Real Estate Video in Dubai: Formats, Leads and DLD Rules

In Dubai, the videos that bring leads and listings are the property tour, the off-plan presentation, the area guide, the agent talking to camera, the buyer testimonial and the Meta ad. Before posting, the brokerage or developer gets a Trakheesi permit: AED 1,000 plus an AED 20 fee on the official DLD page, issued in 1 working day.

Updated October 2026. Rules change often: check with the Dubai Land Department before you post.

What real estate videos bring leads and listings in Dubai?

Shoot the videos that answer what buyers and sellers ask you every day. Each format has a job: sell a unit, reassure an investor or win a listing from an owner. If you want a team to handle it, see our real estate video production in Dubai.

Property tour (ready and secondary market)

This is the basic video for every listing. Show the unit room by room, the view, the amenities and the access. Open with what the buyer cares about, like the view or the balcony, not the front door.

Off-plan presentation with floor plans and renders

With off-plan, there is nothing to film inside yet. Film the agent on site or at the sales gallery, then add the 3D renders, the floor plans and the payment plan. Investors want 3 answers: where, how much and when is handover.

Area guide

A buyer in London or Mumbai may not know the difference between JVC and Dubai Hills. Your video shows schools, transport, shops and the type of units in the area. This format brings leads who have not picked a community yet.

Agent talking to camera about the market

You talk about prices, new launches or common buyer mistakes. This is the video that makes a lead call you and not another agent. Our personal branding service in Dubai is built for this kind of content.

Buyer testimonial

A client explains why they bought and how the deal went. Get written consent before you post. Let them talk about their experience with you, in their own words.

The listing video for owners

To win a listing, show the owner how you will market the unit: sample videos, where they run, how you follow up leads. Send it on WhatsApp before the valuation meeting.

RERA Circular 02-2026, issued in February 2026, bans contacting owners or investors directly to offer, market or buy property, unless they have a documented past deal with your brokerage (AED 50,000 fine). So owners need to find you.

Meta ads for leads

A short vertical video, paid on Facebook and Instagram, that sends people to a lead form or a WhatsApp chat. Like any property ad, it needs a Trakheesi permit. If you want ads built to sell, see our video production company in Dubai.

Which length, format and platform for each video?

Shoot vertical (9:16) for Instagram, TikTok, Stories and ads. Keep a horizontal (16:9) version for YouTube, your website and investor decks. The lengths below are our starting advice, to adjust with your own data.

Bayut is pushing vertical video too. In 2025, the portal launched TruBroker Stories: short vertical videos posted by TruBroker agents in Dubai and shown above search results.

What makes a property video bring leads?

3 things: a hook in the opening seconds, a hard fact (price, size, community) and a clear call to action. Without them, you get views but no leads.

• The hook. Start with the unit or the buyer's question: "2-bed in Dubai Hills with park view". No animated logo, no intro.
• The price. A price or a range filters out time wasters. It must match the permit data, because an ad cannot include anything RERA has not approved in the permit.
• The call to action. Say what to do: "Send VIEWING on WhatsApp" or "Fill in the form to get the payment plan". Keep 1 action per video.
• Subtitles. The video must work with the sound off. Add English and Arabic or French subtitles if you target those buyers.
• Speed of reply. Answer leads fast. Leads with no reply are wasted ad spend.

To test several versions of the same ad, see how many creatives you need to run Meta ads.

Do you need a Trakheesi permit to post a property video?

Yes, any ad that promotes a property or a project in Dubai needs an official permit from RERA, the regulator under the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Circular 2-2022 covers property portals and social media. You apply in the Trakheesi system.

On the official service page, checked on 6 October 2026, DLD lists AED 1,000 per permit and AED 5,000 for a project launch event, plus an AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee. The stated processing time is 1 working day.

What the video must show

• The permit number.
• The permit QR code, required on print and audio-visual ads since April 2023. It must scan properly and match the ad.
• The name of the brokerage or company posting the ad.
• For off-plan: the developer name, project name, project number, project location and approved escrow account number.

When a buyer scans the QR code, the DLD Madmoun service shows the advertising company and the property details. So leave the code on screen long enough to scan.

What is not allowed

• Posting without a permit, misusing a permit number or using an expired permit.
• Showing any information that is not approved in the permit.
• Announcing a promotion (discount, free extras, fee waiver) without a promotional campaign permit.
• For developers, marketing a project before registration, before the escrow account is open and before the permit is issued.
• Keeping a sold or rented unit online: RERA asks brokerages to remove these ads from portals.

Fines and checks

Circular 1-2020 sets a fine of at least AED 50,000, doubled for a repeat violation. In February 2024, DLD announced AED 50,000 fines on 30 companies. In July 2024, it announced fines on 256 brokers over 6 months.

DLD also checks ads with an AI tool launched at GITEX 2024. Its April 2025 statement says it monitored over 279,000 ads on Property Finder, Dubizzle and Bayut, and 29% were corrected automatically.

These rules change often. Check with DLD or your brokerage before you post.

Who applies for the permit: agent, agency or developer?

The brokerage gets the permit. The DLD service page lists the applicant as a company, and the RERA broker guide puts the permit on brokerages. For off-plan, the developer must also hold its own marketing permit, and the brokerage selling the project needs a marketing agreement with the developer.

