Signup Here – home

Independent review · not affiliated with Palmera

Independent reviewReal estate (Dubai, UAE)Updated November 2026

Palmera review

A licensed Dubai brokerage with a large, well-filtered off-plan catalogue and candid buyer guides; it is paid by developers, and its resale stock is thin.

Type
Licensed real estate brokerage
Licence
RERA 40780, trade licence 1306924
Headquarters
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Catalogue
1,654 active listings (company figure)
By the Signup Here editorial teamUpdated November 2026, facts checked 3 November 2026Based on public sources, not a hands-on test

What Palmera is and who it suits

Palmera is the trading name of Palmera Elite Real Estate Brokerage L.L.C., a Dubai brokerage that shows trade licence 1306924 and RERA licence 40780 in its website footer.1 The site is mainly a catalogue of new-build projects sold directly by developers across the UAE, with a smaller ready and resale section, buyer guides and market data.1,3 The company describes itself as a boutique team of eight.2

It suits buyers, including non-residents, who want to compare Dubai off-plan projects in one place and have a licensed broker handle reservation, contract and registration. It is a weaker fit for resale buyers, or for anyone wanting advice independent of the sale, because developers pay Palmera's commission.1,4 This review is based on Palmera's website and official Dubai sources, checked on 3 November 2026; we did not buy a property or use Palmera's advisory service.

Key facts

Legal name
Palmera Elite Real Estate Brokerage L.L.C.1
Licences
Trade licence 1306924; RERA licence Dubai 40780 (website footer)1
Office
Dubai Industrial City, Dubai; meetings in person or by video call8
Team
Eight people, several formerly with the developers Sobha and DarGlobal2
Catalogue
Off-plan, ready and resale; 1,654 active listings, 168 districts1
Developers listed
389, including Emaar, Sobha and Binghatti1
Markets
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Georgia, Cyprus, Indonesia, Thailand, United Kingdom2
How Palmera is paid
Commission of 3–6% from the developer (company figure)1
Client tools
Palmera Plus portal, AI chat assistant, price and yield indices, buyer guides1
Facts checked
3 November 2026

Company and licence

The footer of palmera.realestate names Palmera Elite Real Estate Brokerage L.L.C. with trade licence 1306924 and RERA licence Dubai 40780.1 The Dubai Land Department (DLD) publishes the list of brokers licensed by RERA, Dubai's Real Estate Regulatory Agency, on its website and in its Dubai REST app, so the licence can be checked before any money moves.13

Palmera says several of its eight team members previously worked for the developers Sobha and DarGlobal, and that it also offers rental management and resale after handover.2 The website gives no founding year. Besides the UAE, it lists Saudi Arabia, Oman, Georgia, Cyprus, Indonesia, Thailand and the United Kingdom as markets.2

Palmera advertises 0% buyer commission, says buyers pay the developer's list price and states that the developer pays it 3–6%.1 That model is common for new-build sales, but it means Palmera earns only when a sale completes, so its shortlists are sales advice rather than independent advice.

Catalogue, prices and tools

On 3 November 2026 the home page counted 1,654 active listings from 389 developers, including 1,086 projects in Dubai, 101 in Abu Dhabi, 69 in Ras Al Khaimah, 50 in Sharjah and 23 in Ajman.1 The full property search showed 1,899 projects, 1,512 of them in Dubai, so totals depend on the page.3 Developers such as Emaar, Sobha and Binghatti are listed with dozens of projects each.1

Search filters cover emirate, area, bedrooms, status (off-plan, pre-launch, under construction, ready, upcoming), price band and handover year; prices are in AED, with a menu to change currency and units.3 The project pages we looked at show floor plans, the developer's payment plan and a downloadable brochure, and note that the DLD fee is paid on top.

Resale is minor: the resale section showed two listings, both in Ras Al Khaimah, on 3 November 2026.4 The price-per-square-foot index for 104 communities uses asking prices from Palmera's own catalogue, about 96% of it off-plan, not completed sales.5 A rental yield index, buyer guides and the Palmera Plus portal for payments, documents and construction updates complete the offer.1

How buying off-plan in Dubai works

The main protections come from Dubai law, not from the broker. Under Law No. 8 of 2007, buyers' payments for an off-plan project go into an escrow account in the project's name, used exclusively for its construction, with a separate account per project that the developer's creditors cannot attach.11 Once the completion certificate is issued, 5% of the account is held back until one year after the units are registered to buyers.11

