Advising international buyers on real estate transactions in Dubai, with a focus on transparency, security, and long-term investment value.

Yes, they can — and they actively do.

Russian citizens are legally permitted to purchase property in Dubai in designated freehold areas where foreign ownership is allowed. Ownership is officially registered with the Dubai Land Department (DLD), and the buyer receives a legal title document confirming their ownership rights.

In practice, I regularly assist Russian and international clients with both ready properties and off-plan purchases in Dubai.

Purchasing property in Dubai can provide a basis for UAE residency. If the total qualifying property value is at least AED 2 million, the investor may be eligible for a long-term Golden Visa, subject to the applicable requirements of the UAE immigration authorities.

For me, the value of residency goes far beyond the visa itself. It can make everyday life in the UAE significantly easier — from opening and managing bank accounts and obtaining an Emirates ID to accessing government services, entering into long-term contracts and handling various financial and administrative matters.

This is why I always ask my clients about the purpose of their purchase. If residency is one of the objectives, it should be taken into consideration from the very beginning, when selecting the property and structuring the transaction.

If we are talking specifically about areas where I currently see potential for further growth, I would highlight Jumeirah Garden City, Dubai Islands, Dubai South, JVC and Dubai Creek Harbour.

However, I do not believe in simply naming five “best areas” and buying anything available within them. Even two neighbouring developments can perform very differently in terms of capital appreciation, rental returns and future liquidity.

For an investment purchase, I therefore look not only at the location, but also at the individual project, the developer, the entry price, the layout, future competition and the expected demand at the time the investor plans to exit.

When purchasing property in Dubai, the main registration fee is 4% of the property value, payable to the Dubai Land Department.

There are also registration and administrative charges. For a standard secondary-market transaction, the trustee office fee generally does not exceed approximately AED 5,200 including VAT, although the exact amount depends on the type and value of the transaction.

One of the significant advantages of the UAE is its tax system. The UAE currently does not impose a conventional personal income tax on individuals. For a private investor, income from personal real estate investments — including rental income and gains from the sale of property — is generally outside the scope of UAE Corporate Tax, provided the activity is not conducted as a licensed business.

However, I always remind international buyers that tax obligations may still arise in their country of tax residence. Therefore, the absence of tax in Dubai does not necessarily mean the absence of tax obligations elsewhere.

Here, I make a clear distinction between buying for investment and buying for personal use.

If the primary objective is investment and maximum capital appreciation, Dubai Marina would not be my first choice today. It is already a well-established area, property prices are relatively high, and percentage growth potential can be lower than in Dubai's newer developing locations. New developments still appear in the Marina, but entry prices are usually already quite high.

For living, however, Dubai Marina is a completely different story. It is beautiful, established and extremely convenient, with virtually everything you need within easy reach.

I live in Dubai Marina myself, so I can speak not only as a real estate advisor but also as a resident: I genuinely enjoy living here. For a client purchasing primarily for their own lifestyle, Dubai Marina is certainly an area I can recommend.

Palm Jumeirah is an icon of Dubai and one of the most recognisable addresses in the world. Property here is expensive, prestigious and has a unique value of its own.

However, if the objective is to identify an investment at an earlier stage of its growth cycle, I would not look exclusively at Palm Jumeirah today.

Dubai is now developing Palm Jebel Ali, a new palm-shaped island significantly larger than Palm Jumeirah. Its planning benefits from the experience gained from the development of the original Palm, with modern urban planning concepts, more space, an extensive coastline and entirely new infrastructure.

From an investment perspective, Palm Jebel Ali is currently more interesting to me because it is at a much earlier stage of development. This potentially gives investors greater room for capital appreciation as the entire destination develops and matures.

If I am considering property specifically as an investment asset, in most cases I would choose Dubai.

What matters to me is the transparent property registration system, clear transaction procedures, international demand, and the ability to hold an asset denominated in UAE dirhams, a currency pegged to the US dollar.

Turkey can be an excellent choice for holidays or personal living. But when a client comes to me specifically with an investment objective, I evaluate these two markets very differently.

It depends entirely on the purpose of the purchase.

If the main objective is investment, liquidity, access to an international rental market and the ability to buy and subsequently resell an asset relatively efficiently, Dubai is significantly more attractive to me.

In addition, UAE property ownership can form part of a wider residency strategy.

This is why the first question I ask is: Why do you want to own property abroad? Is it for relocation, capital preservation, rental income, residency or future resale?

Only after answering this question does it make sense to compare countries.

In most cases, yes.

A significant part of the transaction can be completed remotely: selecting the property, agreeing on the commercial terms, signing documents and making the required payments.

For off-plan purchases, the exact procedure depends on the developer. Some developers allow the entire process to be completed remotely, while others may require original documents or the buyer's physical presence at a particular stage.

On the secondary market, transactions can also be completed through a properly executed Power of Attorney where legally appropriate.

Remote property purchases are therefore a normal practice in Dubai. However, I strongly recommend determining the legal structure of the transaction before transferring funds, rather than afterwards.

Dubai's rental market has developed very dynamically in recent years, which is why I am cautious about promising a fixed return several years into the future.

For well-selected properties in strong projects, gross rental yields may be around 6–8%, and in certain cases even higher.

However, I never base an investment decision solely on an attractive figure in a developer's presentation. I calculate the actual economics of the investment, including the purchase price, DLD fees, transaction costs, service charges, property management, potential vacancy periods and other expenses.

This is why two apartments purchased for exactly the same price can ultimately produce very different returns.

Compared with many major cities in Europe and the United States, Dubai can still offer a highly attractive relationship between property prices and rental income. But I would never promise every investor a 10% annual return without first analysing the specific property.

Yes, and this is one of the reasons many of my clients initially purchase investment property here and later decide to relocate.

Dubai offers a wide choice of international schools, high-quality healthcare, a high level of safety, modern infrastructure and a truly international environment. UAE residency also makes it possible to build a long-term life here for the entire family.

For a family purchase, however, I would never select a property based on ROI alone. Schools, commuting time, local infrastructure, apartment size, community and overall quality of life become equally important considerations.

Yes. Foreign nationals can access banking services in the UAE, while UAE residency generally provides broader options and makes the relationship with local banks considerably easier.

Residents can open current and savings accounts, obtain bank cards, access credit products and, subject to the requirements of the individual bank, apply for mortgage financing.

Mortgages are also available to certain non-residents, although banks generally apply stricter eligibility criteria and may require a higher down payment.

For clients who are planning not simply to purchase an apartment but to establish a longer-term financial or personal connection with the UAE, property ownership, residency and access to the local banking system can often become parts of one overall strategy.