Sobha Realty payment plans, explained

In 2024-2025 Sobha introduced a limited-time 40/60 variant (only 40% during construction, 60% at handover) on select projects - documented at Sobha One, Sobha Orbis and Sobha Solis in Motor City. Buyers historically pay the 4% DLD/Oqood fee on top at booking (e.g. Elwood: 10% + 4% DLD), but in early 2026 Sobha promoted a 4% DLD waiver across its projects, sometimes delivered as an equivalent discount off the handover amount - these promos rotate, so treat any waiver as launch-specific, not permanent. Launches are allocated via EOI deposits (from roughly AED 25,000-35,000 for apartments up to AED 300,000 for large villas at Sobha City Abu Dhabi Phase 1). Post-purchase, buyers manage installments, statements and service charges through the ONE Sobha app, which supports card payments and domestic wire transfer (net banking) with payment history and digital receipts.

60/40 standard (10% booking + 10% on SPA): Sobha's default plan on most apartment launches: 10% down payment on booking, 10% on signing the SPA (typically within weeks), roughly 40% in installments during construction (time-based or milestone-linked), and 40% on handover. Some brokers summarize the same plan as 10% booking / 50% during construction / 40% on handover. No post-handover component. Recent examples: Sobha Siniya Island, Umm Al Quwain (2024-2025 phases, handovers Q4 2027-2030); Sobha Aquamont, Downtown Umm Al Quwain (2025, handover Q4 2028); Sobha Solis, Motor City (launched Feb 2025, handover Dec 2027).

60/40 time-based (20% booking + 10% every 6-12 months): Same 60/40 total but front-loaded to 20% on booking, then four 10% installments at fixed calendar intervals rather than construction milestones, with 40% on completion. Documented at Sobha One as 20% on booking, 10% each at 6/12/18/24 months from booking, 40% on completion. A Sobha Central variant marketed as the 'Horizon' plan runs 20% booking then 10% at 12/24/36/42 months with 40% on completion (handover expected Dec 2029). Recent examples: Sobha One, Bukadra/Ras Al Khor (Towers A-E, selling through 2025); Sobha Central, Sheikh Zayed Road (launched 2025, handover ~Dec 2029).

40/60 limited-time offer: A promotional inversion of the standard plan offered for limited windows on select projects in 2024-2025: only 40% due during construction and 60% on handover. Documented cadence at Sobha One: 20% on booking, 10% within 6 months, 10% within 15 months, 60% on handover. Brokers advertised the same 40:60 limited-time offer on Sobha Orbis and Sobha Solis at Motor City (both handing over ~Q4 2027). Still no post-handover component - everything is due by handover. Note that brokers report both 60/40 and 80/20 base schedules for Orbis, so confirm per tower. Recent examples, as reported at launch: Sobha One (limited-time option alongside the 60/40, 2024-2025); Sobha Orbis, Motor City (launched 2024, handover Q4 2027); Sobha Solis, Motor City (launched Feb 2025).

60/40 with tiered EOI (Abu Dhabi entry): Sobha City Abu Dhabi Phase 1 (near Yas Island, launched 2026) uses the same 60/40 construction/handover split but gates allocation behind tiered Expression of Interest deposits: AED 35,000 (1BR apartment), AED 70,000 (2BR), AED 150,000 (4BR garden villa), AED 225,000 (4BR estate villa), AED 200,000-250,000 (5BR), AED 300,000 (6BR estate villa). EOI does not guarantee allocation. Recent examples, as reported at launch: Sobha City Abu Dhabi Phase 1 (EOI opened 2026; apartments from ~AED 1.31M, garden villas/townhouses from ~AED 4.96M, estate villas from ~AED 9.05M).

Post-handover plans - generally NOT offered (legacy exceptions only): Sobha's current launches (2024-2026) do not carry post-handover terms - the final 40% (or 60% on the LTO plan) is due at handover, and buyers needing more time typically bridge with a mortgage. Aggregator and broker sources (Bayut, Tanami) document post-handover plans on the completed legacy Sobha Hartland Greens (a 3-year post-handover plan and a Phase 2 structure with the balance spread ~2 years after handover), but these describe legacy launch terms on a now-completed project - treat them as historical, and do not present post-handover terms to clients as current Sobha practice. Legacy example: Sobha Hartland Greens (completed project with reported legacy post-handover terms).

Buyer portal is the ONE Sobha app (property payments, service charges, history, receipts). Sobha Realty's customer-facing platform for Dubai is the ONE Sobha app (iOS/Android; Google Play listing 'ONE Sobha: Property, Community'). It handles online payments for property installments and service charges via debit/credit card and - added per a Sobha Realty press release - domestic wire transfer (net banking), with payment history and digital receipts. Note: customers.sobha.com and my.sobha.com are portals of SOBHA Limited (India), a separate listed company from Sobha Realty Dubai - UAE buyers should use the ONE Sobha app or Sobha Realty's own contact channels.

Booking norm: 10% down (apartments) or 20% (villas/premium and time-based plans), preceded by an EOI deposit at launch. Typical flow at a Sobha launch: pay an EOI/holding deposit (brokers cite ~AED 25,000 to hold a unit at Sobha Orbis; Sobha City Abu Dhabi tiers run AED 35,000-300,000 by unit type), then complete the down payment (10% on most apartment launches, 20% on villa/premium plans and the Sobha One-style time-based plans) plus 4% DLD, with the SPA signed shortly after booking. One broker guide states SPA signing within ~14 days and DLD/Oqood registration within 30-60 days - treat exact day-counts as indicative.

DLD 4% is normally paid by the buyer at booking; a 4% DLD waiver ran as a promotion in early-mid 2026. Historically Sobha collects the 4% DLD/Oqood fee on top of the booking amount (e.g. Sobha Elwood 2024: 10% booking + 4% DLD). In early 2026 Sobha promoted a 4% DLD waiver described as applying across all its projects (announced ~Feb 2026; an April 2026 broker roundup notes that on some projects the waiver is delivered as an equivalent discount against the handover amount rather than at registration). The May 2026 Eid promo did not advertise a DLD waiver, so waivers are windowed promotions - always check the current launch offer in writing rather than assuming any waiver is permanent.

Promotions rotate around the fixed 60/40 core: festive giveaways rather than plan changes. For example, Sobha's Eid al-Adha 2026 promotion (now ended) offered up to 45 grams of gold plus a 2% furniture voucher at Sobha Central, Sobha Hartland and others (25-31 May 2026), and a 2-year service-charge waiver plus 2% furniture voucher on select premium villa developments (26-31 May 2026). Sobha's incentives tend to be value add-ons (fee waivers, vouchers, gold) while the 60/40 payment structure itself stays constant - unlike developers who compete on post-handover terms.

All construction-phase payments go into DLD/RERA-regulated escrow accounts. As with all Dubai off-plan sales, Sobha installments during construction are paid into the project's RERA-regulated escrow account (Oqood registration of the SPA with DLD secures the buyer's interest). This is UAE regulation, not a Sobha-specific choice, but it belongs in any payment guide: buyers should verify the escrow account details on their SPA and pay only into that account.

Golden Visa angle is used in Sobha payment marketing. Sobha marketing for 2025 launches (e.g. Sobha Central) highlights UAE Golden Visa eligibility for qualifying purchase values (AED 2M+), which interacts with payment plans because off-plan buyers may qualify based on property value. Eligibility criteria are set by the UAE authorities and change - verify the current Golden Visa rules before structuring payments around it.