Ten checks before buying commercial property
Ten practical checks for a Dubai commercial purchase: identify the property, establish its operating case, test costs and record unresolved evidence.
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Published by Astra Terra Properties. Astra Terra analysis and practical guidance. Verify the facts and terms of your own transaction with the appropriate sources and advisers.
About this revision
Reviewed 4 October 2026. Original publication date retained. Reworked as a ten-point editorial checklist; removed broad legal assertions and unused references.
A commercial purchase should have an evidence file, not just a sales presentation. The following is Astra Terra’s practical review framework. It does not replace legal, technical or financial advice for the specific transaction.
1–3: Identify what is being sold
1. Reconcile the unit and property identifiers across the documents. DLD’s Property Status Enquiry is an official starting point for checking property information.
2. Verify the seller or signatory’s authority with the adviser handling the transaction. Record missing documents before progressing.
3. For a project under construction, confirm the registered project, payment recipient and contract milestones. Review project-specific financing or escrow questions with a qualified adviser.
4–6: Establish the operating case
4. Confirm that the proposed activity is suitable for the premises. Do not infer permissions from another tenant in the building.
5. Inspect usable area, access, parking, services and fit-out condition with the appropriate technical specialists.
6. For an occupied unit, examine the signed lease, payment record, remaining term and outstanding issues. Keep asking rent separate from income received.
7–10: Test costs and execution
7. Obtain the current service-charge statement, maintenance information and other recurring owner expenses.
8. Model vacancy, incentives, refurbishment and reletting costs. Show which figures are quotations and which are assumptions.
9. Build a dated cash-flow schedule for purchase, financing and any works. Identify cash requirements before rental income begins.
10. Have the contract and transfer process reviewed by qualified advisers, including any unresolved obligations or conditions.
Use the checklist
Give each item an evidence owner, a document date and a status: verified, outstanding or not applicable. A short list of explicit unknowns is more useful than a blanket “due diligence complete” statement.
Explore commercial options at astraterra.ae — commercial property dubai and request the documents relevant to the intended use.
Sources
DLD Property Status Enquiry, checked 4 October 2026: dubailand.gov.ae — property status overview