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Buying a Dubai property with a mortgage: the full timeline

How buyer mortgages affect a direct owner-to-owner sale in Dubai — LTV caps, pre-approval, valuation, final offer letter, and what sellers should expect on timing.

Sakani editorial team 8 min readUpdated 4 June 2026

LTV caps — how much can you actually borrow

Central Bank of the UAE rules: UAE residents can borrow up to 80% LTV on a first home under AED 5M, 70% on a first home over AED 5M, and 65% on a second or subsequent property. Non-residents are capped at 50–60% LTV depending on the bank. Off-plan is typically capped at 50%. Plan your cash position around the lower of these caps and your bank's internal limit — they are not the same number.

Pre-approval first — always

Mortgaged buyers should arrive at any viewing with a UAE bank pre-approval letter. This proves they can complete and tells the seller the expected transfer date. Pre-approvals are valid 60–90 days, are not unit-specific, and are issued in 3–10 working days. Without one, sellers will (rightly) prioritise cash or pre-approved offers over yours.

Valuation

Once Form F is signed, the buyer's bank sends an independent valuator to inspect the property (typical turnaround 1–3 working days, fee AED 2,500–3,500). The valuation determines the bank's loan amount — if it comes in below the agreed price, the bank lends against the lower figure and the buyer must cover the gap in cash, renegotiate, or walk away (which is why a financing-contingency clause in Form F matters).

Final offer letter

After valuation, the bank issues the Final Offer Letter (FOL) — the binding commitment to lend, subject to conditions. The buyer signs and returns it. Typically 5–10 working days from valuation. Without an FOL, the trustee office cannot register the mortgage on transfer day.

Seller has a mortgage too

If the seller has an existing mortgage, the seller requests a liability letter from their bank stating the exact outstanding loan balance (valid 7–15 days, AED 200–500 fee). On transfer day the buyer's bank settles this directly to the seller's bank, the seller's mortgage is released, and only then does the new title deed issue. See the dedicated guide on selling a mortgaged property for the bank-to-bank choreography.

Realistic end-to-end timeline

Pre-approval (3–10 days) → property search → Form F signed → valuation (3 days) → NOC application (5–14 days) → FOL issued (5–10 days) → trustee booking (3–7 days) → transfer day. From accepted offer to title deed: typically 30–60 days. The single biggest variable is whether the seller also has a mortgage to clear.

What it costs on top

On a mortgaged purchase, add: bank arrangement fee (~1% of loan, capped AED ~10,000), valuation fee (~AED 3,000), mortgage registration with DLD (0.25% of loan + AED 290), life and property insurance (varies). Budget another ~1.5% of the loan amount in mortgage-specific costs on top of the DLD 4%.

Sellers: how to read a mortgaged offer

Three things to check: (1) is there a pre-approval letter attached? (2) does the pre-approval amount cover the offer price at the bank's LTV? (3) does the buyer have the cash for the down-payment, fees and the LTV gap if valuation comes in low? An offer without all three is a hopeful number, not a deal.

Sakani is a property-technology platform. Brokerage services, Form A / Form B / Form F contracts and DLD trustee transactions are handled by our RERA-licensed brokerage partner, Cedara Core Realty L.L.C (RERA ORN 54063).

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