If you live in Milan and want to buy an off-plan apartment in Dubai, you choose a unit, review the developer’s payment plan and Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA), then register the purchase with the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Include transfer and registration costs in your budget from the start.
- Start with your investment purpose. Set your budget, intended holding period and plan for renting or resale. M&M’s Dubai real estate investment guide covers the wider decision.
- Check the whole payment schedule. A low reservation payment does not show whether the later instalments and handover payment fit your cash flow.
- Verify the project and its escrow account. Check the project’s status through DLD channels and make sure payment instructions match the project’s registered details.
- Budget for more than the purchase price. Allow for the DLD fee, registration costs, handover expenses and ongoing service charges.
- Plan for cross-border ownership. Ask your bank about euro-to-dirham exchange costs and timing, and ask an Italian tax adviser how ownership and rental income apply to your situation.
Off-plan means buying before the apartment is complete
With off-plan property, you buy a home that is still being built, using the floor plan, specifications and SPA to define what the developer has agreed to deliver. Your payments follow the project’s schedule, while completion and handover take place later.
That means the documents carry more weight than a finished apartment’s current condition. Before reserving a unit, compare its floor plan, orientation, view, area, finish schedule and the development planned around it. A promotional render cannot answer those unit-specific questions.
For a Milan-based buyer, the key decision is whether the delivery date and instalments fit your own timeline. A ready apartment can be inspected in person and assessed for immediate use or letting; an off-plan purchase asks you to rely on the SPA and the developer’s progress until handover.
To begin building a shortlist, consider M&M’s Dubai off-plan property selection. Compare each option against your investment purpose, not just its launch price or presentation.
Choose the unit and area before you pay an expression of interest
Start with the location, then compare individual apartments within it. A unit’s outlook, floor, layout, access and nearby construction can affect how it works for a future tenant or buyer.
Foreign buyers can own property outright in designated freehold areas. Compare different residential settings with M&M’s Dubai area directory and Jumeirah Village Circle guide. The Dubai Hills Estate guide offers another area reference.
For a Milan buyer, an expression of interest (EOI) is a step to assess carefully, not a substitute for reviewing the unit and its terms. Ask in writing whether the EOI payment is refundable, what it reserves, when the reservation period ends and what happens if you do not proceed to the SPA.
Look beyond the project boundary. For broader context on how the city is planning for residents, see M&M’s analysis of Dubai population growth. For a location-specific example, the image below links to M&M’s area analysis and Al Jaddaf Waterfront guide.
Check the developer, project registration and escrow
Before sending a reservation payment, check the developer’s record and the project’s registration through the DLD and Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) channels. Confirm that the project has a project-specific escrow account and that the payment instructions identify that account.
Escrow is an account for a specific project. The developer can draw funds from it as construction progresses under the applicable controls.
Ask who will receive your payment, which project reference to use and what evidence the developer will issue after each transfer. Keep the SPA, receipts, bank confirmations and project correspondence together so you can track every instalment from Milan.
The Dubai Land Department says that if a project is cancelled, the account is transferred to the project liquidation department, which requests the developer to return amounts paid to investors within 60 days from the cancellation decision Dubai Land Department. Read the applicable rules and project documents alongside this protection.
If an off-plan project is cancelled, the developer must return amounts paid to investors within 60 days.
Source: Dubai Land Department
Review the developer’s delivery record alongside the current project status. Examples of how to assess developers against public project information include M&M’s Dubai property developer profiles and its comparison of Emaar and DAMAC. Its Bay Estate case gives a separate example of a named development.
Read the SPA and payment plan as a cash schedule
The payment plan sets the dates and amounts due during construction and at handover. Each project can have different instalments and completion terms, so map every due date against your available funds before you sign.
Read the SPA for the unit details, price, payment dates, completion terms and the developer’s process for changes or delays. Check the clauses on cancellation, resale before handover, handover standards and dispute resolution. If you need a mortgage for the final payment, start speaking with lenders early because the completion share falls due on the schedule in your contract.
Plan how to fund the completion balance, whether from cash or the developer’s instalment schedule.
A project’s payment plan is not a measure of affordability by itself. A Beyond payment plan analysis from M&M illustrates why buyers need to understand the amount due during construction and the amount due at completion.
What foreign buyers get wrong in Dubai off-plan, what each mistake costs, and exactly what to do instead.
Download free→Budget for fees, transfers and currency exchange
Include transfer fees in your purchase budget.
Allow for off-plan registration, mortgage registration and trustee office charges where they apply to your purchase.