Law No. 13 of 2008 requires every off-plan sale to be entered in the Interim Property Register, known as Oqood; an unregistered sale is void.12 The DLD says the developer files the registration, that the sale and purchase agreement (SPA) must be registered within 90 days of signing, and that the buyer receives a provisional registration certificate by email.9

In practice the sequence runs from an expression of interest for popular launches, through a booking form and down payment of typically 10–20%, the SPA with its payment schedule and delay terms, Oqood registration and instalments, to snagging, handover and the title deed; most SPAs allow developers a 6–12 month grace period.6 Fitch Ratings found that only 97,000 of 174,000 projected Dubai units were delivered in 2022–2024, a completion rate of 56%, so handover dates should be treated as estimates.16

Costs and fees

The largest extra cost is the DLD fee. For an off-plan sale the DLD lists 2% of the sale value for the seller and 2% for the purchaser, plus AED 10 knowledge and AED 10 innovation fees.9 Palmera's guides say the buyer often pays the full 4%.7 Main items as published on 3 November 2026:

DLD fee
4% of the price, officially 2% seller and 2% buyer; collected at Oqood registration for off-plan.9,7
Developer admin fee
About AED 3,000–5,000 at booking, depending on the developer.6
Ready or resale purchase
Title deed AED 250 plus map fees; registration trustee AED 4,000 + VAT from a sale value of AED 500,000, AED 2,000 + VAT below.10
Agency fee on resale
Commonly 2% of the price plus 5% VAT; none on developer sales through Palmera, according to the company.15,7,1
Service charges
Approved per building through RERA's Mollak system; about AED 10–30 per sq ft a year for mainstream stock, per Palmera's guide.7

In January 2025 The National reported that the UAE Central Bank had told banks to stop financing the DLD fee and broker fees from 1 February 2025, so plan to pay these costs in cash.15 Reselling an off-plan unit before handover needs the developer's no-objection certificate, and many developers first require 30–40% of the price to be paid; missed instalments can cost a buyer a substantial part of what was paid.6

Areas in the catalogue

Palmera groups its catalogue into 168 districts.1 The figures below come from its price index on 3 November 2026 and are the lowest asking prices for new projects in its catalogue, not market averages or forecasts:5

Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC)
Central, mid-rise residential community: 127 listings from AED 472,257.1,5
Business Bay
High-rise district next to Downtown: 48 listings from AED 1,059,000.1,5
Dubai Marina
Established waterfront high-rise district: 16 listings from AED 1,221,053.5
Downtown
The area around Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall: 14 listings from AED 1,565,000.5
Dubai Islands
Five islands off the Deira coast: 115 listings from AED 899,000.1,5
Dubai South
District around Al Maktoum airport and Expo City: 65 listings from AED 460,000.1,5

The site also shows rental yields and growth rates by area.1 These are company estimates, not assured outcomes; rents and prices can fall as well as rise.

Support and languages

Contact channels are WhatsApp, phone, email, an AI chat assistant, a form and meetings at Palmera's office in Dubai Industrial City or by video call.8 Palmera says it answers WhatsApp in about 8 minutes on average during the day and forms within 3 business hours, and that the first consultation is free.8

Advisers work in English, Arabic, Russian and French, and the website exists in 19 language versions.8,1 The AI assistant answers around the clock, but its own notice says it can make mistakes.1 Palmera says its legal team handles SPA review, DLD registration and escrow set-up, and tells buyers to confirm home-country tax rules with an accountant.1

How getting started works

Buying through Palmera follows the usual Dubai off-plan sequence, with the broker handling most of the paperwork:1,6

  1. Shortlist projects by emirate, area, bedrooms, budget, status and handover year; prices shown are developers' starting prices in AED.3
  2. Send an enquiry by form, WhatsApp, phone or chat; Palmera says an adviser then sends three to five options within 48 hours.8,1
  3. Check the broker's licence in the DLD list, the project's escrow account and the developer's delivery record.13,11,6
  4. Reserve with an expression of interest or a booking form and a down payment of typically 10–20%, paid into the project's escrow account, not to the broker.6,11
  5. Sign the SPA; the developer registers the sale in the Oqood register within 90 days and the DLD fee is paid.9,12
  6. Pay the SPA instalments, inspect the unit at handover and receive the title deed.6

Prices, terms and availability change and can differ by country or state. Check the current terms on Palmera's own website before you buy.

