My own property investments in Dubai have taught me how important it is to look beyond the sales listing. A good purchase is about more than the price and attractive photos. Quality, ongoing costs and how the property is managed matter too.
Why Dubai
For me, running companies in both Norway and Dubai, it made sense to own property where I already spend a lot of time. The city grows every year, and new people keep arriving who need somewhere to live. That makes for a rental market that is easy to understand. But location alone is not enough. I assess demand, costs and risks for each property. Tax treatment depends, among other things, on how the property is owned and used. If you are tax resident in Norway, you also need to check Norwegian rules for wealth and income from property abroad.
What nobody tells you first
The price in the listing is not the price you pay. There is a government fee when you buy, there is a fee to the agent, and every property has running costs that the owner covers. A building that looks great in photos can be poorly managed. And a good lease on paper is worth little if the tenant does not pay. It is the whole picture that decides whether a purchase pays off, not the price alone.
How I do it now
Today I never buy without seeing the property myself. I always use a licensed agent and my own legal adviser. I work out all the costs before I decide, not after.
I am not a real estate agent, and this is not advice. It is simply what I have learned.
