--- title: "Off-plan property in Ras Al Khaimah" canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/ras-al-khaimah.md type: emirate description: "The UAE's northernmost emirate: a small freehold market of coastal master communities, about an hour from Dubai, whose pricing has run ahead of a casino resort that is not due to open until September 2027." last_verified: 2026-11-12 sources: 8 publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)" language: en-GB usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting." --- # Off-plan property in Ras Al Khaimah > The UAE's northernmost emirate: a small freehold market of coastal master communities, about an hour from Dubai, whose pricing has run ahead of a casino resort that is not due to open until September 2027. | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Emirate | Ras Al Khaimah | | Country | United Arab Emirates | | Property regulator | Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, Lands and Properties Sector | | Buyer registration fee | 2% of the price (indicative, confirm per project; fee rules reviewed 12 November 2026) | | Areas covered | 4 | | Developments covered | 13 | | Wikidata | [Q170024](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170024) | | Facts last verified | 12 November 2026 | ## Overview Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) sells a different proposition from Dubai: beach and lagoon communities, mountains behind them, lower density, and a tourism plan built around one very large project. Foreign buyers are confined to a short list of designated freehold areas, and almost all off-plan stock sits in four of them: [Al Marjan Island](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island), [Mina Al Arab](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/mina-al-arab), [Al Hamra Village](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-hamra-village) and the new business district of [RAK Central](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/rak-central). The catalyst everyone prices in is Wynn Al Marjan Island, an integrated resort with a gaming area and about 1,530 rooms. Wynn Resorts told investors in August 2026 that the opening had moved from the first quarter of 2027 to September 2027 and that the budget had risen by roughly USD 600 million, citing supply-chain and shipping disruption from the regional conflict. Many developments are marketed by their distance from the resort. None of them is affiliated with it, and the resort's effect on rents and resale values is a forecast, not a record. Prices rose through the first half of 2026 but the pace has slowed. Cavendish Maxwell reported apartment prices 6.5% higher year on year in H1 2026 and villas almost 6% higher, with apartment prices slipping 0.7% in the latest three months. CBRE, using a broader measure, put average apartment values at AED 2,298 per sq ft, up about 18% year on year, and noted that pricing and absorption had moderated since the end of February. [RAK Properties](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/developers/rak-properties), the emirate's listed developer, reported a decline in unit sales for the first nine months of 2026 and described the regional context as challenging since late in the first quarter. Supply is the other half of the picture. Cavendish Maxwell counts 13,800 homes due by the end of 2028 (about 2,200 in 2026, 4,700 in 2027 and 7,500 in 2028). CBRE counts more than 34,000 units between 2026 and 2030, around 10,000 of them branded residences. For a market whose freehold ready-home sales totalled AED 625.2 million in the first half of 2026, that is a large pipeline, and much of it is being built by developers with short delivery records in the emirate. The regulatory framework was rewritten in 2026. Law No. 10 of 2026 on the regulation of real estate development tightened escrow rules and changed what happens when a buyer or a developer defaults. It is an improvement for purchasers, but it is new, and its executive regulations were still awaited when lawyers summarised it in October 2026. ## Ownership rules for foreign buyers **Where foreigners can buy.** Non-citizens may own freehold only in designated areas. Ras Al Khaimah Municipality's sale-contract service page lists them as Al Hamra Village, Mina Al Arab, Al Marjan Island, RAK Central, Julphar Towers, Al Maareedh (plots) and an upcoming Beach District. Outside those areas, ownership is not open to foreign nationals. **Who regulates.** Developers and off-plan projects are regulated by the Ras Al Khaimah Municipality Department and its Real Estate Regulatory Department. Sales are registered and title deeds issued through the municipality. Dubai's DLD, RERA and Oqood system do not apply here. **The 2026 development law.** Law No. 10 of 2026 was issued on 21 July 2026, took effect sixty days later and repealed Law No. 12 of 2023. As summarised by Al Tamimi & Company: - Developers and projects must be registered before infrastructure works, construction or off-plan sales begin. A sub-developer needs the main developer's approval before selling off-plan. - Buyers' payments go into a project escrow account. Money can now leave escrow only for construction-related spending or other costs the regulator approves; the old mechanism that let developers draw profit early has gone. The developer must fund at least 20% of construction cost itself, and 5% of construction cost is retained for a year after completion. - If a buyer defaults, the developer may keep up to 40% of the price where the project is 60% or more complete, up to 25% where it is less than 60% complete, and up to 20% where construction has not started for reasons outside the developer's control. Refunds are due within six months. These bands apply to existing off-plan contracts as well as new ones. - A buyer is entitled to compensation if the unit is more than 5% smaller than the area sold. - Developer liability runs for ten years for structural defects and one year for mechanical, electrical and plumbing installations. - A judicial committee can cancel stalled projects and rank buyers' refund claims. **Registration fees.