Dubai now offers two very different pathways into property ownership — and each attracts a different type of buyer. One is built for residents trying to own a home with the lowest possible upfront burden. The other appeals to investors aiming for long-term residency through the property-linked Golden Visa. A close look at the numbers shows how the cost structures, entry requirements and financial outcomes differ between the First-Time Home Buyer (FTHB) Programme and buying a property worth Dh2 million to secure a 10-year Golden Visa.

FTHB Programme

The First-Time Home Buyer Programme, launched by the Dubai Land Department (DLD), supports UAE residents aged 18 and above who have never owned a freehold property in Dubai. It applies to homes priced up to Dh5 million and is designed for genuine end-users, not short-term investors.

sing an illustrative home priced at Dh1.5 million, the buyer’s key costs include:

• DLD transfer fee (4%): Dh60,000, payable in interest-free instalments, and in some cases fully waived by participating developers.
• Developer discounts: Up to 10% off on selected projects.
• Agent commission (2% + VAT): About Dh32,000.
• Registration and title deed fees: About Dh8,200.
• Down payment: With an 85% loan-to-value, the minimum down payment is 15% (Dh225,000) — lower than the usual 20–25%.
• Mortgage processing: Discounted rates through partner banks including Emirates NBD, Dubai Islamic Bank and Mashreq.
• Programme application fee: None.

Total estimated closing costs before any discounts come to about Dh100,000.

A mandatory one-year holding period ensures the programme benefits real occupants rather than flippers.

For many residents, the advantages are immediate:

• lower upfront capital,
• eased cash flow due to DLD instalments,
• and reduced borrowing costs.
• Golden Visa via property
• To qualify for a 10-year Golden Visa, investors must purchase property worth Dh2 million in approved freehold areas and prove full equity — even if part of the purchase is mortgaged.

For a Dh2 million property, key costs include:

• DLD transfer fee (4%): Dh80,000, payable upfront.
• Agent commission (2% + VAT): About Dh42,000.
• Registration and title deed fees: About Dh8,200.
• Mortgage-related fees (if applicable):
  • 0.25% of the loan amount + Dh290 for mortgage registration,
  • plus 0.5% to 1% in bank processing fees.

Golden Visa applicants must also pay visa-related charges:

• Entry permit or application: Dh2,800–3,000
• Emirates ID (10 years): Dh1,150–1,200
• Medical exam: Dh700–750
• Service/typing fees: Dh300–500
• Mandatory health insurance: Dh500–2,000 per year, per person

Total upfront outlay for a single applicant reaches about Dh2.136 million, including the property price and all fees.

While this threshold is significantly higher than the FTHB route, the Golden Visa provides long-term residency stability, no minimum stay requirement, and the ability to extend benefits to family members — all tied to a real estate asset that may appreciate over time.

Who benefits most from each option?

FTHB Programme buyers typically aim for affordability and long-term residence. Lower fees, instalment-friendly DLD payments, and reduced down payments significantly ease entry.

Golden Visa property investors, by contrast, are focused on residency, mobility, and asset diversification. The Dh2 million investment remains a government-encouraged route for securing a decade-long renewable residency, supporting Dubai’s push to attract global talent and foreign capital.

Both pathways reinforce Dubai’s real estate landscape in different ways: one boosts end-user ownership and stability; the other strengthens long-term investment and economic contribution.

GULF NEWS

Aldar announced today the launch of Yas Riva Residences, a vibrant residential community – located along Yas Island’s canal – that captures the spirit of adventure and the calm of waterfront living in one of the UAE’s most in demand lifestyle destinations.

Yas Riva Residences is set along the island’s northern coast – next door to the previously launched and sold-out villa community, Yas Riva – and introduces a fresh perspective to canal front living through a resort-style design that blends adventure, wellbeing, and social connection.

At the heart of the development lies ‘The Pavilion’, an architectural centrepiece inspired by the modernist design of Barcelona’s iconic Pavilion. Home to a café and social kitchen, it serves as the social heart of Yas Riva Residences, fostering a sense of connection and culture within a relaxed waterfront setting.

Yas Riva Residences is thoughtfully designed around four distinct pavilion experiences with diverse amenities dedicated to active living, family connection, and waterfront recreation. From waterside spa spaces, family activity pools, and a water sport and boating hub, to indoor and outdoor sports facilities, shaded gardens and vibrant canal-side cafés, each setting contributes to a lifestyle that combines adventure with ease.

WAM

Saudi Arabia will grant “lifetime” residency to foreigners who buy a home there worth at least SAR4 million ($1 million), under new rules allowing full foreign ownership for the first time.

Dar Global CEO Ziad El Chaar, who is familiar with the regulation, said the law will take effect on January 28, granting freehold ownership across approved projects.

“If you buy [a home] for more than SAR4 million, you get a lifetime residency,” the head of the luxury developer told AGBI. 

Residency lasts as long as the owner holds the property, which they do not have to occupy; in Dubai, foreign owners are granted a visa that needs renewing after 10 years. Saudi Arabia already offers some residency options to property owners.

The new details expand on landmark legal changes first announced in July, which will replace previous laws that effectively restricted property ownership to Gulf nationals.

The change is part of Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy away from oil.

The government has not yet published the detailed rules.

Housing minister Majed Al-Hogail earlier said ownership will be allowed “within specific geographic areas, particularly in the cities of Riyadh and Jeddah, with special requirements for ownership in Makkah and Madinah”.

Sources told AGBI the much-anticipated property rights will also broaden to giga-projects including Diriyah and Neom, as well as certain areas in Dammam and Al Khobar.

El Chaar said investors are already buying his properties before the law takes effect.

“When the government said they were going to issue a law, we took a chance [and began sales],” he said. 

“We have 30 nationalities who bought from us. First movers will always take a chance.”

Price advantage

Dar Global, the London-listed international arm of Dar Al Arkan, has more than $19 billion of projects under development – among them a $1 billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah, a Trump Tower in Riyadh and branded residences with Lamborghini, Elie Saab and Fendi.

El Chaar did not disclose the value or number of units sold but said most buyers are long-term GCC expatriates familiar with the region – “especially people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria [and] Egypt… because these nationalities have been entrenched in the Gulf for the last 30 years”.

He said those who bought early – mainly off-plan projects launched in December 2024 – have gained a price advantage of about 10 percent.

“Remember, you’re buying off plan. It’s going to take us three years to deliver your property.”

Mohammad Zreik, development manager at business formation company Sovereign PPG in Riyadh, told AGBI that under the residency-by-investment scheme, properties must be completed, mortgage-free and assessed by accredited Saudi valuers. 

Off-plan properties do not currently qualify, but residency is applicable once the property is ready.

El Chaar – a veteran of Dubai real estate and formerly managing director at Damac Properties – compared the moment to the emirate’s early-2000s property boom, when foreigners began buying before freehold laws were in place.