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront | Rent in advance by post-dated cheques, a security deposit and AED 177.75 for Ejari | The deposit, plus about 7% of the price in fees on a ready home bought with cash |
| Borrowing | Not needed | Up to 80% of the price for an expatriate's first home up to AED 5 million; non-residents commonly 50% to 60% |
| Flexibility | At least 90 days' notice on either side to change terms or not renew | Selling needs a transfer and the developer's NOC |
| Residency | No property visa | A two-year investor visa, or a Golden Visa from AED 2 million |
The buying costs calculator shows the full purchase figure for any price.
Areas by commute
- Dubai Marina. Apartments on the Red Line at Sobha Realty and DMCC stations, with the tram along the waterfront
- Downtown Dubai and Business Bay. Apartments in the centre, each with its own Red Line station: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall and Business Bay
- Dubai Hills Estate. Villas and apartments around the golf course; no Metro station, with RTA bus DH1 to Equiti station on the Red Line
- Jumeirah Village Circle. Lower-priced apartments and townhouses; no Metro station, with bus J01 to Mall of the Emirates
- Dubai Creek Harbour. New waterfront apartments; the Metro Blue Line, with a station here, is due to open on 9 September 2029
Each area guide has the homes, the transport and our price data; we mark the school commute for each shortlisted home.
What a non-resident needs
- To rent: your passport, your visa status and a UAE bank account, because by market practice rent cheques are drawn on a UAE bank
- To buy: a valid passport, which identifies you at the registration trustee. If you cannot attend, an attorney signs under a power of attorney notarised abroad, legalised, attested, translated into Arabic and issued within two years
- To borrow: each bank sets its own list for non-residents
For companies moving staff
We run one brief for a whole team: a shortlist per household, grouped viewings on a visit or by video, and one point of contact for the people team. Tenancy terms, cheques and deposits are negotiated to match your relocation policy.
A timeline is set back from each arrival date: contract and Ejari first, then DEWA and keys. Where the move is permanent, the same adviser handles the purchase later; buying a home in Dubai sets out that process.
What it costs
Finding a rental home carries a fee agreed in writing before you sign; buying carries the customary 2% plus VAT on a resale and nothing extra on an off-plan purchase from a developer.
Questions about this service
Should I rent or buy when I move to Dubai?
Most people rent first. A tenancy can be in place within weeks, needs no borrowing and can be left with at least 90 days' notice at expiry, while a purchase carries about 7% in fees on a ready home and a deposit of at least 20% if you borrow.
Can I rent a home before I arrive?
Yes. We view by video, negotiate the terms, check the landlord's title deed and prepare the contract so it is ready to sign and register on Ejari when you land.
Do I need a residence visa to buy a home in Dubai?
No. Buyers of any nationality can own freehold property in Dubai's designated areas, and a valid passport identifies a non-resident at the registration trustee.
Which areas are best for commuting?
Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai and Business Bay each have a Red Line Metro station; Dubai Hills Estate and Jumeirah Village Circle rely on bus links; Dubai Creek Harbour gets a Blue Line station when the line opens on 9 September 2029.
What is Ejari and do I need it to connect utilities?
Ejari is the system for registering a tenancy with RERA, required by Dubai Law No. 26 of 2007 and costing AED 177.75 online. The certificate is the proof of address used when the DEWA account is opened in your name.
Can you move a whole team?
Yes. One brief covers every household, with a shortlist per family, grouped viewings and one contact for your people team.
Guides that go with this service
The cost of buying property in Dubai, fee by fee
Costs and mortgages
What the Dubai Land Department charges, what the broker, developer and bank charge, who pays each one, and a worked example at AED 2,000,000.
Mortgages in Dubai: what a bank will lend and what it costs
Costs and mortgages
The Central Bank's loan limits, the deposit each one implies, the 25-year term, the 50% debt rule, the fees, and the order to do things in.
The AED 2 million threshold, how a mortgage or a co-owner changes the count, the silence on off-plan, the two-year investor visa below the line, and where to apply.
Other services
A buyer's broker who shortlists, checks every advert, negotiates the price and stays with you to the title deed.
A valuation from real sales data, a permitted listing, qualified buyers and a transfer handled from the first viewing to the trustee office.
A tenant's adviser who shortlists, checks the landlord, negotiates the terms and registers the contract on Ejari.
