Sakani guide

Buying an off-plan unit from a private seller (Oqood resale)

How off-plan resale works in Dubai — when the original buyer can sell, taking over the developer payment plan, the NOC, Oqood re-registration and the risks to verify before you sign.

Sakani editorial team 8 min readUpdated 4 June 2026

What an off-plan resale actually is

An off-plan resale is the sale of a unit from the original buyer (the 'first owner' from the developer) to a second buyer, before the building is completed and before a full title deed exists. What's transferred is not yet a title deed — it's the Oqood registration plus the underlying SPA with the developer. The new buyer steps into the original buyer's shoes for the remaining payment plan.

When the original buyer can sell

Most developers impose a minimum-paid threshold before they'll allow a resale — typically 30% or 40% of the purchase price. Some developers (notably for hot launches) extend this to 50% or restrict resales until handover entirely. The exact threshold is in the original SPA — read it before assuming a unit is sellable.

Documents and the developer's role

An off-plan resale needs: a Form F between original buyer and new buyer, the original SPA, the Oqood certificate, proof of payments made to date, and the developer's transfer NOC. The developer typically charges a transfer fee of AED 1,500–10,000+ (some luxury developers charge a percentage of the purchase price). The transfer cannot happen without the developer's NOC.

What the new buyer is taking on

The new buyer takes on: (a) the remaining payment plan to the developer (often tied to construction milestones), (b) the project's completion timeline as-is (including any slippage from the original SPA date), (c) any developer rules in the SPA on resale, fit-out, rental restrictions, etc. The new buyer does NOT assume any private debt of the original buyer — but any unpaid developer instalments must be cleared at transfer.

Pricing — premium or discount?

Off-plan resales trade at premium or discount versus the developer's launch price depending on the project's trajectory. Hot project under-construction: premium of 10–40% over the original purchase price. Slow project or distressed seller: discount of 5–20%. The new buyer should always benchmark against the developer's current launch price for similar inventory before agreeing.

DLD fees on an off-plan resale

The DLD 4% transfer fee is calculated on the resale price (not the original launch price) plus the standard AED 580 admin. This is paid at the time of the Oqood re-registration. The original buyer's DLD 4% paid at launch is not refunded — that money already booked the unit on the DLD register.

Risks unique to off-plan resale

(1) Late completion — the new buyer inherits all the same risk as the original buyer; (2) developer disputes — any open complaint between the original buyer and developer can complicate the NOC; (3) escrow protection is project-level, not transaction-level — your payments still flow into the project escrow, but the original buyer's payments are between them and the developer; (4) for distressed sellers, watch for undisclosed unpaid instalments that the developer will require settled before issuing the NOC.

Checklist before you sign Form F on an off-plan resale

Verify: (1) Oqood is registered in the original seller's name and matches the unit you're buying; (2) original SPA in your hand and reviewed; (3) developer payment ledger showing exactly what's paid and what's due; (4) developer's transfer NOC pre-cleared (apply early); (5) project completion date and any updates from the developer in writing; (6) handover specification matches the SPA; (7) Form F's additional conditions allocate the developer transfer fee and any unpaid instalments unambiguously.

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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