For a ready unit, the brokerage needs Form A, the marketing agreement signed with the owner. Trakheesi asks for its number. For off-plan, check in the Dubai REST app (Mashrooi) that the project is registered and has an escrow account.

As an agent, you need your broker card. The official DLD service states that nobody can practise the activity without registering and getting this card. You apply in Trakheesi with a Dubai Police good conduct certificate and a pass in the annual exam.

Steps to get the permit

1. Collect the documents: Form A signed with the owner and a copy of the ad form. For off-plan, have your marketing agreement with the developer ready.
2. Log in to Trakheesi on the DLD website and pick the permit type.
3. Fill in the details and upload the documents.
4. Wait for review by a DLD employee.
5. Pay online by card, e-Dirham or Noqodi.
6. Get the e-permit, activate the QR code in Trakheesi and add it to the edit.

What about your personal accounts?

Circular 2-2022 covers property promotion on social media and gives no exception for an agent's personal account. If you show a unit on your own Instagram, plan for the brokerage permit and the QR code. The National Media Authority also issues a permit for individuals who post advertising content on social media, paid or unpaid, so check with them if it applies to you.

For a video about your agency only, its team and its services, Trakheesi has a separate permit. That permit does not cover promoting a property or a project.

If the agent also posts on a personal account, read our guide to the NMA Advertiser Permit.

How do you prepare a property shoot in Dubai?

Sort out the permit and the approved data before filming, not after. This is the order we follow at KOSMOS for every real estate shoot.

What we check before filming

• The permit number and QR code, or at least the application date, so we plan where they go in the edit.
• The approved data: price, size, bedrooms, and for off-plan the developer, project and escrow details.
• Consent from the owner and from building management to film the lobby, pool or gym.
• The shooting time, based on light and the unit's orientation.
• The script: hook, walkthrough, price, call to action, and who speaks to camera.
• The output formats: vertical and horizontal, with framing planned for both.

Mistakes we see on property videos

• A QR code that flashes by at the end, too fast to scan.
• A price on screen that does not match the listing.
• An ad still running after the unit is sold.
• A long animated logo before the unit appears.
• An agent reading a script instead of looking at the lens.
• No call to action at the end, so viewers do not know what to do.

KOSMOS has worked with 500+ clients, including L'Agence Kretz in real estate. You can watch examples in our portfolio. To hand over the whole shoot, see our real estate video service in Dubai.

Filming in the street or a public place?

Filming for media production in Dubai needs a permit, requested on the portal of the Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC), which reports to the Dubai Media Council since December 2024. You also need approval from whoever manages the location, public or private. Plan for this if your area guide shows streets or the beach. Our guide to the filming permit in Dubai covers the steps.

FAQ

Do I need a Trakheesi permit for an Instagram or TikTok property video?

Yes, if the video promotes a property or a project. RERA Circular 2-2022 covers social media and property portals. The video must show the permit number, the QR code and the name of the agency.

How much does a real estate ad permit cost in Dubai?

The official DLD service page lists AED 1,000 per permit and AED 5,000 for a project launch event, plus an AED 20 Knowledge and Innovation fee. The stated processing time is 1 working day. Check the exact fee in Trakheesi when you apply.

Who applies for the permit: the agent or the brokerage?

The brokerage. The DLD service page lists the applicant as a company, and the RERA broker guide puts the permit on brokerages. Your brokerage applies in Trakheesi with the Form A number, and you still need a valid broker card.

What must an off-plan video show?

On top of the permit number, the QR code and the agency name, it must show the developer name, the project name, the project number, the project location and the approved escrow account number. These items come from RERA Circulars 2-2022 and 02-2023 (for the QR code).

What is the fine for a property ad without a permit or QR code?

Circular 1-2020 sets a fine of at least AED 50,000, doubled for a repeat violation. QR code Circular 02-2023 sets the fine at AED 50,000. In 2020, DLD said sanctions can go as far as cancelling the company licence.

How long should a real estate video be?

We suggest 30 to 60 seconds in vertical for a property tour and 15 to 30 seconds for a Meta ad. Keep long formats of 2 to 8 minutes for YouTube and investor presentations. Then adjust with your own numbers.

Sources

• DLD: Real Estate Ad Permit service
• RERA: Circular 2-2022 on real estate ads
• RERA: Circular 02-2023 on QR codes
• RERA: Circular 1-2020 on promotional campaigns
• RERA: Circular 02-2025 for developers
• RERA: Circular 01-2022 on Form A
• RERA: Circular 02-2026 on cold calling
• RERA: Real Estate Brokerage Practice Guide 2024
• DLD: Trakheesi User Manual 2025
• DLD: broker practice card
• DLD: Madmoun service
• DLD: AI monitoring of ads (2025)
• DLD: fines on 30 companies (2024)
• DLD: fines on 256 brokers (2024)
• DLD: advertising violations (2020)
• Dubai Legislation Portal: Resolution No. 16 of 2012 (DFTC)
• National Media Authority: advertiser permit
• Bayut: TruBroker Stories
• Gulf News: Bayut launches TruBroker Stories (July 2025)