Freehold property is a property that is "Free from Hold" of any other entity apart from the owner. The title deed of the property is registered under the owner's name and has autonomous rights over it perpetually. The owner can use the property any way he/she likes as long as he/she follows the rules and regulations of the area where the property is located. The owner is free to occupy, lease or sell the property without anyone's consent. Freehold property can be inherited by legal hire. Due to the exclusivity of ownership, the sale of freehold property requires less paperwork but is expensive when compared to other types of property.
       According to laws in Dubai, a foreigner can buy a property and have 100% exclusive rights over it provided that it is located in the Freehold areas designated by the Government of Dubai. The popular freehold areas among the ex-pats are Business Bay, Down Town, Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, and Al Barsha.

Oqood means “Contract” in English. Oqood is an online service provided by Emirates Real Estate Solutions to ease the registration process of off-plan property related contracts between buyer and seller. The developer must register his off-plan property and use the facility of Oqood to manage and sale of the property according to the regulations of the Dubai Land Department. Oqood protects buyers against any forgery in the property purchase.

Off-plan property is a property whose construction is authorized by relevant authorities but has not started or is in a nascent stage of construction.

DLD stands for Dubai Land Department. It was established by the Government of Dubai in May 1960. Its function is to form legislation necessary to drive the real estate sector and monitor, facilitate sale and purchase, map approval, and organize and document real estate operations. The department is also active in promoting real estate investment in the region.

According to Dubai Land Department regulation, at the time of purchase of property, the buyer has to pay the DLD fee, which is 4% of the purchase price along with the AED 580 admin fee. DLD waiver is when the builder or developer has waived the DLD fee on the buyer; instead of him, the developer will pay the required fee to the concerned authority.

The prime difference between freehold and leasehold is ownership and control. In freehold property, the owner has the exclusive right and full control over the property. He is free to use or sell. In a leasehold property, the ownership is not transferred but the buyer has the right to live in it for a specific period. Usually, the lease is up to 99 years. It can be renewed if both parties agree. Any change in the property must have the approval of the owner of the property.

RERA Dubai stands for Real Estate Regulatory Agency of Dubai. It's a government established authority to regulate the real estate sector in Dubai. The function of RERA is to set policies and plans to boost foreign investment in real estate, settle disputes, and organize the sale, purchase, and auction of properties.