Emirates NBD and Shamal Holding have partnered to offer mortgage solutions for eligible buyers of Shamal's off-plan homes in Dubai, bringing structured financing into the purchase journey once buyers have paid the initial 50% of a property's value.
September 11, 2026 | Palak Kataria | UAE | Real Estate | 3 Min Read
Image Courtesy: Zawya
Financing is becoming a more integrated part of Dubai's off-plan property journey, with a new partnership connecting mortgage support to homes that are still under construction.
Emirates NBD and Shamal Holding have signed a strategic agreement to provide home financing solutions for eligible buyers and investors purchasing off-plan residential units within Shamal's projects under construction across Dubai.
The arrangement is designed to introduce greater financial clarity before handover, giving eligible purchasers access to mortgage options while their homes are being completed.
Importantly, the financing does not begin from the first payment. Under the partnership, structured mortgage solutions become available once the buyer has secured the initial 50% of the property value. From that point through to handover, Emirates NBD will provide financing options alongside structured payment plans and liquidity support.
Traditionally, financing an off-plan purchase can involve a different journey from securing a mortgage on a completed home. By introducing mortgage support during construction, the partnership brings the bank into an earlier stage of the transaction.
For buyers, this can provide greater visibility over how the remaining portion of a purchase will be financed before the property reaches completion.
The model also reflects the changing profile of Dubai's off-plan market, where developers, banks and other parts of the property ecosystem are increasingly looking at the complete customer journey rather than treating the sale, financing and handover stages separately.
Yousuf Saeed Mohd, Group Head of Priority and Personal Banking, and Retail Banking Sales at Emirates NBD, said the partnership is intended to simplify the off-plan homebuying experience and help customers make homeownership and investment decisions with greater financial clarity.
For Shamal Holding, the agreement introduces financing directly into the purchase journey for its residential customers.
CEO Abdulla Binhabtoor described access to financial expertise as an additional part of the end-to-end customer experience, with the partnership intended to give purchasers clearer tools to complete their property journey.
The wider significance lies in the relationship developing between off-plan real estate and mortgage finance.
Dubai's primary residential market has grown into an important part of the emirate's property sector, and financing options that extend into the construction period could give qualifying purchasers another way to manage capital between their initial investment and final handover.
For banks, meanwhile, such partnerships provide an opportunity to participate earlier in the homeownership journey while maintaining lending and risk-management requirements.
The agreement also comes as Dubai continues to develop initiatives around homeownership and its wider residential ecosystem.
For the property market, greater coordination between developers and financial institutions can help make the path from reservation to handover more connected. Buyers still remain subject to the bank's eligibility and financing requirements, but those who qualify can gain earlier visibility over their funding options.
That distinction is important: the partnership does not remove the financial requirements associated with buying an off-plan home. Instead, it introduces a structured financing route after the purchaser has already secured half of the property value.
As Dubai's off-plan sector continues to mature, financing is likely to become an increasingly important part of how the market supports different buyer profiles.
The Emirates NBD-Shamal partnership reflects that evolution, bringing property development and banking closer together at a stage of the homebuying journey that has traditionally depended heavily on purchaser-funded instalments.
Source: Emirates NBD; Shamal Holding
