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HomeQuestionsWhy might you NOT want to buy property in Dubai? (the honest risks)

Why might you NOT want to buy property in Dubai? (the honest risks)

Asked by CautiousBuyer · 2 answers · 20 June 2026

Top answerImran K.· Dubai property advisor28

Honest reasons to hesitate: (1) Service charges — amenity-heavy towers carry high annual charges that quietly eat your yield. (2) Oversupply in some areas — a flood of new handovers can soften prices and rents, so check the supply pipeline. (3) Off-plan risk — completion delays and the finished product differing from the brochure. (4) Overpaying — listings are asking prices, and it is easy to pay above the real market from abroad. (5) Liquidity — selling can take time in a slow market. None of these make Dubai a bad market; they make doing your homework essential. Verify the developer, benchmark the price against real transactions, and budget for service charges and a few weeks of vacancy.

Dmitri V.· second-home owner6

The service charge point is the big one people miss. Mine was higher than the building agent implied. Always get the official figure in writing for the exact tower.

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