<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Do not rely only on a brochure, social media advertisement or salesperson when verifying an off-plan project.

Dubai Land Department provides official tools that allow buyers to check important project information themselves.

The DLD Project Status service can show information including the project's status, completion percentage, developer details, management company information and project escrow bank details.

DLD also maintains a list of approved real estate developers.

So before paying for a new residential project in Dubai, compare the information you received from the seller with the official DLD record.

For an off-plan purchase, the escrow account is particularly important because buyer payments should follow the approved project-payment structure.

If someone sends different bank details at the last minute, do not transfer the money until you independently verify the change.

Buying off-plan does involve construction risk, but buyers can reduce avoidable risk by using official records rather than depending entirely on marketing material.

A ten-minute verification before transferring a large amount of money is worth doing.