Dubai property after the Iran war: a buying window?
Prices have eased 5% to 15% since the end of 2025 and sales are down sharply, while the very top of the market keeps trading. A look at what the data shows, and the risks on both sides.
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Home / Real estate due diligence
ServicesReal estate due diligence
Before you buy property abroad, whether to qualify for a residency or citizenship program or simply as an investment, we find out exactly what you are buying. Clean title, no hidden debts, the right permits, a fair price, and a property that genuinely qualifies. It is a common add on for our residency and citizenship clients: we can help you find suitable property through our local team, then vet the deal before you commit. From there we stay with you at every step, through the contract, the payment and the registration, until the property is legally in your name.
Why engage us
Every country buys property differently
Buying property abroad is not like buying at home. Some countries run on common law and others on civil law, which changes who checks the title, what a notary does, when ownership actually passes to you and what protects your deposit. Off plan and completed property are treated very differently too: escrow rules, developer registration and the point at which a purchase counts for a visa all vary from one jurisdiction to the next.
You need to know your rights before you sign, not after. With this much money at stake, it deserves proper checks. Professional help costs a small fraction of the purchase and makes sure you are buying the right property, at the right price, in a way that protects you and qualifies for the residency or citizenship you want.
What we check
Seven questions, answered in writing
01
Title and ownership
Who legally owns the property, and whether they have the right to sell it to you.
02
Debts and encumbrances
Mortgages, liens, unpaid taxes, building fees or lawsuits attached to the property.
03
Permits and zoning
Building and occupancy permits, and what the land can legally be used for.
04
Seller or developer
The track record of the developer or seller, and on off plan projects, where your payments are held.
05
Valuation
An independent view of what the property is worth, compared with the asking price.
06
Contract terms
The sale agreement reviewed by a licensed local lawyer, with the risks explained in plain English.
07
Is paying the minimum enough?
Often not. The property must be valued at or above the program threshold, be the right type and be held for the required period. We confirm it qualifies before you pay.
Result
A clear recommendation
Every review ends with a written report and a plain view: proceed, renegotiate or walk away.
Where we do this
Five countries
Each of these countries offers residency or citizenship through property, and each has its own records, rules and common pitfalls.
Paraguay
Paraguay Residency
From US$200,000 for the Investor Pass, or any purchase for rental and investment.
- Title and ownership history at the public registry
- Cadastral records that match the land on the ground
- Unpaid municipal taxes, utilities and liens
- Building permits, and survey and access for rural land
Panama
Panama Residency
US$200,000 for Friendly Nations, or for the Qualified Investor route US$300,000 for a new property or US$500,000 for a resale.
- Public Registry search for liens, mortgages and lawsuits
- Condominium rules and unpaid building fees
- Developer permits and progress on off plan projects
- That the purchase structure satisfies the visa you are applying for
United Arab Emirates
UAE Residency
Any completed property in Dubai for the two year visa (AED 400,000 per joint owner), or AED 2,000,000 for the 10 year Golden Visa.
- Title deed verification with the land department of the emirate
- Developer registration and escrow account for off plan payments
- Service charge arrears and existing mortgages
- How any mortgage or co ownership affects visa eligibility
Georgia
Georgia Residency
US$150,000 market value, confirmed by an accredited appraiser.
- Public Registry extract for ownership and encumbrances
- That the land is classed as non agricultural
- An appraisal that clears the threshold with room to spare
- Construction permits and handover terms on new builds
Turkey
Turkey Citizenship by Investment
US$400,000, held for at least three years.
- Title deed history and any charges or annotations
- That the property has not already been used for a citizenship application
- An official valuation report that supports the price paid
- Occupancy permit, and the banking paper trail the application needs
Buying to invest
Not applying for a visa?
The same checks apply to any property purchase in these countries, whether it is a home, a rental or a commercial building. Send us the listing and we will tell you what we would look at first.
The Brief
Latest on property abroad
United Arab Emirates · Economy
Turkey · Economy
Turkish inflation falls below 30 percent for the first time since 2021
Annual inflation eased to 29.73 percent in September, better than forecast and the lowest reading since November 2021. For property buyers and citizenship investors, slower price growth makes costs and rents easier to plan.
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Panama · Residency
Panama raises the investor visa property minimum to US$500,000 for resales
A new decree in force from September 16 lifts the Qualified Investor real estate threshold to US$500,000 for resale homes, keeps US$300,000 for new first sale property and adds a cheaper deposit option.
Read
Turkey · Citizenship
Turkey cancels 6,134 investment citizenships after fraud review
Turkey’s Interior Ministry says 6,134 people, mostly family members of 1,413 investors, have lost citizenship obtained through investment, chiefly over inflated valuations and sham property sales.
