If you want to invest in Dubai real estate, the gross yield in the headline isn’t the number that matters. Here’s the net, the costs, and the honest comparison with what your capital does at home.
A 20-minute video call with Kacem, in French or English. Four quick questions first, so the call opens with your numbers instead of small talk.
One named advisor, a face and a direct number, not an anonymous lead form routed to whoever is free.
Off-plan payments go to a government-supervised project account, not to a developer's cash flow.
Video viewings, e-signature, international transfer. No trip to Dubai required to reserve.
You deal with Kacem directly. No call centre, no handover to a junior.
The case, stated plainly
Dubai's rental yields have consistently run above those of major European capitals. That spread, not speculation, is the primary reason French, Belgian and Swiss investors look here.
Rental income is untaxed in the UAE and there's no recurring property tax. Your own country's tax treatment still applies to you personally, take advice on that side.
Property investment at or above two million dirhams can support a ten-year renewable UAE residence visa. For some investors that, not the yield, is the actual objective.
The person you’ll actually be dealing with
I’m Kacem, an independent real estate consultant based in Dubai, working exclusively with French-speaking buyers across France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Monaco.
I’m not an agency with thirty agents and a lead rota. When you write to me, I answer. When you buy, I’m the one who checks the developer’s escrow registration, reads the SPA clauses on handover delays, and tells you honestly when a payment plan looks better on paper than in practice.
I work across Emaar, DAMAC, Sobha, Nakheel, Imtiaz and Zoya, which means I have no reason to push you toward one developer. My commission is paid by the developer, at the same rate, whichever project you choose.
Independent property consultant · Dubai
The comparison
Below is the comparison that matters, indicative gross yields in the cities most of my clients are already invested in, set against Dubai. Local taxation on rental income is applied at your own country’s rates and is not reflected here.
| Market | Indicative gross rental yield | Tax on rental income (local) | Recurring property tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | ≈ 3–4.5% | Yes | Yes |
| Brussels | ≈ 4–5% | Yes | Yes |
| Geneva | ≈ 2.5–3.5% | Yes | Yes |
| Luxembourg City | ≈ 3–4% | Yes | Yes |
| Dubai | ≈ 5–8% | None | None |
Indicative market ranges for orientation, not a forecast or an offer. Yields vary by community, unit size and furnishing. Your personal tax position in France, Belgium, Switzerland or Luxembourg is unaffected by UAE rules, take independent advice on it.
See Dubai Property Differently
From branded residences and standout developments to practical guides on buying in Dubai, explore the projects, places, and insights that matter before you invest.
No pitch deck, no pressure. We go through your budget, the numbers on two or three projects that actually fit, and whether the timing makes sense for you at all.
Verify me before you trust me
Every licensed broker in Dubai carries a registration number issued by the Dubai Land Department. So does every legitimate property advertisement. Here are mine. Copy them, open the DLD portal, and confirm I am who I say I am before you send me a single document.
Where your money actually sits
Every registered off-plan project must hold buyer payments in an escrow account supervised by the Dubai Land Department. The developer draws against it as construction milestones are certified, not before.
Your purchase is recorded against the unit with the DLD before handover. That interim registration is what protects your claim to the property while it's still being built.
On a typical plan you pay 20% to reserve and the balance across construction milestones. If the project stalls, so does the schedule.
What happens after you message me
In French, by WhatsApp or video. I ask about your budget, whether this is for yield or for a future move, and what your timeline looks like. If Dubai isn't right for what you want, I'll say so on that call.
Three or four projects that match, with the real numbers: total cost including the 4% DLD fee, payment schedule, realistic rental range, and what the service charges will do to your net yield.
Developer's escrow account registration, project registration with the DLD, handover history on their previous builds. I show you where to look so you can verify it independently.
Booking form, 10–20% initial payment, SPA signed electronically and registered with the DLD. Most of my French and Belgian buyers complete this without leaving home.
The questions people actually ask me
For the right objective, yes, higher gross yields than most European capitals, no rental income tax locally, and a deep transaction market. It is not a guaranteed trade: values move, service charges erode net yield, and supply in some communities is heavy. The question isn’t whether Dubai works, it’s whether it works for what you’re trying to achieve.
It depends entirely on your objective. Yield-focused investors tend toward established mid-market communities with completed infrastructure; capital-growth investors look at areas with confirmed transport and amenity pipelines. I won’t give you a generic top-five list, tell me your budget and horizon and I’ll give you three areas with reasons.
Entry-level off plan investment property starts meaningfully below AED 1,000,000 in several communities, and off plan payment plans mean you don’t need the full amount upfront. Realistically, a first investment that lets well and resells cleanly tends to start a step above the absolute floor.
Property investment at or above AED 2,000,000 can support an application for a ten-year renewable Golden Visa, subject to the current criteria and approval by the authorities. Below that threshold, other visa categories exist with different requirements. I can point you to a specialist for the application itself.
Very possibly, that depends on your personal tax residency and the applicable double taxation treaty, not on UAE law. The UAE doesn’t tax the rent; your home country may. I’m not a tax adviser and I won’t pretend otherwise. Get proper advice before you buy, not after.
Take the gross, subtract service charges, management fees at roughly 5–8% of rent, and a vacancy allowance. The net commonly lands one to two percentage points below the gross figure advertised. I build that calculation for the specific unit before you commit, and I’d be wary of anyone who doesn’t.
No pitch deck, no pressure. We go through your budget, the numbers on two or three projects that actually fit, and whether the timing makes sense for you at all.
