Commercial
Can I get a mortgage for a buy-to-let investment property in the UAE?
Yes. UAE banks finance buy-to-let investment properties, whether residential units you'll rent out or dedicated commercial assets. Lenders weigh expected or actual rental yield alongside your personal income, and terms for pure investment purchases can be closer to commercial than owner-occupied residential lending.
Residential buy-to-let vs commercial investment
If you're buying an apartment or villa purely to rent out, many banks still treat it broadly like a standard residential mortgage, factoring rental income into affordability alongside your salary or business income. If you're buying retail, office or warehouse space purely as an investment, it's assessed as commercial finance instead, with a lower loan-to-value and shorter terms than a home purchase.
The dividing line isn't always obvious. A single apartment bought to let is usually still residential paperwork, while a portfolio of units, or any purchase held through a company, tends to shift the bank's assessment towards a commercial or investor-specific product with different pricing and conditions.
How rental income is assessed
- Existing signed leases carry more weight than projected rents from a valuer
- Banks may apply a discount to rental income, often 20-30%, to build in a margin of safety against voids
- Your personal income is usually still assessed alongside rental yield, particularly for your debt burden ratio
- Vacant or newly built units may need a market rent estimate from the bank's valuer before income is counted
Worked example
| Scenario | Monthly rent assumed | Effect on affordability |
|---|---|---|
| No rental income counted | AED 0 | Assessed on salary alone |
| Rent counted at 100% | AED 8,000 | Higher qualifying loan amount |
| Rent discounted 25% by bank | AED 6,000 effective | Moderate uplift to qualifying amount |
Costs to plan for
Alongside your deposit, budget for the 4% Dubai Land Department transfer fee, 0.25% mortgage registration fee, valuation (roughly AED 2,500-3,500) and agency commission around 2%. These are paid from your own funds, not financed. Model the numbers with the mortgage calculator against expected rental income before you commit, and check the full breakdown in our mortgage fees guide.
Choosing between residential and commercial routes
- A single unit for personal-name letting usually qualifies for standard residential terms and pricing
- Multiple units, company-name purchases or purely commercial assets are assessed as investment or commercial finance
- Islamic structures such as Ijara are also available for buy-to-let purchases — see our Islamic mortgage guide
- Comparing lenders matters, since appetite for rental-backed income varies significantly bank to bank
Run the numbers on your own case
Free Lenddoo tools and guides related to this article.
Last reviewed 15 August 2026