The short answer
An off-plan payment plan splits the price into a construction share and a handover share, sometimes with a third part paid after handover. The plan is not a loan: there is no interest, and in Dubai the payments go into the project’s escrow account.10 What matters most is how much you must have ready on the handover date, and whether a waiver of the 4% registration fee is part of the deal.9
Why payment plans matter more this autumn
Off-plan property made up 76% of Dubai’s residential transactions in Q2 2026, up from 68% in Q1, while total residential transactions fell 31% year on year, according to Land Department data compiled by Better Homes.8 With fewer buyers, developers are competing on terms: launches in July and August came with full or partial waivers of the registration fee, often combined with flexible plans.8 For the wider picture, read our Dubai property market update for Q3 2026.
The main plan types, with an AED 2 million example
The numbers in a plan name describe percentages of the purchase price. The table shows what each common structure means for a home priced at AED 2,000,000, bought without any outside funding.
| Plan | During construction | At handover | After handover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50/50 | AED 1,000,000 | AED 1,000,000 | None |
| 30/70 | AED 600,000 | AED 1,400,000 | None |
| 5/30/65 | AED 100,000 booking plus AED 600,000 in instalments | AED 1,300,000 | None |
| 10/40/10/40 | AED 200,000 booking plus AED 800,000 | AED 200,000 | AED 800,000 |
On top of the price, the Dubai Land Department charges a registration fee of 4% of the property value, paid when the purchase is registered. By law buyer and seller share it equally unless the contract says otherwise, and in practice developers often ask the buyer to pay all of it.915 On AED 2 million the full fee is AED 80,000, due at the start, not at handover.
Real plans from three current launches
Two of the three developers below publish a plan themselves: Arada in its launch release and Alef on its project page. For Talay the plan comes from property portals, and the portals do not agree. We show the date we checked and the source for each figure.
| Project | Plan | Handover | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Gate 6, Aljada (Arada, Sharjah) | 5% down payment, 30% in instalments over two years, 65% on completion | Not stated by Arada | Arada, 24 March 20261 |
| Talay, Marsa Al Saadiyat (Aldar, Abu Dhabi) | 5% first instalment, 45% during construction, 50% on handover | 30 September 2029 | Listed on fäm Properties as of 23 October 20264 |
| Talay Beach (Aldar, Abu Dhabi) | 50% during construction, 50% at handover | Q4 2030 | Listed on Property Finder as of 23 October 20265 |
| Linar, Al Mamzar (Alef, Sharjah) | 30% during construction, 70% on handover | First tower 2030 | Alef project page, checked 7 November 202613, 2 |
The official facts behind these projects: Arada’s Gate 6 is a 220 unit building on Aljada’s West Boulevard with prices from AED 970,000.1 Aldar put Talay’s 351 villas with four to six bedrooms on sale on 23 September 2026.3 Alef’s Linar has 2,620 apartments across five residential towers, prices from AED 849,000 at launch (Alef’s project page now shows from AED 945,00013), and freehold ownership for all nationalities according to Alef; the first tower is expected to welcome residents in 2030.2
What sources disagree on
- Talay: fäm Properties lists 5/45/50 with handover on 30 September 2029.4 Property Finder lists Talay Beach at 50/50 with handover in Q4 2030.5 Another broker site, OPR, lists Talay itself at 50/50 with handover in Q4 2030, a year later than fäm.12 Aldar’s own launch release names no plan and no handover date.3 Talay and Talay Beach may run on different timelines, so ask which collection a quote refers to.
- Linar: Alef’s own project page lists 30/70,13 as do several broker listings.7 The Property Finder project page shows 10/40/10/40 with a post-handover share instead.6 The launch coverage in June did not mention a plan.2 Plans can change between launch phases and towers, so the version in your Sales and Purchase Agreement is the only one that counts.
- The Gate 6: Arada describes the plan as 5% down, 30% over two years and 65% on completion.1 Many listings shorten this to 35/65, which is the same plan written differently.
What to check in a post-handover plan
Post-handover plans let you collect the keys before the full price is paid. That flexibility usually has a cost somewhere else, so compare carefully.
- The base price. Ask for the price of the same unit on a standard plan, and on full payment. If the post-handover version is higher, that difference is the real cost of the extra time.
- Who you pay after handover. Instalments after handover are paid to the developer under your contract. Find out when the title deed is issued in your name and what happens to it while instalments are outstanding.
- Late payment terms. Read the clauses on missed instalments, penalties and cancellation. Know what you would lose before you sign.
- Resale rules. Many developers only allow resale before handover once a set share of the price has been paid. Check that threshold if you may want to sell early.
- Service charges. They usually start at completion and handover, so on a post-handover plan you pay them while you are still paying instalments. They can be due even before you take the keys if the handover is delayed on your side.14 Include them in your monthly budget.
