Dubai
Downtown Dubai
Prime · Established
A prime address with the highest recognition. You pay for the address, not the yield.
- Price per m², median
- AED 29,420
- Gross yield
- 5.0 %
- Under construction
- 4,989 units
Property Advisor · Dubai & Abu Dhabi
Real estate in Dubai and Abu Dhabi — assessed as investments, not sold as products.
I work with international investors to build and optimise property portfolios in the UAE. The starting point is capital goal, time horizon and exit — not the project that happens to be on the market.
- Personal transactions
- 206
- Personal transaction volume
- AED 332.3 M
- RERA registered
- BRN 56925
Not team or company figures.
Approach
From capital goal to a specific property.
A decision starts with the objective, not the project. The property follows from that.
What comes out of the first phase is a plan — not a property suggestion.
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Phase 01
Defining the objective
Capital range, investment goal, time horizon, cash-flow requirement and exit are defined first. It ends with an honest assessment — including that neither Dubai nor Abu Dhabi fits what you have in mind.
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Phase 02
Strategy
Goal and risk profile translate into a market, location and asset-class strategy.
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Phase 03
Selection & due diligence
Projects, prices, developers, supply, costs, yield and exit are reviewed on a comparable basis.
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Phase 04
Purchase & execution
Transaction, administration, handover and the relevant specialists are coordinated.
What I take care of along the way.
Portfolio & strategy
Clarifying goals, structuring the budget and spreading across locations, property types and completion dates — for investment as well as own use.
Selection & due diligence
Shortlisting against your criteria, assessing developer, location and payment plan, and checking against actual transaction data rather than brochure promises.
Transaction & handover
Reservation, contract review, payments, registration and handover — coordinated in one place, remotely if need be.
Fees and selection. On an off-plan purchase I am paid by the developer; on a resale purchase buyer and seller customarily each pay 2 %. Before you reserve anything, you know your costs. How this works →
Typical mandates
Different starting points. The same standard for the decision.
Not every mandate starts with a specific property.
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Mandate 01
First investment in the UAE
You want to invest capital in Dubai or Abu Dhabi for the first time and need a sound strategy.
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Mandate 02
Portfolio diversification
An existing property or securities portfolio is to gain UAE exposure.
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Mandate 03
Reviewing a specific project
You already have a project, a developer or an offer on the table and want it assessed independently.
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Mandate 04
Income / ready property
The focus is on ongoing cash flow and lettability rather than pure off-plan appreciation.
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Mandate 05
Optimising an existing UAE portfolio
Existing assets are to be reviewed: hold, sell, refinance, re-let or add selectively.
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Mandate 06
Own use with an investor’s eye
You want to live in the property yourself without losing sight of resale value, running costs and lettability.
Evidence
My personal track record.
Verifiable facts rather than claims: I closed every transaction below myself as a broker. Each one is listed individually.
206 List as of 23 August 2026
| Property | Location | Type | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serenia DistrictOff-plan | Jumeirah Islands · Dubai | Apartment | 2 bd · 3 ba | AED 3.68 M |
| Creek HavenOff-plan | Dubai Creek Harbour · Dubai | Apartment | 1 bd · 2 ba | AED 1.95 M |
| Ghaf Woods - DistriktOff-plan | Wadi Al Safa 4 · Dubai | Apartment | 1 bd · 2 ba | AED 1.59 M |
| CoveOff-plan | Jumeirah Village Circle · Dubai | Apartment | 2 bd · 3 ba | AED 1.49 M |
| The YardsOff-plan | Wadi Al Safa 4 · Dubai | Apartment | 1 bd · 2 ba | AED 1.31 M |
Research
Market data is only valuable if it leads to a decision.
Transactions, prices, rents, yields and supply are analysed regularly. What matters is not the individual figure but what it means for entry, holding period and exit.
Research product
Dubai & Abu Dhabi Residential Investment Monitor
Prices, transactions, rents, gross yields and the development pipeline — each with its source and data date, updated regularly.
Data as of: DLD retrieved 16/09/2026 (price index to Q4 2025, transactions to Q1 2026) · Bayut prices 29/08/2026 · ADREC H1 2026
Source: Dubai Land Department via data.dubai, retrieved 16/09/2026. The index describes the overall market, in nominal terms and not by location.
