Key Takeaways
- Unlike Ontario's seller-pays-both-sides model, Dubai resale transactions commonly have both buyer and seller separately pay their own broker's commission.
- A typical commission benchmark for resale deals is around 2% of the sale price per side, though it is negotiable.
- Commission is separate from the DLD registration fee, which is a government charge, not a broker fee.
- Off-plan sales often route commission differently, since the developer may pay the broker directly.
How commission is typically structured
In many Dubai resale transactions, both the buyer and the seller pay commission separately to their own broker — a different structure than the single seller-paid commission model common in Ontario. A widely used market benchmark for resale deals is roughly 2% of the sale price per side, though this figure is negotiable and not set by law.
Commission vs. DLD registration fee
It's important not to confuse broker commission with the Dubai Land Department's registration fee, which is a separate government charge tied to transferring the title deed and is unrelated to what either broker earns.
- Broker commission — negotiated separately with each side's own broker, roughly 2% benchmark on resale.
- DLD registration fee — a government fee for recording the transfer, typically calculated on sale price and commonly split between buyer and seller by convention.
How off-plan commission can differ
For many off-plan sales, the developer pays the broker's commission directly as part of their sales and marketing budget, meaning the buyer may not pay a separate commission at all in some structures — always confirm this directly with your broker before assuming either way.