Ask the developer for a complete schedule of instalments and handover charges. Add expected service charges, utility connections, furnishing and property management to your own budget. These costs affect the amount available for the apartment and its future operation.
Payments from Italy create currency exchange risk because the purchase price and instalments are in AED while your funds may be in euros. Ask your bank about exchange rates, transfer fees, processing times and the documents it needs to evidence the source of funds. Verify payment instructions with the developer through an official channel before transferring money.
Plan rental, tax and management from Milan
Decide before purchase whether you intend to rent the apartment, use it personally or sell it after completion. For a rental plan, assess the likely tenant profile, unit layout, access to transport and competing supply in the area. A rental estimate is a planning input, not a promise of future income.
The difference between gross yield and net income after costs is covered in M&M’s Dubai rental yield analysis. Ask for the service charge schedule and include expected vacancy, maintenance and management costs in your own figures.
After handover, an overseas owner still needs to arrange snagging follow-up, utilities, service charge payments and any letting or property management. Ejari is Dubai’s tenancy registration system; if you rent the apartment, agree who will handle the tenancy paperwork and tenant communication while you are in Milan.
Ask an Italian tax adviser how property ownership, future rental income, sale proceeds and foreign-asset reporting apply to your circumstances. For the UAE side of the question, consult M&M’s Dubai property tax overview.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Keep property ownership and residency decisions separate
Buying an apartment and qualifying for a UAE residence permit are separate processes.
For mortgaged or off-plan property, confirm with the DLD. For information about the property route, consult M&M’s Dubai Golden Visa property guide. Cross-border planning can start with M&M’s Italy investor information for a buyer focused on the purchase itself.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Complete the purchase remotely and inspect before handover
A remote purchase still needs a clear document trail. Prepare your passport, proof of address, bank details and source-of-funds documents, then ask the developer which identification and signing formats it accepts. If you want a representative to act in Dubai, ask a UAE lawyer whether a power of attorney is suitable and what form it must take.
Use the developer’s verified payment instructions and retain the signed SPA, reservation documents, receipts and transfer confirmations. Further material for buyers comparing the purchase steps is available in M&M’s Dubai investment resources.
Before accepting handover, inspect the apartment against the SPA, floor plan and specifications. Record each defect with a clear description and photograph, send the list to the developer in writing, and keep a copy of the inspection report and follow-up correspondence.
Ask the developer how it will record snagging items, when it will complete repairs and how you will receive confirmation. A buyer based in Milan can appoint a qualified local representative to attend the inspection if the developer accepts that arrangement.
See also: The Yards Plaza by BEYOND, City of Arabia Offices, How Dubai Property Crowdfunding Works: Shares, Returns and Risks, The Yards Plaza by BEYOND, City of Arabia Offices, M&M.
What to do next
Before reserving, shortlist apartments by location and unit details, check the project’s DLD status, read the SPA and map every instalment through handover. Add the DLD fee, registration and running costs to the same budget, then ask your bank and Italian tax adviser the questions specific to your finances.
If you live in Milan and want to buy an off-plan apartment in Dubai, an M&M advisor can go through your budget, timeline and shortlist with you. Speak with an M&M advisor.
this article is general information and not tax, legal or financial advice, and returns are not guaranteed.
Can I sign a Dubai off-plan SPA electronically from Italy?
Ask the developer which signing method it accepts for the SPA and supporting documents. If you plan to sign through a representative, ask a UAE lawyer whether a power of attorney is needed and how it should be prepared.
Can I get a Dubai mortgage for an off-plan apartment?
A lender’s willingness to finance an off-plan apartment depends on its assessment of you and the property; ask what documents it requires before committing.
Does buying an off-plan apartment give me a Golden Visa before handover?
No automatic residence permit follows from buying; check eligibility separately before relying on it.
Can I sell my Dubai apartment before handover?
The SPA and developer’s conditions set the resale process. Check the minimum amount that must be paid, any approval or NOC requirement, and any fees before relying on a pre-handover sale as part of your plan.
How can I manage exchange risk on instalments from Italy?
Ask your bank how it handles recurring AED payments and whether it offers a way to set an exchange rate in advance. Match each instalment date to your euro cash-flow plan and keep a record of the rate and transfer confirmation for every payment.
Is it worth buying off-plan property in Dubai?
It can be worthwhile if the payment schedule, expected completion timeline and property location suit your finances and investment goals. However, you are relying on the developer to complete the property as agreed, and rental income or resale value is not guaranteed.
