Three years of no service charge and free furniture: how to price the actual benefit

In summer 2026 packages appeared on the Dubai market that had not existed before: three years without a service charge, a furniture package up to AED 150 000, five years' warranty on building services, five years of property management, a discount on the final payment, a first instalment from 5%. Sellers put the combined benefit at hundreds of thousands of dirhams, and on large units at a million.

Why this appeared

Because a straight cut to the list price is nearly impossible for a developer: it devalues what has already been sold and breaks the logic of phased pricing. A bonus package solves the same problem — making entry more attractive — without touching the number on the list.

The arrival of such packages is informative in itself: it is an indicator of cooling demand, not of generosity.

Converting a package into money

• Service charge. Multiply the rate per foot by the area and by the number of gifted years. For a 100 m² apartment at AED 18 per foot, three years is roughly AED 58 000. Material — but it is a deferral of the cost, not its cancellation: in year four it reappears.
• Furniture package. "Up to 150 000" is an upper bound applying to the largest units. Ask for the specification: the list of items matters more than the sum.
• Warranty on building services. The UAE already has a statutory developer warranty on structure and services. Establish what the offer adds beyond the mandatory minimum.
• Property management. Value it at the market rate for the service, usually 5–10% of rental income. Check what is included and at what price it renews.
• Discount on the final payment. The only item that directly reduces the price. Count that one first.

Where the zero is hidden

The main check is the base price. If it is above comparable district projects by the value of the package, there is no benefit at all: you have been given back what was priced in beforehand. So the order is: first compare price per foot against neighbours on actual transactions, and only then count the bonuses.

The second check is timing. Such packages are announced for a limited period and tied to specific units. "Subject to availability" means the best units may not be in the promotion.