In 2026, 99% of the apartments sold on Dubai Islands were sold off-plan (M&M analysis of DLD open data, 1 January to 9 November). On the islands, buying property almost always means buying a home that is still being built, on a payment plan, from a developer registered with the Dubai Land Department. The process is well regulated, and five checks cover it.
- 99% of Dubai Islands apartment sales registered in 2026 to 9 November were off-plan (M&M analysis of DLD open data).
- Every off-plan project in Dubai must hold buyer payments in an escrow account under Law No. 8 of 2007; Law No. 19 of 2020 adds off-plan buyer protection.
- The DLD registration fee is 4% of the price, and off-plan purchases registered through Oqood pay the same.
- On a 50/50 plan, a one-bedroom from AED 2.75M takes AED 1,375,000 before completion and AED 1,375,000 on completion.
1. Find the project on the DLD register
Every off-plan project in Dubai has a record with the Dubai Land Department. On the DLD's systems Dubai Islands appear as Palm Deira, so that is the area name to search.
The DLD's Mashrooi project records show, for each development, the project number, the registered developer, its status and the escrow agent that holds buyers' money. SHIONE by BEYOND, for example, is project 4501, "Shione", status Active, registered on 5 November 2026, with Mashreq Bank as escrow agent.
A buyer who checks the record before paying knows three things: the project exists in law, which company is legally responsible for it, and which bank holds the money.
2. Confirm the escrow account
Dubai's Law No. 8 of 2007 requires off-plan developers to hold buyers' payments in a dedicated escrow account at an approved bank. Law No. 19 of 2020 adds protections for off-plan buyers.
In practice, each payment on the plan goes to the project's escrow account, named on the sale contract and on the DLD record. Our guide to escrow accounts for Dubai off-plan explains how releases work.
3. Register the purchase through Oqood
Once the sale contract is signed, the purchase is registered in Oqood, the DLD's register for off-plan sales. Oqood registers the off-plan sale in the buyer's name while the unit is being built.
The DLD fee is 4% of the price, and an off-plan purchase registered through Oqood pays the same rate as a ready home. On HADO, SHIONE's neighbour, BEYOND's offer sheets showed the 4% plus AED 2,370 of other fees, payable at booking. More detail is in our Oqood guide.
4. Read the payment plan in dirhams
SHIONE's is 50/50: half before the keys, half on completion. Here it is for a one-bedroom from AED 2.75M (BEYOND's sales team, 10 November 2026):
| When | Share | AED |
|---|---|---|
| On booking | 10% | 275,000 |
| One month after booking | 10% | 275,000 |
| 1 May 2027 | 5% | 137,500 |
| 1 Nov 2027 | 5% | 137,500 |
| 1 May 2028 | 5% | 137,500 |
| 1 Nov 2028 | 5% | 137,500 |
| 1 May 2029 | 5% | 137,500 |
| 1 Nov 2029 | 5% | 137,500 |
| On completion | 50% | 1,375,000 |
| DLD fee | 4% | 110,000 |
Two things stand out for a buyer. The cash needed in the first month is AED 550,000 plus the DLD fee, and after that the instalments are AED 137,500 every six months, which a buyer can plan from income. The other half of the price, AED 1,375,000, is paid on completion, which BEYOND anticipates in Q4 2030, so the buyer keeps half the price in hand for the whole build.
A buyer who plans to use a mortgage for the final payment arranges it with a bank before completion. Our guide to Dubai off-plan payment plans compares 50/50 with other structures.
5. Reserve at launch: EOI, allocation, booking
New launches on the islands usually open with expressions of interest. The EOI reserves the buyer's place before the developer allocates units.
At SHIONE, EOIs opened on 5 November 2026 at AED 50,000 per unit, with a passport copy and completed KYC. Unit allocation follows the EOI; the booking payment and the sale contract come after allocation. Allocation decides the floor, the view and the unit type, which on a beachfront project is why buyers place their EOI at launch. Ask the advisor how the EOI is credited against the booking payment.
Our step-by-step guide to buying off-plan in Dubai covers the documents a buyer prepares.
Residency: the Golden Visa threshold
A property bought for AED 2M or more, at the purchase price, in the buyer's own name meets the property threshold for the UAE Golden Visa (M&M registry). Every SHIONE home type starts above AED 2M. How the rule applies to an off-plan purchase is confirmed case by case, and an M&M advisor confirms it for each buyer. See our Golden Visa page.
Choosing a project on the islands
With nearly every sale off-plan, the choice on Dubai Islands is between developers, plans and positions. The island median in 2026 was AED 2,797 per sq ft, with HADO at AED 3,156 per sq ft, LIV Oceanside at AED 3,160 and The Meriva Collection at AED 3,448 (M&M analysis of DLD open data). Our Dubai Islands property prices for 2026 shows the figures by project, and the Dubai Islands area guide lists the projects and developers.
SHIONE by BEYOND: the worked example
SHIONE is the second residential phase of BEYOND's SIØRA masterplan on Island B, next to HADO. BEYOND is part of OMNIYAT Group. SHIONE has 603 homes, from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom duplexes, with direct access to 6 km of open beaches. One-bedroom homes start from AED 2.75M, two-bedroom from AED 4.7M and three-bedroom from AED 7.1M.
Our SHIONE investment case has the full case, and the SHIONE project page has the floor plans and the registration form. For the homes and plan in detail, read SHIONE homes and payment plan.
Buy with an M&M advisor
An M&M advisor can check a project's DLD record with you, read the offer sheet line by line and place your EOI at launch. Ask the team for the SHIONE case or for a call.
Figures are past data from the sources named. This article is general information and not tax, legal or financial advice; returns are not guaranteed.
Can foreigners buy off-plan property on Dubai Islands?
Yes. International buyers can buy off-plan homes on Dubai Islands in their own name. Projects there are registered with the Dubai Land Department under the area name Palm Deira, and each off-plan purchase is registered through Oqood, the DLD's off-plan register. A property bought for AED 2M or more, at the purchase price, in the buyer's own name meets the Golden Visa property threshold; an advisor confirms how it applies off-plan.
How do I check a Dubai Islands off-plan project is registered?
Look the project up in the Dubai Land Department's Mashrooi project records, where Dubai Islands projects sit under the area name Palm Deira. The record shows the project number, the registered developer, its status and its escrow agent. SHIONE by BEYOND, for example, is DLD project 4501, registered on 5 November 2026, with Mashreq Bank as escrow agent.
What fees do you pay when buying off-plan on Dubai Islands?
The main fee is the Dubai Land Department registration fee of 4% of the purchase price, which applies to off-plan purchases registered through Oqood as well as to ready homes. On a home priced at AED 2.75M that is AED 110,000. Developers may add small administration fees; ask for the full list on the offer sheet before you pay the booking amount.
How do payment plans work for Dubai Islands off-plan projects?
Payment plans split the price into a booking amount, instalments during construction and a final payment on completion. On a 50/50 plan, such as SHIONE's, the buyer pays 10% on booking, 10% a month later, six instalments of 5% every six months, and the remaining 50% on completion. The plan payments under the sale contract go into the project's escrow account.
What is an EOI when buying off-plan in Dubai?
An EOI, or expression of interest, is a deposit that reserves a buyer's place in the queue before units are allocated at a launch. For SHIONE by BEYOND the EOI is AED 50,000 per unit with a passport copy and completed KYC; unit allocation follows. The booking payment and sale contract come after allocation.
