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Appointing a broker: Form A and exclusivity
A broker cannot lawfully advertise a property in Dubai without the owner's written authority on the DLD's Form A, the standard listing agreement, which records the property, asking price, commission, duration and whether the appointment is exclusive. It is signed by the registered owner (or an attorney under a valid power of attorney) and is what the broker submits to obtain a Trakheesi advertising permit.
Sellers can sign Form A with several brokerages (an open listing) or with one (exclusive or sole agency). In the prime market exclusivity generally serves the seller better: one permit and one set of photographs avoid the property appearing at different prices across portals, the broker controls who views and what is disclosed, and the appointed firm has reason to invest in presentation and private buyer outreach. An open listing produces duplicated advertising and weakens the seller's position, because buyers see the house being pushed from several directions. The term of the appointment and the conditions for ending it should be stated in Form A.
Only a RERA-licensed brokerage (ORN) and registered brokers (BRN) may market property or receive commission; under Bylaw No. 85 of 2006 an unlicensed intermediary has no enforceable claim to a fee. Owners may sell privately, but cannot advertise through an unlicensed third party.
Valuation and pricing
Pricing starts with transacted evidence rather than asking prices. The DLD publishes registered transactions, so a broker can identify comparable sales in the same community and adjust for plot size, built-up area, position (beachfront, golf frontage, skyline view), condition and build quality. Portal asking prices are a weak guide at this level; they reflect sellers' ambitions and often remain unsold for long periods.
Where a formal figure is needed, for a lender, a trust or a family office, a licensed valuer can be instructed. In thin markets such as Emirates Hills or Jumeirah Bay Island, where houses are individual and sales infrequent, valuation is a judgement about a narrow set of comparables, and a broker with first-hand knowledge of what buyers have recently paid and declined to pay is as useful as the published data.
Pricing is then a decision: a guide price near the evidence to attract competition, or a higher figure leaving room for negotiation with a specific type of buyer. Overpricing at launch is the most common error; a house that has sat on the market for months and been reduced attracts less interest than one priced correctly from the outset.
Preparing the home
Buyers of prime homes are comparing against new-build product and against each other's expectations. Preparation is therefore worthwhile:
- Maintenance and presentation. Resolve defects, service the air-conditioning and pool plant, refresh landscaping and lighting, and declutter. Where a house is unfurnished or dated, staging of the principal rooms is common.
- Photography and film. Commission an architectural photographer, a twilight set, a walkthrough film and, where authorised, aerial footage. These serve both portals and private presentations to buyers abroad.
- Floor plans and areas. Provide accurate floor plans with plot area and built-up area on a consistent basis; discrepancies between marketed BUA and the surveyor's measurements are a frequent cause of renegotiation.
- Documentation pack. Title deed, service charge statements, approvals for alterations, warranties, drawings and a schedule of what is included. For a custom-built house this file is part of what is being sold.
Permits and why a licensed broker is required
Every advertisement, on a portal, social media, in print or in a brochure, must carry a Trakheesi permit number issued by the DLD and, since 2023, a Madhmoun QR code linking it to the DLD record. The permit is issued only to a licensed brokerage holding the owner's Form A; portals reject listings without one. Advertising without a permit exposes the advertiser to fines. This is why a seller who wants the house marketed, even discreetly, needs a licensed broker: the permit is not issued to an individual owner or an unlicensed intermediary.
The permit also governs content: images, prices and descriptions must be accurate, and the property may not be advertised at a price other than the one on Form A without an amendment.
Qualifying buyers discreetly
Many sellers at this level do not want the address, interiors or asking price circulating publicly. An off-market approach is common: the broker holds the Form A and permit, prepares materials and presents the property directly to qualified buyers and to other brokers with a known client, without a portal listing. Viewings are by appointment, and confidentiality undertakings can be requested before detailed information is released.
Before a viewing the broker should establish who the buyer is, whether they are buying personally or through a company, whether the purchase is cash or financed (and if financed, whether a pre-approval exists), their timescale and, for larger sums, evidence of funds. Brokers are subject to UAE anti-money-laundering obligations and conduct identity checks in any event. A seller is entitled to ask what has been established about a prospective purchaser before granting access.
From offer to transfer
- Offer and negotiation. Offers are made through the brokers and confirmed in writing. Beyond price, terms include the completion date, whether furniture is included, the deposit and any conditions such as survey or mortgage approval.
- Form F. The agreed terms are recorded in the DLD's standard sale contract, Form F. The buyer's deposit, customarily around 10%, is provided as a manager's cheque held by the buyer's broker until transfer. Form F sets out the consequences if either party fails to complete.
- Mortgage release. If the property is mortgaged, the seller obtains a liability letter from the lender stating the settlement amount. At transfer the loan is settled from the buyer's funds and the mortgage released from the title before the new deed is issued; the trustee office sequences this, but it must be planned in advance.
- No-objection certificate. The seller applies to the developer or master community for the NOC confirming that service charges are settled. Arrears, unapproved alterations or unpaid utilities delay it and should be resolved before a buyer is found.
- Transfer. At the trustee office the buyer pays the price and fees, any mortgage is released and the title deed is issued in the buyer's name; the seller hands over keys, access cards and documents. A seller abroad can be represented under a power of attorney meeting the DLD's current requirements; the process is described in buying Dubai property remotely.
Seller costs, taxes and timeline
| Item | Seller's position |
|---|---|
| DLD transfer fee (4% + AED 580) | Customarily paid by the buyer, although the parties can agree otherwise in Form F |
| Trustee fee (AED 4,000 + VAT) | Customarily paid by the buyer |
| Agency commission | As agreed in Form A, plus VAT at 5%; payable on completion |
| NOC fee | Paid by the seller; the amount is set by the developer |
| Mortgage settlement | Outstanding balance plus any early settlement charge under the loan terms |
| Service charges and utilities | Settled to the date of transfer; apportionment can be agreed in Form F |
| Preparation | Staging, photography, repairs |
Taxes. The UAE levies no capital gains tax and no personal income tax, so an individual seller's gain is not taxed in the UAE. VAT does not apply to the resale of residential property: the first supply of a new residential building within three years of completion is zero-rated and subsequent sales are exempt. A property held through a company may fall within the UAE corporate tax regime, and sellers who are tax resident elsewhere may have obligations at home; both points should be checked with a tax adviser before contracting.
Timeline. From appointing a broker to transfer, a prime sale commonly takes several months, the marketing period being the most variable element. Once terms are agreed, transfer follows within weeks, driven by the NOC, the buyer's financing or power of attorney and any mortgage release. Buyer-side figures are in Dubai property purchase costs.
Bonum Realty (RERA ORN 34799) acts for sellers of villas on Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Bay Island and in Emirates Hills, mainly through private introductions; a current instruction is Villa Amalfi on Jumeirah Bay. Enquiries: info@bonumrealty.com or enquiry form.