The DLD fee waiver: what it really saves
A full waiver covers the 4% registration fee. Better Homes calculated that this saves about AED 77,645 on Dubai’s median apartment price of AED 1,941,130 and about AED 271,655 on the median villa price.8 Waivers come as full, partial or deferred offers and usually depend on buying directly from the developer during the campaign.8
A waiver is worth exactly what it says, but no more. Compare it with the alternatives: a cash discount for paying more upfront, a better floor or view at the same price, or a shorter time to handover. Make sure the waiver is written into your Sales and Purchase Agreement.
A payment plan is not a loan
A developer payment plan is simply a schedule for paying the purchase price in stages. There is no interest and no third party lender. In Dubai, Law No. 8 of 2007 requires payments from off-plan buyers to be deposited into an escrow account held in the project’s name. The account is dedicated exclusively to building that project, and the developer’s creditors cannot touch it. If a project is not completed, the escrow agent must act to complete it or refund the buyers.10 Since September 2026 the Land Department runs project registration, sales and escrow accounts on one platform.11
For projects in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, ask for the escrow and registration details under that emirate’s rules before your first payment.
What escrow and Oqood protect, and the seven risks they do not, are explained in our guide to off-plan property risks in Dubai.
Paying from India? Staged instalments also help you stay within the USD 250,000 yearly remittance limit. Our guide to buying property in Dubai from India shows how.
Before you sign: a short checklist
- Get the plan in writing from the developer, with every instalment date and amount.
- Plan for the handover payment. Know exactly where the 50%, 65% or 70% will come from on that date.
- Add the registration fee to your upfront budget: 4% if the contract puts all of it on you, 2% under the legal default split, less if a waiver is in the contract.
- Check the escrow account and project registration before you pay.
- Compare the full price of the same unit on different plans.
- Read the resale and cancellation clauses line by line.
If prices are your bigger worry, our article on whether Dubai property will crash covers the outlook. To compare the plans on a specific project, our advisors can request the current offer directly from the developer. Message us on WhatsApp or get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 50/50 payment plan in Dubai?
You pay 50% of the purchase price in instalments while the project is being built and the remaining 50% when the developer hands over the finished unit. On an AED 2 million home that means AED 1 million during construction and AED 1 million at handover.
What does 30/70 mean in an off-plan payment plan?
30% of the price is paid during construction and 70% at handover. It keeps your early commitment low, but the large final payment must be ready on the handover date.
What is a post-handover payment plan?
Part of the price is paid after you receive the keys, usually in instalments directly to the developer. Property Finder, for example, lists Linar by Alef with a 10/40/10/40 plan, meaning 40% is paid after handover, while Alef's own project page shows 30/70. Check the exact schedule in the Sales and Purchase Agreement, since portal listings for the same project differ.
Is an off-plan payment plan a loan?
No. A developer payment plan is a schedule for paying the purchase price in stages. There is no interest. In Dubai, payments from off-plan buyers are deposited into the project's escrow account, which by law may be used only for building that project.
What does a DLD fee waiver actually save?
The Dubai Land Department registration fee is 4% of the property value. By law buyer and seller share it equally unless the contract says otherwise, but developers often ask the buyer to pay all of it. In that case a full waiver on an AED 2 million home saves AED 80,000. Compare that with any discount offered for a larger upfront payment before you choose.
Sources
- Arada, 24 March 2026: Arada launches The Gate 6, a new premium residential hub at Sharjah megaproject Aljada
- Aletihad, 9 June 2026: Alef Group launches Linar in Al Mamzar, Sharjah
- Aldar via Zawya, September 2026: Aldar launches first homes at Marsa Al Saadiyat with 351 exclusive villas at Talay
- fäm Properties, Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat FAQ (portal listing, accessed 23 October 2026)
- Property Finder, Talay Beach by Aldar (portal listing, accessed 23 October 2026)
- Property Finder, Linar by Alef (portal listing, accessed 23 October 2026)
- Dubizzle broker listing, 1 July 2026: Linar with 30/70 payment plan (portal listing)
- Better Homes, 11 August 2026: Dubai developers bring back 4% DLD waivers and buyer incentives (DLD data Q2 2026)
- Dubai Land Department, 31 May 2021: DLD calls on developers to pay property registration fees within 60 days
- Dubai Legal Portal: Law No. (8) of 2007 Concerning Escrow Accounts for Real Estate Development in the Emirate of Dubai
- Dubai Land Department, 3 September 2026: Dubai Land Department launches Initial Registration
- OPR, Talay Marsa Al Saadiyat by Aldar (portal listing, accessed 23 October 2026)
- Alef Group: Linar, Al Mamzar (official project page, checked 7 November 2026)
- Rental Disputes Center Dubai: New legal principle on real estate service fees
- Dubai Legal Portal: Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013 on Dubai Land Department fees (Article 3)
Figures are taken from the sources above as of the date shown. This article is general market information, not investment advice. STOREYS does not provide financing advice.
