Off-plan Buyers Get Earlier Financing Access
Dubai Holding Real Estate partners with Commercial Bank of Dubai to let qualifying buyers tap home loans from the 30% construction stage — the latest sign of banks and developers fusing financing into the off-plan sales journey.
Dubai Holding Real Estate (DHRE), one of the emirate’s largest integrated master developers, has partnered with Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD) to launch a new home financing programme for buyers purchasing properties across its three flagship brands — Nakheel, Meraas and Dubai Properties.
The programme is open to UAE nationals and residents, covering both salaried and self-employed buyers, and applies to qualified off-plan and completed villas and apartments across DHRE’s portfolio. Crucially, it offers both conventional and Islamic financing options, subject to eligibility and approval.
How it works
The headline feature is timing. Under the scheme, eligible customers can access financing from the 30% construction stage, provided they have already met a 50% payment threshold. That gives buyers earlier visibility of their borrowing options and more certainty when planning a purchase — a notable shift from the traditional model, in which off-plan buyers in Dubai rely on developer payment plans during construction and only arrange a mortgage close to handover.
Other features of the programme include:
- Fixed and variable rate options, alongside preferential rates and fee structures for qualifying customers.
- Digital pre-approval backed by automated eligibility assessment, designed to give buyers upfront clarity on borrowing capacity and faster turnaround times.
- Simplified documentation for self-employed buyers, including entrepreneurs and SME customers, plus more flexible eligibility frameworks.
- Premium banking benefits, with eligible customers able to access CBD’s Elite proposition and dedicated relationship management.
What the executives said
Khalid Al Malik, CEO of Dubai Holding Real Estate, framed the deal around access at the right moment in the buying journey, saying the partnership unlocks “earlier and more structured access to home financing” across the three developer brands for both salaried and self-employed customers.
Dr. Bernd van Linder, CEO of Commercial Bank of Dubai, said buyers today want more than financing — they want clarity, efficiency and trusted guidance — and that the tie-up simplifies access through faster digital pre-approvals and dedicated mortgage expertise.
CBD, a public shareholding company established in 1969, reported total assets of AED 157.9 billion and a net profit before tax of AED 912 million for the first quarter of 2026.
Part of a wider market shift
The CBD agreement is not a one-off. It follows a similar move in April 2026, when DHRE signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates NBD to embed integrated off-plan mortgage financing across the same Meraas, Nakheel and Dubai Properties developments — using the same 50% payment and 30% construction milestones. That earlier deal extended to both residents and non-residents. Emirates NBD has struck comparable arrangements with other developers, including Sobha Realty.
Other lenders are moving in the same direction. Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) rolled out an off-plan mortgage scheme in 2026 allowing pre-approval of up to 50% of a property’s value, with rates starting from 3.49% fixed for three years and pre-approvals valid for up to 12 months, renewable until handover.
The common thread is that financing is increasingly being built into the sales process itself rather than bolted on near completion — a more institutional, predictable structure that banks say improves transparency and supports responsible lending.
Why now
The timing reflects how dominant off-plan has become in Dubai. According to Dubai Land Department data, the emirate recorded more than 270,000 real estate transactions worth around AED 917 billion in 2025, with off-plan properties accounting for over 70% of residential activity.
That momentum has been underpinned by strong population growth, sustained demand from foreign investors and high-net-worth buyers, and limited supply in mature communities. Policymakers have also been nudging the market toward broader homeownership through initiatives such as the First-Time Home Buyer Programme launched by the Dubai Land Department and the Department of Economy and Tourism, all aligned with the Real Estate Strategy 2033 and the wider D33 economic agenda.
For buyers, the practical upshot is reduced uncertainty: a clearer read on affordability earlier in the process and a smoother path from booking to handover. For developers, embedding a financing option strengthens conversion and demand. And for Dubai’s property sector — a key pillar of the emirate’s non-oil economy — the alignment between developers and banks is being positioned as a way to support market resilience and sustainable growth.
As always, approvals remain subject to eligibility checks and underwriting. What is changing is not how strict the lending is, but when buyers can lock in their financing.
Sources: Official DHRE/CBD press release, Gulf News, Arabian Business, Khaleej Times, Gulf Business, Dubai Chronicle.
Figures and quotes as reported on or before 10 June 2026.