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United Arab Emirates · Residency
Dubai drops the minimum property value for its two year investor visa
A sole owner of completed property in Dubai can now apply for the two year property investor visa whatever the property is worth. The old AED 750,000 floor is gone; joint owners need AED 400,000 each.
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United Arab Emirates · Economy
Dubai Metro Blue Line tunnelling begins: the districts to watch before 2029
Work has started on the tunnels for the AED 20.5 billion Blue Line, a 30 km, 14 station metro due to open on 9 September 2029. Which districts it serves, how transit tends to move property values, and what to check before buying.
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Paraguay · Economy
Buying off plan in Asunción: how to check a developer before you pay
Paraguay’s chamber of real estate developers has warned about new foreign developers without solvency after complaints over unfinished towers. A practical guide to vetting a project before paying a deposit.
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Georgia · Residency
Georgia raises the property threshold for residence permits to US$150,000
From March 1, 2026, foreigners who want a Georgian residence permit through property must own real estate worth at least US$150,000 at market value, up from US$100,000. Existing holders keep their rights.
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Georgia · Economy
Georgia’s record year: US$4.3 billion of apartments sold in Tbilisi and Batumi
Colliers counted more than 59,000 apartment sales in Georgia’s two main cities in 2025, with foreign buyers putting most of their money into new projects. What the figures mean for anyone buying with residence in mind.
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Panama · Economy
Panama’s 2025 property data: apartments up, houses and land down
Official figures show apartment transfers rose 11% and apartment mortgages 15.4% in 2025, while deals on houses and land fell. What the split means for anyone who may one day want to resell.
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Paraguay · Economy
Paraguay turns to Etihad Rail for the Asunción commuter train
A roughly US$450 million electric line from Asunción to Luque, later reaching Ypacaraí, is back on the table with UAE backing. Which areas stand to gain, and why the timeline deserves caution.
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Turkey · Economy
Turkey sells a record 1.69 million homes in 2025
Official figures released on January 20 show Turkish home sales up 14.3% to an all time high, with mortgage sales up almost half as inflation and interest rates came down.
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Paraguay · Policy
Paraguay merges its property registry and cadastre into one system
From January 14, 2026, Paraguay’s new Registro Unificado Nacional brings land titles, the cadastre and official surveys under one roof. What it changes for anyone checking title and boundaries.
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Turkey · Policy
Turkey caps 2026 property tax values: what owners need to know
Law No. 7566, published on 19 December 2025, limits how far 2026 property tax values can rise after a steep revaluation of land, giving owners a clearer view of holding costs for the next four years.
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Panama · Economy
Who is buying property in Panama, and where
Investment through Panama’s Qualified Investor visa reached about US$100 million in the year to July 2025, mostly in real estate. Colombians and Americans lead, and buyers are spreading well beyond the capital.
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Turkey · Economy
Turkey’s 500,000 home social housing plan: what it means for rents and investors
TOKİ, Turkey’s state housing agency, will build half a million social homes, including 100,000 in Istanbul and its first below market rental homes. Why the extra supply matters for rents, yields and the mid market.
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United Arab Emirates · Policy
Dubai’s First Time Home Buyer Programme: priority access and better pricing for residents
UAE residents of any nationality who do not yet own freehold property in Dubai can now register for early access to new launches, preferential prices on homes up to AED 5 million and tailored mortgages.
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United Arab Emirates · Policy
Owning a slice of Dubai: how tokenised title deeds work
The Dubai Land Department has issued its first Property Token Ownership Certificates after a tokenised apartment sold out in a day to 224 investors. What a token gives you, what it does not, and what to check first.
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United Arab Emirates · Residency
Off plan property can now count in full for Dubai’s Golden Visa
Dubai has reportedly dropped the AED 1 million down payment that buyers on mortgages or payment plans needed before applying for a property Golden Visa. The property’s value, at least AED 2 million, is now the test.
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How it works
- 01
Find or send the property
We can help you find suitable property through our local team, or review a listing, shortlist or contract you already have.
- 02
Searches and site visit
Registry searches, document requests and an inspection, carried out with our local team.
- 03
Written report
What we found, what it means, and a clear view on whether to proceed, renegotiate or walk away.
- 04
Close safely
If you go ahead, our local team handles the contract, the payment, the registration and, where relevant, the visa application.
Astute Expat is not a law firm or a licensed valuer. Legal opinions and formal valuations come from the licensed professionals in our local team in each country. Our fee is fixed and quoted in writing before we start.
Diversify Before You Need To
Know what you are buying
Send us the property you are considering and what you need it to do. We will tell you what to check before any money moves.
Book your free 15 minute call
No cost and no obligation. Just a clear next step.