What are red flags to watch out for when buying property in Dubai?
The single biggest red flag: any request to pay a deposit outside a regulated escrow account — to the agent's personal account, to the seller directly, or in cash. Every deposit in Dubai must go through the seller's bank or a licensed conveyancer's escrow account. Walk away if pressured otherwise.
Other red flags: a brokerage advert has no Trakheesi permit (mandatory for publicly advertised Dubai property), the agent will not share their RERA BRN or the BRN does not match on the Dubai REST app, or the off-plan project cannot be found on the DLD project register — meaning no escrow account exists.
On the property itself: an unusually low asking price for the community (often signals hidden service-charge arrears or a live mortgage larger than the price), refusal to share the last service-charge statement, or a tenanted unit where the seller cannot produce the current Ejari.
Finally, avoid off-market or 'exclusive private' deals that skip the DLD trustee process. Every Dubai title transfer must go through a DLD-registered trustee office — no exceptions.
Last reviewed 2026-10-01 by PropertyConnect Editorial. Sources: Dubai Land Department (DLD); Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), part of DLD; How verification works on PropertyConnect.
Related answers
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- What should I ask the seller when buying a home in Dubai?
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- Frequently asked questions
- Source: Dubai Land Department (DLD)
- Source: Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), part of DLD
- Source: How verification works on PropertyConnect
