Off-plan or ready office in Dubai

Off-plan is now most of the office market. Here is what buyers paid for each in 2026, and how to tell when the premium is worth it.

Aleksandr Maksimenko · Licensed broker · OSNOVA Property · Dubai · Updated 14 Nov 2026

Off-plan share, offices

64%

2,763 of 4,332 office sales in 2026

Off-plan, median

3,354 AED

per sq ft paid

Ready, median

1,764 AED

per sq ft paid

Off-plan premium

+90%

citywide, mix of districts

What the DLD record shows

Off-plan now makes up 64% of office sales in Dubai. Buyers pay a median 3,354 AED per sq ft for off-plan against 1,764 AED for ready offices. Part of that gap is location: new towers go up in prime plots. Part of it is the price of a payment plan and a new building.

Most traded off-plan office projects, 2026

Project	District	Sales	Median, AED/sq ft
Shahrukhz by Danube	Al Sufouh (Internet City)	559	4,135
HQ by ROVE	Business Bay	251	4,699
RAW DISTRICT 2 BY IMTIAZ	Downtown Jebel Ali	195	2,097
RAW DISTRICT BY IMTIAZ CR	Downtown Jebel Ali	180	2,107
Samana Business Hub	Downtown Jebel Ali	177	1,924
Lumena Alta by Omniyat	Business Bay	155	6,122
ASPIRZ By Danube	Sports City	111	2,368
burj capital	Business Bay	102	3,598

Most traded ready office buildings, 2026

Building	District	Sales	Median, AED/sq ft
BAY SQUARE	Business Bay	62	2,800
TAMANI ARTS OFFICES	Business Bay	57	2,050
JUMEIRAH BUSINESS CENTRE 5	JLT	39	2,707
THE ONE TOWER	Barsha Heights (Tecom)	38	2,040
JUMEIRAH BUSINESS CENTRE1	JLT	37	2,730
BURLINGTON TOWER	Business Bay	36	1,944
CHURCHILL TOWER	Business Bay	34	1,852
DUBAI STAR	JLT	34	1,700

How to choose

Choose ready if

You want rent from day one. A ready office earns while an off-plan one is a payment schedule.
You want to check the price: ready buildings have a history of resales in DLD, new projects only have the developer price list.
You may need to sell within three years.

Choose off-plan if

You need time to pay: plans of 40/60 or 50/50 spread the price over construction.
The developer has delivered on time before and the project is escrowed, as Dubai law requires.
You buy below the resale level of comparable completed towers nearby, not just below the launch price.

The check that matters: compare the off-plan price per sq ft with what buyers paid for ready offices in the same district. If the premium is above 40%, the building has to be clearly better to justify it. Citywide in 2026 it is +90%.

Both carry the 4% DLD fee. On off-plan it is paid at booking, so it is lost if you resell before handover at a lower price. Developers usually allow resale only after 30% to 40% of the price is paid.

Comparing an off-plan office with ready stock?

Send me both. I put them side by side with prices paid in each building and nearby, and the rent the ready one would earn today.

Message me on WhatsApp

Got it. I will reply by email within one working day.

Questions buyers ask

What share of office sales in Dubai is off-plan?

64% in 2026: 2,763 of 4,332 office sales registered with DLD.

Is off-plan cheaper than ready in Dubai?

Not for offices. The median off-plan office sold for 3,354 AED per sq ft against 1,764 AED for ready, a +90% gap that partly reflects better locations.

Can I sell an off-plan office before handover?

Usually yes, after you have paid the share the developer requires, often 30% to 40%. The transfer is registered with DLD in Oqood.