Emaar Payment Plan: How 80/20 and 10/70/20 Work

An Emaar payment plan is usually construction-linked: you pay as the building progresses, with the balance due at handover. Emaar describes it as an 80/20 plan, with 80 percent paid during construction and 20 percent on handover. That differs from the long post-handover plans other Dubai developers offer.

This guide explains the usual structure, how it differs from a post-handover plan, what else you pay and what to check before you sign.

How does an Emaar payment plan work?

Emaar's own first time buyer guide describes it this way: a 10 percent down payment at booking, then eight instalments covering the remaining 70 percent during construction, and a final 20 percent at handover. Brokers often write this as 10/70/20, or as "80/20". The Emaar Golf Vale launch at Emaar South in April 2026 was marketed on exactly this plan, with no post-handover component.

A typical Emaar structure

Stage	Typical share of price
On booking	10% to 20%
During construction, tied to milestones	50% to 70%, in instalments
On handover	20% to 30%

Exact splits vary by project and launch. What stays consistent is that most of the money is paid before you get the keys. The plan you sign at purchase is the plan you keep, even if later launches in the same project change their terms, so read the schedule attached to your own contract.

Construction-linked versus post-handover

Construction-linked means instalments fall due as building milestones are reached. If work stalls, so do your payments. That is real protection.

Post-handover plans, common with other developers, let you pay a share over two to five years after moving in. Easier on cash flow, and the price usually reflects it.

Neither is simply better. Construction-linked ties your money to progress; post-handover spreads the burden but often costs more overall.

Does Emaar offer a post-handover payment plan?

Emaar's standard plan is paid in full by handover. Some projects have been marketed with a share deferred after handover, but this is the exception and it differs by project, so do not assume it. Check the project's official payment schedule. Our guide to how off plan payment plans work in Dubai compares the structures, and buying on installments covers the developer by developer picture.

What to check before signing

Are payments tied to milestones or to dates? Milestones protect you, dates do not.
What is due at handover? A 20 to 30 percent balloon needs planning, especially if you intend to mortgage it.
Can you sell before handover? Usually yes with developer consent once a percentage is paid, and there will be a fee. See selling an off plan property before handover.
What happens if you miss an instalment? Read the default clause before you need it.
Is the escrow account registered? Payments go to the project escrow, never to the developer directly.
What is the handover date? Portal listings can differ from the contract, so confirm it in the sales and purchase agreement. If it slips, see off plan handover delays and your rights.

Mortgaging the balance

Many buyers pay the construction instalments in cash and mortgage the handover balance. Banks lend on completed property, so arrange it before handover rather than after. Emaar's guide notes that a mortgage usually needs a down payment of around 20 percent for UAE residents and more for non-residents. See our mortgage guide.

Costs beyond the plan

The 4 percent Dubai Land Department fee is normally payable shortly after you sign the sales and purchase agreement on off-plan, not at handover. Our fees guide covers everything payable.

Where do Emaar payment plans apply?

The same structure is used across Emaar's master communities, with the details set per launch. For how the communities differ, see Emaar communities compared, and for current launches read off plan in Emaar South and Expo City and off plan in Emaar Beachfront and Dubai Harbour.