Values as a table
| Quarter | Index |
|---|---|
| Q1 2020 | 98.30 |
| Q2 2020 | 97.34 |
| Q3 2020 | 93.65 |
| Q4 2020 | 94.71 |
| Q1 2021 | 96.38 |
| Q2 2021 | 98.32 |
| Q3 2021 | 106.88 |
| Q4 2021 | 109.68 |
| Q1 2022 | 111.94 |
| Q2 2022 | 114.58 |
| Q3 2022 | 119.17 |
| Q4 2022 | 123.14 |
| Q1 2023 | 128.00 |
| Q2 2023 | 131.34 |
| Q3 2023 | 135.42 |
| Q4 2023 | 135.59 |
| Q1 2024 | 141.76 |
| Q2 2024 | 145.91 |
| Q3 2024 | 150.66 |
| Q4 2024 | 153.66 |
| Q1 2025 | 158.77 |
| Q2 2025 | 162.00 |
| Q3 2025 | 161.96 |
| Q4 2025 | 167.32 |
Market snapshot
- Residential price index, Dubai
- 167.3
- Sales transactions, Dubai
- 47,987
- Gross yield, six Dubai locations
- 3.9–6.9 %
- Apartment prices Saadiyat · Yas
- +31.3 % · +31.6 %
The figures describe the market, not the individual property. Whether a unit holds up only becomes clear from reviewing price, location, developer and exit.
Sources: DLD via data.dubai · Bayut · ADREC · own analysis
Methodology, sample size and data date are disclosed with every analysis. View methodology
Areas
Not every good location is a good investment.
Price level, rental demand, supply, liquidity and exit differ markedly between individual micro-markets. What matters is which location fits the investment objective in question.
Dubai
Dubai Marina
Upper tier · Established
An established rental market with high liquidity, but value is decided by the individual building, not the location.
- Price per m², median
- AED 23,666
- Gross yield
- 4.8 %
- Under construction
- 5,122 units
Abu Dhabi
Yas Island
Mid market · Still developing
A fully planned leisure island in the mid price range, with gross yields between 5.0 and 6.1 % per project.
- Price per m², apartment average
- AED 25,000
- Gross yield by project
- 5.0–6.1 %
- Property types
- Apartment, Townhouse, Villa
Prices: Bayut sample 29/08/2026 · rents: DLD (Ejari) · pipeline: DLD register 15/06/2026 · Source: ADREC H1 2026 · Photos: Downtown Dubai: Tim Reckmann (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Investment cases
Selected projects. Reasoned investment theses.
A project only makes the list if its entry price compared with actual transactions, location, developer, running costs and resaleability together add up to a sound case.
Al Warsan · Dubai · AYAT Development
Ayami Residence
Bets on the low price per square metre (around AED 13,700) and a layout with a study that competes with two-bedroom flats. Depends on whether Al Warsan gains demand as a rental location with the Blue Line.
Why it is on the list
- Entry at around AED 13,700 per m², below all six Dubai locations in my analysis.
- Almost every unit has a study, so on the rental market it competes with two-bedroom apartments.
- Entry price
- fromAED 868,434
- Payment plan
- 30/70
- Handover
- Q4 2028
What to keep in mind
No beach nearby, and the Blue Line station is still under construction. The case depends on that connection.
Yas Island · Abu Dhabi · Aldar Properties
Yas Park Place
Bets on a finished location and a payment plan that asks for half only after handover. Depends on how 780 units let at the same time on first occupation.
Why it is on the list
- 50/50 payment plan with a 5 % deposit: half is due only after handover.
- The location is already built: theme parks, Yas Mall, just under 20 minutes to the airport.
- Entry price
- fromAED 1,390,000
- Payment plan
- 50/50
- Handover
- Q1 2030
What to keep in mind
There is no rental income until handover in the first quarter of 2030. In addition, 780 units arrive in the same project at once, which makes the letting phase after handover particularly important.
Saadiyat Island · Abu Dhabi · Aldar Properties
Mamsha Gardens Residences
Bets on furnished flats with hotel services and permitted short-term letting in the Cultural District. Depends on how well 90 units are occupied as holiday lets.
Why it is on the list
- Furnished, with hotel services and short-term letting permitted.
