Your ultimate apartment hunting in Dubai checklist!

• The Search
• Visiting The Apartment
• FAQs

Whether making memories with your family or chilling solo at your bachelor pad, there is no better place than home. But when it’s time to move, finding the ideal apartment that checks all your boxes can seem scary. How can you commit to a place for a year after just one or two visits? This is exactly where an apartment hunting in Dubai checklist comes in handy!

Right from when you begin looking at listings on Bayut to visiting an apartment, our apartment hunting checklist takes you through everything you need to watch out for.

Apartment Hunting in Dubai: Factors to Consider

Whether you want a 1-bedroom apartment for rent in Dubai or a lavish villa, start your apartment search in Dubai on Bayut, where you can explore all the available apartments around the city. However, before you begin digging into listings, here’s our mini initial apartment-hunting checklist.

Location: Ideally, you’d want to live in an area close to your workplace or the places you visit most often – such as your child’s school, university, etc. The best way to look for an apartment is by using Bayut tools like MapView and Search 2.0, as they help you explore available properties around your areas of interest.

Search 2.0 makes this more effortless with its functionality for adding two places of interest and the ability to check the commute times for both. Additionally, you can refer to Bayut’s Area Guides to learn about the location’s highlights, nearest supermarkets, parks, etc.

Budget: Calculate your monthly budget and multiply this by 12 to determine your annual rental budget. You also need to add the following additional expenses to the total costs:

• Agency fees: The total rent excludes 5 per cent of the annual rent, which is the fee paid to the real estate agency.
• Security deposit: This usually equals one month’s rent and is refunded at the end of your contract. Ensure you collect the security deposit from your house when you move out.
• DEWA deposit: This is a mandatory fee by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). This refundable DEWA deposit for apartments is AED 2k and AED 4k for villas. You also have an additional non-refundable connection fee of AED 130.
• Housing fee: A municipality fee is 5% of your annual rent and will be added to your DEWA monthly bill.
• Ejari fees: A one-time fee of AED 195 for your tenancy contract.
• Chiller deposit and gas deposit: This will depend on your area and the service provider (if applicable).

Number of cheques: In Dubai, most tenants pay their rent via single or multiple cheques, such as four cheques for a year (every three months) or six cheques (every two months). Real estate agents usually mention these details in the property listing’s descriptions.

For more clarity on the leasing procedures and apartment hunting tips, you can head over to our guide on the process of renting an apartment in Dubai.

The number of rooms: Depending on the number of people staying with you, decide the number of rooms you need in your house. If you live alone, you might go for a 1-bed flat or studio apartment for rent in Dubai. So, take some time to determine your needs before you begin cheap apartment hunting in Dubai.

Tip: Check the floor plans of your future home before you make your first visit. You can also find your building’s floorplans on Bayut’s Building Guides or under its listing description.

Apartment hunting in Dubai: Viewing Time!

Let’s now get into the most critical part of your apartment-hunting experience. How do you know which property is right for you?

Based on discussions with long-term residents, here’s our list of things to find the perfect rental location in Dubai.

Exploring The Neighbourhood

• Apart from maps and area guides, you must walk around and determine the distance from the building to the nearby supermarkets and utilities.
• If you don’t drive, you must also check how long it takes to walk to the nearest bus stops and metro station. Check out our guide on the best areas to live for non-drivers in Dubai to have a better understanding.
• Some residential areas can get busy during peak hours – which you’ll only be able to find if you try commuting to and from your workplace around 08:00 am and 06:00 pm.
• Alternatively, you can use Google Maps’ heat map feature to check the traffic during peak hours in the area. Red and yellow coloured roads indicate traffic jams.
  For example – communities like Jumeirah Village Circle, International City and Barsha Heights have smooth traffic follow, generally. However, even with that being the case, the roads in those communities can become busy during peak hours on weekdays, so we recommend checking this beforehand.

