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Home finance · 8 October 2026 · 6 min read

Compare the offer, not just the rate

Two banks can quote numbers that look close and still leave you with very different payments. The useful comparison is the whole offer, read the same way on both sides.

Start with the same loan

Ask every lender to price the same property, the same loan amount and the same term. A cheaper rate on a shorter fixed period, or on a smaller loan, is not a like-for-like offer. Write down the property value, the finance amount, the term and whether the rate is fixed or variable before you look at the monthly figure.

In the UAE, how much a bank will lend also depends on the property, your residency and the rules in force at the time. Treat any loan-to-value figure on a brochure as a ceiling, not a promise. The bank still has to approve you, the property and the valuation.

Fixed, variable, and the years after

A fixed rate holds the profit or interest for a set number of years. After that, most offers move to a variable rate, often a benchmark plus a margin. The introductory years are easy to compare. The years after are where offers quietly diverge.

Ask three questions of each sheet. How long is the rate fixed? What is it linked to afterwards? Can the margin change, and who decides? If one bank is fixed for one year and another for three, the lower first-year number is not automatically the better deal.

Fees that move the real cost

Line the fees up in one column: arrangement or processing fees, valuation, property insurance, life cover if the bank requires it, and any fee for paying the finance off early. A rate that is a fraction lower can be overtaken by a large upfront fee or an expensive early-settlement charge if you expect to refinance or sell.

Also check whether the bank wants your salary transferred, and what happens to the rate if you do not. Some of the sharpest quotes are conditional. If the condition does not fit how you are paid, it is not your rate.

Read both offers on one page

Put the two offers side by side: amount, term, fixed period, follow-on rate, monthly payment, total fees and early-settlement cost. Then decide on the one you can live with for the whole term, not the one that wins the first year.

Maestro prepares that comparison across lenders and negotiates the terms before you commit. The figures on this site are examples. Your rate depends on the bank's approval.

General information from Maestro Financing Broker, Dubai. It is not a bank offer, and final terms depend on lender approval.