The Off-Plan Resale Guide: Buying a Unit From Another Buyer Before Handover
Updated August 10, 2026 · 7 min read · Sources: DLD, developer NOC policies, trustee offices
Why buyers use assignments
An assignment gets you into a sold-out project or a better phase price without waiting for the next launch, often nearer handover so your capital is committed for less time. The seller gets liquidity before completion. Priced correctly, both sides win; priced on hype, the premium eats your upside before you have keys.
The NOC threshold decides everything
Developers only consent to a resale once the original buyer has paid a minimum share of the price, most commonly 30 to 40%, set project by project. Below the threshold, the deal either waits or the buyer tops the seller up to it at transfer. Confirm the exact percentage with the developer before agreeing anything: it drives the whole cash calculation.
What you actually pay on transfer day
Three buckets: the seller receives their paid equity plus the agreed premium (or minus a discount); the developer receives any overdue instalments and, where relevant, a top-up to the NOC minimum; and the fees, the 4% DLD fee on the full purchase price, the trustee fee, the developer's NOC charge and Oqood re-registration. After transfer, the remaining instalments on the original plan become yours.
| Recipient | What |
|---|---|
| Seller | Paid equity + premium |
| Developer | Overdue amounts + top-up to NOC minimum |
| DLD/trustee | 4% fee + trustee + Oqood |
| Developer | NOC charge (AED 500 to 5,000) |
Where assignments go wrong
The traps repeat: premiums priced off launch hype rather than registered nearby sales; unpaid late-payment penalties surfacing at transfer (they are the seller's, make Form F say so); and buying just before a cliff of instalments without the cash flow to serve them. Every one of these is visible in advance if you ask for the developer statement of account before signing.
Run your numbers before you offer
Our resale transfer calculator models the whole transfer day: original price, agreed price, percentage paid, NOC minimum, overdue amounts and fees, and shows who receives what and your total investment through handover. Use it before you negotiate, not after.
Related questions
What is an off-plan assignment?
The sale of a part-paid off-plan unit from the current buyer to a new buyer before handover, with the developer's consent (NOC). The new buyer takes over the Oqood registration and the remaining payment plan.
When can an off-plan unit be resold?
Once the developer's NOC threshold is met, most commonly 30 to 40% of the original price paid. Some projects restrict resales entirely until a later stage; confirm in writing before you commit.
Do I pay the 4% DLD fee on an assignment?
Yes, on the full agreed purchase price, plus the trustee fee, the developer's NOC charge and Oqood re-registration. Budget the same 4%-plus costs as any purchase.
Is a premium normal?
In demanded projects, yes: you are paying for allocation and time. Judge it against registered sales of comparable stock, not against the seller's asking logic. Sometimes the right premium is negative, especially near heavy instalment dates.
