UAE banks are expanding financing options for off-plan properties, allowing buyers to secure funding during construction. The aim is to avoid arranging finance only when homes reach handover. The new products bring financing close to developer payment schedules and construction milestones.
Usually, developers need payments at different stages of construction, while traditional mortgage structures often focus on completed properties. Banks are now building products that bridge this gap. Moreover, the change solves a major challenge for off-plan buyers.
DUBAI ISLAMIC BANK (DIB) introduced an off-plan housing finance product for qualified UAE Nationals and expatriates. The Shariah-compliant financing facility offers 50 percent of the property value for selected off-plan freehold projects in the UAE.
Under the off-plan housing financing facility, the customers pay only the profit portion during the building period. DIB releases financing amounts to developers at pre-agreed milestones. The entire installment, inclusive of both principal and profit, starts from the handover date or 24 months from the time the finance is taken, whichever is earlier.
According to the bank, customers are not required to transfer their salary. Moreover, the current product terms include that the project must have achieved 35 percent completion and the customer must have made a payment of at least 50 percent of the total cost of the project.
The new products could reduce the funding pressure associated with construction-stage payments. However, buyers still need to assess down-payment requirements, finance-to-value limits, profit or interest rates, fees and project eligibility before committing.
For lenders, the approach creates a closer connection with the UAE's growing off-plan property market. For buyers, it offers a more structured path from booking an under-construction home to securing long-term finance at handover.
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