** Published figures look inconsistent but mostly describe the same charge. The municipality's own page lists 2% of market value payable by the buyer and 2% by the seller, plus AED 200 for the title deed. Broker guides and press reports commonly quote "4%". On an off-plan purchase, read the sale agreement to see whether the developer expects the buyer to bear both halves. The municipality page is flagged as possibly out of date, so confirm the figure before budgeting. ## Highlights - Freehold title for all nationalities in designated coastal communities. - A rewritten off-plan law (Law No. 10 of 2026) with tighter escrow controls and defined refund rules. - Entry prices on the mainland and in RAK Central below those on Al Marjan Island. - Established resort communities at Al Hamra Village and Mina Al Arab with hotels, golf and marinas already operating. - Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE's first integrated resort, scheduled by its operator for September 2027. - About one hour by motorway from Dubai International Airport to Al Marjan Island, according to the island's master developer. ## Considerations - Much of the pricing on and around Al Marjan Island assumes the Wynn resort opens on time and lifts rents. The opening has already moved once, to September 2027. - The resale market is thin: freehold ready-home sales across the emirate totalled AED 625.2 million in H1 2026, so exits can be slow and comparables scarce. - Between 13,800 homes by 2028 (Cavendish Maxwell) and more than 34,000 by 2030 (CBRE) are due, a heavy pipeline for a small market. - Many projects are by developers with little or no completed stock in the emirate. Check the escrow account and registration, not the brochure. - The emirate is roughly an hour from Dubai, with no rail link. It suits second homes and holiday lets better than a Dubai commute. - Law No. 10 of 2026 is new and its executive regulations were still pending in October 2026; practice may differ from the text for a while. ## Buying costs Ras Al Khaimah's buyer registration fee is most often quoted at 2%, but published sources disagree and master developers can apply their own registration charges. Confirm the figure for the specific project before budgeting. See the [buying cost calculator](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/tools/purchase-cost-calculator) for an itemised estimate. ## Areas in Ras Al Khaimah - [Al Hamra Village](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-hamra-village): Ras Al Khaimah's most established freehold community: about 4,000 homes around an 18-hole golf course, a marina and a mall, close to Al Marjan Island. Suits residents and golf or marina buyers. - [Al Marjan Island](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island): Four man-made islands off the Ras Al Khaimah coast, with beach hotels, a dense pipeline of branded apartment towers and the Wynn resort due in September 2027. Suits holiday-let investors who accept catalyst risk. - [Mina Al Arab](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/mina-al-arab): RAK Properties' lagoon and beach master community on the Ras Al Khaimah coast, with two resorts open and a new downtown district under way. Suits buyers who want an established setting, not a single tower. - [RAK Central](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/rak-central): A new mixed-use business district beside Al Hamra Village, planned by Marjan with offices, hotels and apartment towers. Lower entry prices than Al Marjan Island, on an unfinished site. ## Developments in Ras Al Khaimah - [Pelagia](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/pelagia): BNW Developments; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2027; from AED 2,300,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Playa Del Sol](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/playa-del-sol): Ellington Properties; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2027; from AED 3,300,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Address Residences Al Marjan Island](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/address-residences-al-marjan-island): Emaar Properties; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q1 2028; from AED 8,483,888 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Taj Wellington Mews](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/taj-wellington-mews): BNW Developments; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q1 2028; from AED 1,500,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [FashionTV Acacia](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/fashion-tv-acacia): BNW Developments; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q2 2028; from AED 1,960,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Costa Mare](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/costa-mare): Ellington Properties; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q3 2028; from AED 2,800,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Shoreline by DAMAC](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/shoreline-by-damac): DAMAC