What's in this guide
Most problems in Dubai property are not scams. They are avoidable errors that a single question would have surfaced.
Below are twelve signals, grouped by where they show up. None of them individually means walk away. Several together usually do.
1. In the project
1. No DLD project registration number
Every off-plan project must be registered with DLD before a single dirham is collected, and the number must appear on marketing material. Ask for it. Hesitation here ends the conversation.
2. Payment not going to a project escrow account
Off-plan payments belong in a project-specific escrow account at a RERA-approved bank — never a developer's general account, and never a personal one. Get transfer receipts showing that account. See our off-plan guide.
3. Pressure tactics around a launch
"Three units left." "The price rises tomorrow." Sometimes true. But urgency is the oldest technique for preventing due diligence, and a genuinely good asset survives you taking two days to check it.
4. A developer with no delivery record
Brochures are cheap. Ask what they have completed, when it was promised, and when it actually handed over. A developer with a strong record will tell you gladly.
2. In the paperwork
5. Unclear default terms
What happens if you miss an instalment? The forfeiture framework is tiered by verified construction progress. If the contract is vague here, or the salesperson waves it away, read it more carefully, not less.
6. A broker who cannot produce a RERA number
Every licensed broker in Dubai holds one and you are entitled to see it. This takes ten seconds to ask.
7. Service charges quoted as "approximately"
For a completed building, the RERA-approved rate is published and specific. Vagueness here usually means the number is unattractive. For off-plan, the estimate is not binding at all — ask for approved rates on the developer's comparable completed buildings instead. See our service charges guide.
8. Guaranteed rental returns
A guarantee is only as good as the entity behind it, and it is frequently funded by inflating the purchase price. Ask who guarantees it, for how long, and what happens after. Then value the property without the guarantee and see whether it still makes sense.
3. In the building
9. Service charges far above comparable buildings
The DLD index is a benchmarking tool. A rate significantly above similar developments needs a reason. Sometimes there is a good one. Sometimes it signals weak management or deferred maintenance catching up.
10. An unhealthy or absent reserve fund
The reserve fund covers major long-cycle works — facade, lifts, plant. A building with an inadequate one can issue a special levy that wipes out a year of income. Older buildings deserve particular scrutiny here.
11. A view that is not protected
In any district still building out, check what is approved on the plots between you and whatever you are paying a premium to look at. A premium for a temporary view is a loss you have not realised yet.
4. In the person selling to you
12. Everything is a good buy
The clearest signal of all, and the easiest to test.
Ask directly: "which projects would you rule out, and why?"
Anyone genuinely advising you has opinions about what not to buy. Anyone who cannot name a single thing they would avoid is not advising — they are distributing inventory.
Applies to every broker, including this one. That is exactly why the question is useful.
5. The five-minute version
If you remember nothing else, ask these five:
- What is the DLD project registration number? (off-plan)
- Which escrow account do payments go to? (off-plan)
- What is the RERA-approved service charge for this building?
- What have comparable units in this building actually sold and rented for?
- What would you rule out, and why?
Four have verifiable answers. The fifth tells you who you are dealing with.
A legitimate seller answers all five in minutes. Watch closely what happens if any of them gets deflected — that reaction is usually more informative than the answer would have been.
6. Frequently asked questions
What are the biggest red flags when buying property in Dubai?
No DLD project registration number, payments not routed to a project escrow account, pressure tactics around a launch, vague service charges, and a seller who cannot name anything they would rule out.
How do I check if a Dubai developer is legitimate?
Ask for the DLD project registration number and verify it. Every off-plan project must be registered with DLD before any payments are collected, and the number must appear on marketing material.
Are guaranteed rental returns in Dubai safe?
Treat them cautiously. A guarantee is only as strong as the entity behind it and is often funded by an inflated purchase price. Value the property without the guarantee and see whether it still works.
How do I verify a Dubai real estate broker?
Every licensed broker holds a RERA registration number and you are entitled to ask for it. Beyond that, test whether they answer verifiable questions directly and whether they will name projects they would avoid.
What is a special levy in a Dubai building?
A one-off charge on owners for major works when the reserve fund is inadequate — facade repair, lift replacement and similar. It can wipe out a year of rental income, so reserve fund health matters.
Should I worry about pressure to buy quickly at a Dubai launch?
Urgency is a legitimate feature of some launches, but it is also the standard technique for preventing due diligence. A genuinely good asset survives you taking two days to verify it.
Something not feeling right?
Send Ali the project or unit before you commit. He will run these checks and tell you plainly what he finds — including when the honest answer is to walk away.
Sources & verification. Registration, escrow and broker licensing requirements per the Dubai Land Department and RERA. Service charge verification via the DLD Service Charge Index. Figures reflect the position as at 11 August 2026 and can change — always confirm current rules with the relevant authority before you commit.