- Only 90 units in the Cultural District next to Louvre Abu Dhabi.
- Entry price
- fromAED 3,900,000
- Payment plan
- 65/35
- Handover
- Q1 2029
What to keep in mind
The 65/35 payment plan ties up a comparatively large amount of capital before handover. The investment case should therefore explicitly test whether furnishing, services and short-term letting justify that commitment.
Christian Pass
Investment decisions stay personal.
Every recommendation is reasoned and stays attributable to one person, from the first assessment to handover.
Background
My career began in the police force and then led to running my own business. Both shape how I work today: examine things methodically, weigh them commercially, and own the decision. I have worked in Dubai real estate since 2022, first in leasing, then in sales.
Working principles
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Counter-arguments belong
Every recommendation comes with the question of why it might not fit, including projects I offer myself.
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Data before brochures
Comparable transactions, official indices and the developer's history carry more weight than a prospectus.
Case study
A good decision can also mean not buying a project.
Starting point
Two buyers with almost identical goals: an apartment in Jumeirah Village Circle, still under construction, finished within 12 to 18 months, budget up to AED 1.5 M.
Options examined
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Option A
Early handover date
Project on the market for around three years, shell already sold on to another developer, hardly any progress on site.
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Option B
Renowned developer
Low-rise building, around AED 1.2 M, payment plan 30/70, finished a year later than wanted.
Decision criteria: Who is building · Actual state of the site · How reliable the handover date is
Decision
Do not buy option A. Option B recommended.
A change of developer at shell stage and three years of standstill weighed more heavily than an early handover date, because that date was exactly what was least certain there. In return, option B meant accepting a year's delay against the original wish.
Where things stand (September 2026)
The recommendation rested on the developer and the state of the site, not on a foreseeable outcome.
Buyer A bought such a project anyway, without my involvement: the building is not finished.
Buyer B: handed over in 2025, let for AED 90,000 a year, around 7.5 % gross before costs.
Both buyers are anonymised.
Network
Specialists where specialist knowledge is needed.
Property investments often touch on tax, law, financing, visas, letting and handover.
I coordinate the interfaces around the property transaction. The professional advice stays with the respective specialists.
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Tax advice
Tax questions, including where two countries are involved, are handled by a tax adviser.
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Legal advice, wills and succession
For assets in the UAE, estate planning should be examined explicitly; the legal treatment can differ from your home country.
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Financing and bank account
Requirements differ considerably between banks.
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Visa and residency
A residence permit does not automatically mean tax residency.
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Letting and ongoing management
Letting and management after handover are handled by management partners.
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Technical inspection before handover
PropertyCheck inspects the property independently for defects; the report is the basis for the developer to rectify them.
Insights & due diligence
Better decisions start with the right questions.
The buying process, risks, costs, locations, developers and letting can all be examined systematically. The library brings together the topics that actually matter before an investment decision.
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Off-plan or completed — the decision that comes before choosing a property
Buy before completion, or buy a finished apartment? These are not two variants of the same investment but two different transactions with different risk profiles.
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The developer contract — five clauses that decide things later
The price gets negotiated; the contract rarely does. Yet it sets the rules for exactly those situations in which things turn awkward.
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Service charges — the number that decides every yield calculation
Purchase price and rent appear in every listing. The line item that decides your actual return rarely does — and it varies several-fold between comparable properties.
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The payment plan — leverage and tether at once
Staged instalments lower the capital committed at the outset. They also bind: anyone wanting out faces the plan, not the market.
Contact
Assessing your plans.
The first conversation is about your plans. Only then do we talk about specific properties.
Discuss your plans
30 minutes, by phone, at no cost. No project presentation in the first call.
In the first call we clarify
- Investment objective
- Capital
- Time horizon
- Cash-flow requirement and exit
- Dubai, Abu Dhabi or no investment for now
- Off-plan, completed or still open
- Quick question on WhatsApp For quick questions. Detailed plans are better discussed in a call.
On working days I reply within 24 hours. Enquiries are treated confidentially, under NDA on request.
A personal conversation with Christian Pass.
Send your plans in writing
Thank you, your message has arrived. I will get back to you personally within 24 hours on working days.
A personal conversation with Christian Pass.