Properties; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q3 2028; from AED 4,534,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Nikki Beach Residences](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/nikki-beach-residences): Aldar; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2028; from AED 6,773,200 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Rosso Bay Residences](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/rosso-bay-residences): Aldar; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2028; from AED 5,158,200 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Tonino Lamborghini Residences](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/tonino-lamborghini-residences): BNW Developments; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2028; from AED 1,690,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Radisson Blu Residences RAK Central](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/rak-central/radisson-blu-residences-rak-central): BNW Developments; RAK Central, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2029; from AED 1,120,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Soto Grande](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-hamra-village/soto-grande): Ellington Properties; Al Hamra Village, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2029; from AED 1,000,000 (as of 2026-11-13) - [Dolce Residences by Wyndham](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah/al-marjan-island/dolce-residences): BNW Developments; Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah; under construction; handover Q4 2028; from AED 2,400,000 (as of 2026-11-13) ## Questions and answers ### Can foreigners buy property in Ras Al Khaimah? Yes, in designated freehold areas. Ras Al Khaimah Municipality lists Al Hamra Village, Mina Al Arab, Al Marjan Island, RAK Central, Julphar Towers, Al Maareedh (plots) and an upcoming Beach District. Buyers in those areas receive a freehold title deed issued through the municipality. ### What are the property registration fees in Ras Al Khaimah? The municipality's service page lists 2% of market value from the buyer and 2% from the seller, plus AED 200 for the title deed. Many guides simply quote 4%. Check your sale agreement to see who bears each half, and confirm the current rate with the municipality because its published page is flagged as possibly out of date. ### When does the Wynn resort on Al Marjan Island open? Wynn Resorts said in August 2026 that Wynn Al Marjan Island will open in September 2027. The previous target was the first quarter of 2027. The company attributed the delay and a budget increase of about USD 600 million partly to disruption from the regional conflict. ### Is off-plan property in Ras Al Khaimah protected by escrow? Yes. Under Law No. 10 of 2026, off-plan projects must be registered and buyers' payments held in a project escrow account that can be drawn on only for construction-related costs or spending the regulator approves. Ask for the escrow account details and the project registration before paying a deposit. ### Are property prices in Ras Al Khaimah still rising? They rose in the first half of 2026 but growth has slowed. Cavendish Maxwell reported apartment prices up 6.5% year on year in H1 2026, with a 0.7% fall in the latest three months. CBRE reported a larger annual rise on a broader measure and said pricing and absorption had moderated since the end of February 2026. ### How far is Ras Al Khaimah from Dubai? Marjan, the master developer of Al Marjan Island, puts Dubai International Airport about one hour away by motorway and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport about 25 minutes away. RAK Properties gives about 55 minutes from Mina Al Arab to Dubai International Airport. ## Sources Facts on this page were last checked against these sources on 12 November 2026. - [Al Tamimi & Company: Ras Al Khaimah's new real estate development law (5 October 2026)](https://www.tamimi.com/news/ras-al-khaimahs-new-real-estate-development-law-what-developers-need-to-know/) - [Ras Al Khaimah Municipality: real estate sale contract service (fees and freehold areas)](https://sanad.mun.rak.ae/docs/en/services-card-arabic-temp-28) - [Khaleej Times: Wynn Al Marjan Island pushes opening to September 2027 (5 August 2026)](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/wynn-al-marjan-island-pushes-opening-to-september-2027-amid-regional-conflict-fallout) - [Gulf News: Ras Al Khaimah property prices rise in H1 2026, 13,800 homes due by 2028 (Cavendish Maxwell data, 2 September 2026)](https://gulfnews.com/business/property/ras-al-khaimah-property-prices-rise-in-h1-2026-13800-homes-due-by-2028-1.500660431) - [Khaleej Times: record Sky Palace sale headlines H1 for Ras Al Khaimah property (CBRE data, 21 September 2026)](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/record-dh130-million-sky-palace-sale-headlines-strong-h1-for-ras-al-khaimah-property) - [RAK Properties: nine-month 2026 results (6 November 2026)](https://www.rakproperties.ae/news/rak-properties-on-track-for-record-home-deliveries-by-end-of-year-as-developer-meets-period-of-change-and-challenge-with-sustained-performance-and-results/) - [Marjan: Al Marjan Island masterplan](https://marjan.ae/development/masterplans/al-marjan-island) - [Betterhomes: can expats own property in RAK (19 March 2026)](https://www.bhomes.com/en/blog/betterinformed/can-expats-own-property-in-rak) --- Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/ras-al-khaimah. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.