A buyer can have a signed contract and payment receipts while the purchase still needs registration follow-up. Keep the contract, registration record and payment statement together: they answer different questions about the same home.
SPA
The sale and purchase agreement sets out the deal between buyer and seller. Read the unit description, price, payment dates, completion provisions and any conditions on resale.
Oqood
Oqood is DLD’s system for registering off-plan transactions in the initial register. Ask for the registration document and check that the buyer, project and unit details match your SPA.
Title deed
The title deed records ownership in the property register. For an off-plan purchase, project completion and the required registration steps must be addressed before the final ownership document is issued.
Before signing, match the property details
Start with the unit number, floor, area and parking allocation. Compare the SPA with the floor plan and reservation paperwork. Ask the developer to resolve a discrepancy in writing; a brochure or sales conversation cannot explain away a different unit description in the contract.
Then read the developer payment schedule. Record the instalment amount, due date and any milestone attached to it. Keep the purchase price separate from your registration and buying costs so that the first payment does not absorb money needed for the rest of the transaction.
After signing, follow up on registration
A signed SPA and an initial registration record perform different jobs. Request confirmation that the transaction has been registered and retain the reference. DLD’s service for a sale with an initial mortgage identifies Oqood as the submission channel and an initial sale contract as an output.
Check the project and payment destination too. Our escrow account guide explains why the account details must match the development. A payment receipt records money paid; keep it alongside the registration documents, rather than treating it as proof that every registration step is finished.
At handover, check what remains outstanding
Receiving keys does not answer every ownership question. DLD says developers must register completed projects after obtaining the completion certificate; fully paid units then transfer from the initial register to the property register for the ownership document to be issued.
Ask for a written account statement, the status of final registration and any documents still needed from you. If you expect a lender to fund the balance, work through the off-plan mortgage questions early. Do not assume that reaching handover guarantees a mortgage offer.
Can I sell before the title deed is issued?
An off-plan resale may be possible, but the applicable developer conditions, outstanding payments and transfer requirements need checking for that property. Ask for the written resale procedure before accepting a deposit or committing to a completion date.
For a specific purchase, bring your documents and payment statement to a Seven Stones consultant. Contract disputes or unclear legal rights need advice from an appropriately qualified legal adviser.