Building Facilities

• Although the listing may mention this, you might need to visit the facilities to check for a functioning swimming pool or an equipped gym.
• Check for unusual smells by visiting the place later at night (after 08:00 pm). This is when you can find out if there are issues with garbage rooms, unclean chutes, etc.
• Find out how many parking spots you are allotted, whether outdoor or indoor. Also, if you struggle with parking, can you request a parking spot with no cars next to your vehicle?
• Look for operational security and CCTV cameras in the building’s lobby. Buildings that require access cards for entry are a big plus.

Things to look for when renting an apartment: Inside inspection

Here is what to look for when touring an apartment in Dubai:

• Look for how well the apartment’s walls can contain noise from neighbouring units. If the walls of your house are too thin, you might end up hearing the noises of children crying, loud television, music, etc. If you’re a light sleeper, this should be on top of your list.
• Check the number of wall sockets in the house. They must be convenient for plugging in all your major appliances like your television, internet modem and smaller gadgets like smartphones.
  Additionally, it’s worth checking the sockets for the washing machine; sometimes, they need to be replaced.
• Inspect the spaces allotted for the fridge, washing machine and gas stove (if applicable). Some apartments include induction stoves in the fitted kitchen. You can find the washing machine’s placement by looking for a kitchen drain or wall sockets.

Tip: Measure and note the dimensions of your furniture (and bigger appliances like dishwasher, washing machine, fridge, etc.) and carry a measuring tape when you go for your viewing. This way, you can see if they would fit how you want them to in the allotted spaces.

• Keep your eyes out for chipped paint on the walls. Look for signs of mould or leakages, especially in the corners of the walls.
• Try opening and closing all the cupboard and cabinet doors. Do the doors open all the way, or do they feel like they will fall off any second? The same goes for windows (if they can be opened). Check if the panes open and close properly.
• Pay close attention to the toilet and bathtub, as most people visiting an apartment tend to ignore this. If there are cracks anywhere in the bathroom, request for them to be fixed before you move in.
• If the balcony is your priority, take a step out and look at how close the neighbours’ balconies are to yours. Look at whether the space is adequate to sit around during winter (if that’s something you’re looking for).

Apart from these factors, consider the hidden cost of renting a house in Dubai before you commit.

FAQs about apartment hunting in Dubai

How can I find apartments for rent in Dubai?

The best way to look for an apartment is by browsing property portals like Bayut and dubizzle. Real estate agencies list available properties with information and photographs. You can contact the agents via phone or email address.

You can also look up Dubai’s best real estate agencies under the Find My Agent section on Bayut. Furthermore, have a look at the reasons for investing in off-plan properties in Dubai if you decide to take this route.

What are the affordable rental places in Dubai?

Some popular areas with areas to rent cheap apartments in Dubai include Muhaisnah, Al Warsan and Dubai Industrial Park. Looking for something more spacious and not too heavy on the pocket? Explore popular neighbourhoods offering areas to rent cheap villas in Dubai.

I’ve found my dream apartment and signed my tenancy contract. What’s next?

Congratulations on finding your new home! Before you move in, request your building maintenance for deep cleaning and pest control. We recommend contacting internet service providers to find suitable Wi-Fi and television packages for your home. Don’t forget to keep this apartment moving checklist handy to make the move as seamless as possible.

Moving from one home to another is usually a breeze with the plethora of furniture movers Dubai offering their services. To make this transition easier, refer to our compilation of answers to the most frequently asked questions about moving to Dubai.

That concludes our guide on how to do the best apartment hunting in Dubai. We hope it helps you find that perfect home you’ve been looking for.

Moving to the capital emirate? Here are the top Abu Dhabi movers that can make your transition seamless. Whether you’re moving for work or pleasure, these trusted firms offer expert services tailored to your needs.

For more insights, check out the Dubai property rental transactions over the past 12 months. Want to broaden your investment portfolio? Here are the steps for property ownership in Dubai.