The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has introduced a new first-time homebuyer programme aimed at encouraging property ownership among UAE residents aged 18 and above. The initiative, which targets properties priced under AED 5 million, is designed to make homeownership more accessible through preferential developer pricing, flexible mortgage options from major banks, and instalment-based registration fee relief.
Badar Rashid Alblooshi, Chairman, Arabian Gulf Properties.
Real estate professionals see the move as a turning point for the market, particularly in attracting younger, first-time buyers who have previously been drawn to alternative assets like cryptocurrencies and equities.
Badar Rashid Alblooshi, Chairman of Arabian Gulf Properties, hailed the initiative as a strategic milestone in the evolution of the market: “This programme comes at a time when the concept of ownership is being redefined. Younger generations – especially digital natives – have been increasingly drawn to fluid, high-risk assets like cryptocurrency and equities, leaving traditional real estate sidelined. What DLD has done is reframe real estate as not just a stable asset, but an accessible and aspirational one.”
“By removing financial and procedural barriers, Dubai is making it easier for first-time buyers to see property not as a distant dream, but as a practical step toward financial security and rootedness. We believe this is a turning point that will attract a new wave of buyers and energize the entire market,” added Alblooshi.
The programme reflects international best practices seen in countries such as Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Australia, Ireland, and selected U.S. states – each of which offers incentives such as tax exemptions, mortgage support, and deposit assistance to encourage first-time ownership.
Industry observers note that Dubai’s approach goes beyond simply replicating global models. It is tailored to the emirate’s specific socioeconomic context while aligning with larger policy goals. The initiative supports the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and Real Estate Strategy 2033, both of which aim to increase homeownership, reduce investor-only transactions, and improve long-term market resilience.
With the emirate’s population increasingly skewing younger and more urbanised, the new programme is expected to channel demand from renters and speculative investors toward long-term ownership. It also fits within a broader trend of localising real estate as a primary wealth-building tool, particularly as Dubai’s economy diversifies beyond oil and tourism.
For developers, banks, and real estate professionals, the initiative opens new opportunities to cater to a growing pool of end-users. The challenge ahead lies in ensuring sustainable implementation and monitoring the market impact on both pricing and supply.
Dubai’s first-time buyer programme is seen as a foundational step toward reshaping the emirate’s property sector with a focus on inclusivity, affordability, and demographic diversification. If successful, it may serve as a model for other cities in the Gulf region facing similar generational and housing market transitions.
Tags: Badar Rashid Alblooshi, Arabian Gulf Properties
