A well-run sale starts with an evidence-based price and ends with a clean transfer at the trustee office. This guide explains how our secondary desk values, prepares and markets your home, how we assess offers and what each stage costs. Rules change from time to time, so we confirm the current position before you list.
Start with an accurate valuation
An accurate price sells faster and avoids repeated reductions. Our secondary desk values your home against recent registered transactions for similar homes nearby, then adjusts for view, floor, layout, condition and any tenancy in place. We also study the homes competing for the same buyers, because buyers compare listings side by side before they arrange a viewing.
If a buyer needs a mortgage, the lending bank will commission its own valuation. When that figure comes in below the agreed price, the buyer must cover the difference in cash or renegotiate. Pricing in line with the evidence reduces that risk. We explain our reasoning in writing, so you can decide on an asking price with confidence.
- Recent registered sales of comparable homes
- View, floor, layout and condition
- Competing listings in the same building or community
- Tenancy status and vacant possession date
Prepare your home and documents
Gather your documents early. You will need your title deed, your passport and, if you are a resident, your Emirates ID. If the home is mortgaged, ask your bank for a liability letter showing the outstanding balance. If it is tenanted, have the tenancy contract and Ejari certificate ready, because an existing tenancy usually continues after a sale.
Presentation affects both the price and the speed of a sale. Fix small defects, service the air conditioning, and clean and declutter before photography. Check that service charges are up to date, as the developer will not usually issue a NOC for transfer until they are paid. We advise on what is worth doing before you list, and what is not.
Marketing your home
Before we advertise, you sign a listing agreement with us on the RERA form known as Form A. We then obtain a DLD permit for the advertisement, which every listing must display. Your home is presented with professional photography, a floor plan and a clear description, and shared with our buyer database as well as on the main property portals.
We qualify enquiries before arranging viewings, so your time is spent with buyers who can proceed. For tenanted homes, viewings are arranged with the tenant’s agreement and at reasonable notice. After each viewing we report the feedback to you, and we review progress together regularly, so that price and presentation stay aligned with the response in the market.
- Form A listing agreement and DLD advertising permit
- Professional photography and a floor plan
- Qualified buyers before every viewing
- Regular written feedback and market review
Weighing offers
We present every offer to you in writing, with our view on its strength. Price matters, but so do the buyer’s finance, timeline and conditions. A cash buyer with a short timeline may be worth more than a slightly higher offer that depends on a mortgage. We check proof of funds or a mortgage pre-approval before recommending that you accept.
When you accept, the terms are recorded in Form F, the memorandum of understanding signed by buyer, seller and the brokers. The buyer usually provides a security deposit cheque, held by the brokerage until transfer. Form F sets the transfer date and what happens if either side withdraws, so we take you through each clause before you sign.
From Form F to transfer
After Form F, you apply to the developer for a NOC, which confirms that service charges are paid and that the developer has no objection to the sale. If your home is mortgaged, the outstanding balance must be settled and the mortgage released, often using funds from the buyer or the buyer’s bank. We coordinate each party, so the steps happen in the right order.
Transfer takes place at a DLD trustee office. You, or a representative holding a valid power of attorney, attend with your original documents. The buyer hands over manager’s cheques for the price, the DLD registers the transfer and the title deed is issued in the buyer’s name. Afterwards, close your utility accounts and hand over keys and access cards.
What selling costs
Selling costs are usually lower than buying costs, but they should still be planned. The developer charges a fee for the NOC, which is normally paid by the seller. Any outstanding service charges must be cleared before transfer. If your home is mortgaged, your bank may charge an early settlement fee and a fee for releasing the mortgage.
Brokerage commission depends on your listing agreement. Where a seller commission is agreed, it is commonly 2% plus VAT. The DLD transfer fee of 4% of the price is customarily paid by the buyer, although the parties can agree otherwise in Form F. We set out every cost in writing before you list, so your net proceeds are clear.
- Developer NOC fee
- Outstanding service charges, cleared before transfer
- Mortgage early settlement and release fees, if any
- Brokerage commission as agreed, commonly 2% plus VAT
- Final utility bills and moving costs
Questions
Can I sell a home that still has a mortgage?
Yes. The outstanding balance is settled before or at transfer, usually from the sale proceeds or with funds arranged through the buyer’s bank. Your bank issues a liability letter and then releases the mortgage. Our secondary desk coordinates the sequence with both banks and the trustee office.
Can I sell while my home is tenanted?
Yes. An existing tenancy usually continues after a sale, so the buyer takes on the tenant under the current contract. This suits investors who want income from the start. If the buyer needs vacant possession, the rules on notice under Dubai’s rent law apply, and we advise on timing.
How do you decide the asking price?
We look at recent registered transactions for similar homes, the listings currently competing for the same buyers, and the condition, view and layout of your home. We share the evidence with you in writing and agree an asking price that reflects the market, not a hopeful figure.