MORTGAGES FOR UAE RESIDENTS
Your UAE home loan, sorted by experts who live here too.
Whether you are salaried or self-employed, an expat or a national, we compare 19+ UAE banks to find the right mortgage for you. See where you stand in minutes, then let a dedicated advisor handle the rest. No fee to you.
We work with the UAE's leading lenders, giving you whole-of-market access to 19+ banks
+ more lenders
A representative selection of the UAE lenders we compare.
Who this is for
If you live in the UAE on a valid residence visa and want to buy a home here, this is your route. We work with residents at every stage, from the first-time buyer saving for a deposit to the family moving up to a larger villa.
We handle both salaried and self-employed applications. Salaried buyers usually have the most straightforward path, while business owners and freelancers need a little more documentation to evidence income. Either way, we know what each bank looks for and how to present your profile in the strongest light.
UAE nationals and resident expats are both covered here. Your status changes the deposit and the rate a bank will offer, not whether you can borrow. Your eligibility check tells you exactly where you stand.
- Salaried residents buying a first or next home
- Self-employed residents and business owners
- UAE nationals and resident expats
- Buyers comparing conventional and Islamic finance
Eligibility at a glance
Every bank sets its own criteria, and we compare across all of them so you do not have to. As a rough guide for residents, here is how the main factors work. Treat the numbers as indicative; your personalised figures come from the eligibility check.
Deposit
20%+
Typical resident starting point, before purchase costs.
Max LTV
80%
Indicative first-home cap under AED 5m.
DBR
~50%
Existing debts count against affordability.
Credit
AECB
Every UAE lender checks your report.
Conventional and Islamic finance, compared side by side
You do not have to choose between the two before you start. We compare conventional mortgages and Sharia-compliant home finance together, then show you which gives you the better overall deal for your situation.
A conventional mortgage charges interest on the amount you borrow. Islamic home finance avoids interest entirely and instead uses a profit or rental structure approved by a Sharia board. The monthly payment can look similar; the underlying contract is different. Here are the three structures you will most often see in the UAE.
Ijara
Lease to own
The bank buys the property and leases it to you; title transfers once the finance is fully repaid.
Murabaha
Cost plus profit
The bank buys and sells it to you at an agreed, disclosed price, paid in fixed instalments.
Musharaka
Diminishing partnership
You and the bank co-own the property; you gradually buy out the bank's share until you own it outright.
What you will need
Having your paperwork ready speeds everything up. The exact list depends on the bank and whether you are salaried or self-employed, but this covers most resident applications. We will give you a tailored checklist once we know your profile.
Document pack
What the bank will ask for
See what you can borrow, then get pre-approved
Start with the calculator to get an instant sense of your borrowing power and monthly repayment. When you are ready, the eligibility check carries your figures straight into a quick pre-approval, showing which banks are likely to lend to you and roughly how much.
A mortgage pre-approval is a powerful thing in the UAE market. It tells sellers and agents you are a serious buyer, sharpens your budget, and lets you move quickly when you find the right home. It is free, takes about two minutes to begin, and does not affect your credit score.
- Indicative borrowing range and monthly repayment in seconds
- Pre-approval shows which banks can lend and how much
- Free, no obligation, no impact on your credit score
How it works
Four steps from first question to front door. One dedicated UAE advisor stays with you the whole way.
01
Eligibility
Find the lender fit before paperwork.
02
Pre-approval
Package income and documents correctly.
03
Bank application
We handle lender questions and valuation.
04
Keys
Final offer, signing and DLD transfer.
Resident mortgage questions, answered
The details that matter most to resident buyers, in plain English. Your eligibility check turns these general answers into figures for your situation.
Check your eligibility
See which UAE banks can lend to you in about 2 minutes
- Which lenders are likely to approve you
- Your estimated borrowing range
- Indicative rates for your profile
- A dedicated advisor to take it from here
FAQ
Questions, answered
How much deposit do I need as a UAE resident?
For a first home under AED 5 million, residents typically need a deposit from around {{min_deposit_resident}}% of the price (indicative), plus purchase costs such as DLD and agency fees. UAE nationals are usually allowed a slightly smaller deposit than expats, and higher-value or second properties need more. Your eligibility check gives you a personalised figure.
Can I get a mortgage if I am self-employed?
Yes. Plenty of our resident clients are business owners and freelancers. Banks assess your income from your trading history, usually the last {{self_employed_years}} years, supported by your trade licence, financials and business bank statements. We know which lenders are most comfortable with self-employed income and how to present your case well.
What credit score do I need, and what is the AECB?
The Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB) is the UAE's credit bureau. Every lender checks your AECB report and score, which reflect how you have managed loans and credit cards here. A clean repayment history widens your options and improves your rate. We review your profile early, so if anything needs attention you can fix it before applying.
Should I choose a conventional or Islamic mortgage?
It depends on your principles and the numbers. Islamic home finance avoids interest and uses a Sharia-approved structure such as Ijara, Murabaha or Musharaka, while a conventional mortgage charges interest. We compare both side by side and show you the real cost of each, so you can decide with full information. There is no obligation to either.
What are the current rates for residents?
Rates change with the market and your profile. As an indicative guide, residents are currently seeing around 3.99% on a 3-year fixed, 4.19% on a 5-year fixed and 4.8% on a variable rate (indicative placeholders). Your eligibility check and a quick chat with your advisor will give you live, profile-specific rates.
How much can I borrow against my income?
Banks cap your total monthly debt repayments at a share of your income under the debt-burden-ratio (DBR) rule, often around {{dbr}}% (indicative). That includes any existing loans, car finance and credit cards. Reducing other commitments before you apply can increase how much you are able to borrow.
Will checking my eligibility affect my credit score?
No. The eligibility check is an indicative assessment against lender criteria. It does not run a hard credit search, so there is no impact on your AECB score. A formal credit check only happens later, with your consent, when you proceed to a full application.
Do you charge any fees?
No fee to you for our advice and brokerage. The bank pays us when your mortgage completes. You will still pay the standard third-party costs that apply to any UAE purchase, such as bank arrangement, valuation and Dubai Land Department fees, and we will set these out clearly up front.
Find out what you can borrow in about two minutes
See which UAE banks can lend to you, conventional or Islamic, with no fee to you and no impact on your credit score. The bank pays us when your mortgage completes.