Pros and cons

What we like

  • Licensed Dubai brokerage showing its trade and RERA licence numbers on every page1
  • Large catalogue with useful filters, including status and handover year1,3
  • No buyer commission on developer sales, according to the company, and its developer commission is disclosed1
  • Detailed buyer guides with dated sources that also cover delays and full fee breakdowns6,7
  • Advisers in four languages and a website in 19 language versions8,1

What to watch

  • Paid by developers, so recommendations are not independent of the sale1
  • Catalogue counts differ between pages: 1,086 versus 1,512 Dubai projects on 3 November 20261,3
  • Very small resale offer: two listings on 3 November 20264
  • The price index uses its own asking prices, not completed sales5
  • Little public track record: no founding year and a team of eight2

Palmera FAQ

Is Palmera a licensed real estate broker?

Its website names Palmera Elite Real Estate Brokerage L.L.C. with trade licence 1306924 and RERA licence 40780.1 Dubai broker licences can be checked in the DLD's list of licensed brokers or the Dubai REST app.13

Does Palmera charge buyers a commission?

Palmera says buyers pay the developer's list price and no commission on developer sales; the developer pays it 3–6%.1 The 4% DLD fee still applies, and resale purchases through an agent commonly carry a 2% fee.9,15

What does it cost to buy off-plan in Dubai?

Besides the price: the 4% DLD fee, which buyers often pay in full, small DLD admin fees, a developer admin fee and, from handover, service charges.9,7,6 These are the rates published on 3 November 2026; the SPA shows the exact amounts.

How is my money protected when buying off-plan?

By law, payments go into an escrow account in the project's name used only for its construction, and the sale must be entered in the DLD's interim register to be valid.11,12 This guards against misuse of funds, not against delays.16

Can foreigners buy property through Palmera?

Palmera says foreign nationals can own property outright in Dubai's designated freehold zones without UAE residency, and its advisers work with buyers abroad by video call.1,8

Does buying property in Dubai come with a residence visa?

Not automatically. The DLD says an owner of property with a purchase value of at least AED 2 million can apply for a 10-year renewable residence permit, subject to conditions such as being in the UAE when applying.14 The authorities decide, and rules can change.

Our verdict on Palmera

Palmera is a licensed Dubai brokerage whose website makes it easy to compare many off-plan projects by area, budget, status and handover date, backed by buyer guides that are open about fees and delays.1,3,6

As usual for new-build sales, the developer pays the commission, so the buyer pays no broker fee but takes advice from a firm paid on completion.1 Before reserving, check the broker licence and the project's escrow account, read the SPA's payment and delay terms, and budget for the 4% DLD fee and service charges.13,11,9,7

Visit palmera.realestate (opens in a new tab)Independent review · not affiliated with Palmera

Sources

  1. Palmera – Home page: catalogue counts, buyer commission, FAQ and licence numbers (checked 3 November 2026)
  2. Palmera – About Palmera: team, markets and service stages
  3. Palmera – All properties: search, filters and project counts (checked 3 November 2026)
  4. Palmera – Resale and secondary homes (checked 3 November 2026)
  5. Palmera – UAE property price-per-sqft index by emirate and area (3 November 2026)
  6. Palmera – Off-Plan Property in Dubai: The Complete 2026 Guide (16 July 2026)
  7. Palmera – Tax on Dubai Property: The Honest 2026 Cost Picture (27 July 2026)
  8. Palmera – Contact: channels, languages and response times
  9. Dubai Land Department – Request to register the initial sale (Oqood): procedure and fees
  10. Dubai Land Department – Property sale registration: fees for ready property
  11. Dubai Legislation Portal – Law No. (8) of 2007 Concerning Escrow Accounts for Real Estate Development
  12. Dubai Legislation Portal – Law No. (13) of 2008 Regulating the Interim Property Register
  13. Dubai Land Department – Licensed Real Estate Brokers
  14. Dubai Land Department – Request for Golden Visa (investor): conditions
  15. The National – UAE buyers to pay higher upfront property costs as Central Bank issues new orders (25 January 2025)
  16. Khaleej Times – Dubai property market to see slower handover in 2025–26 (9 June 2025)

This review is general information, not professional advice. It is an editorial assessment based on Palmera's published prices, terms and help pages and on public sources, checked on 3 November 2026. We did not buy or test the service ourselves. Prices, terms and availability change and differ by country or state, so check the current terms before you buy.