Before asking how much deposit is needed, define what the person requesting it means. A reservation payment, a contract deposit and the cash contribution required alongside a mortgage are different concepts. Confusing them can double count the same payment or leave a funding gap.
This article is a preparation guide, not legal, financial or investment advice. It does not establish a universal deposit percentage, fee budget or borrowing entitlement.
Separate four questions
| Question | Evidence needed |
|---|---|
| What money is available? | Current evidence of funds and any access restrictions |
| Where did it come from? | Relevant source documents requested by the legitimate recipient |
| What loan is approved? | The lender's decision, conditions and applicable property assessment |
| What is payable, and when? | The purchase agreement and a dated cost schedule |
An account may contain money that cannot be released before a required payment date. A mortgage indication may still depend on the buyer, property and lender conditions. Keep those limitations visible.
Confirm what the recipient actually needs
Ask who requires the evidence, for what purpose, in what format and through which secure channel. A seller's request and a bank's underwriting process need not use the same document set.
As one provider example, ADCB's standard mortgage page lists bank statements and a source of down payment declaration within its documentation requirements, with different lists for applicant categories. This is not a universal checklist or approval promise.
Do not send full bank records to an unverified contact or upload private documents to a public property listing. Ask the authorised recipient what information must remain visible and whether redaction is acceptable. Never alter evidence to misrepresent a balance or source.
Calculate equity from the actual funding decision
A published maximum loan to value is a ceiling or product statement, not confirmation of the amount a bank will lend for a particular purchase. Use the lender's applicable valuation basis, approved amount and conditions.
The former broad category table has been removed because it did not accurately distinguish all borrower cases. This guide does not replace it with an unsupported universal percentage.
A hypothetical budget illustrates the method:
| Hypothetical input | AED |
|---|---|
| Agreed purchase price | 1,500,000 |
| Assumed approved loan | 1,100,000 |
| Price contribution outside that loan | 400,000 |
| Assumed separate purchase costs | 60,000 |
| Total buyer cash requirement in this example | 460,000 |
These are invented teaching inputs, not a valuation, lender offer or fee estimate. The calculation is 1,500,000 minus 1,100,000 plus 60,000.
If a hypothetical AED 100,000 contract deposit has already been paid and is confirmed as credited towards the price, the remaining cash in this example would be AED 360,000. It is not an extra AED 100,000 on top of the total. Confirm the actual contract treatment rather than assuming it.
Match amounts to payment dates
List each payment separately with its due date, recipient, purpose and funding source. Mark whether the money is available now, pending a transfer or dependent on another transaction.
Do not assume a future property sale, investment redemption or overseas transfer will complete in time. Confirm the release conditions and relevant bank processing requirements. This article does not recommend borrowing the deposit or disguising its origin.
For the expense categories, use the full purchase cost guide. Avoid a blanket percentage where written quotations are available.
Keep reservation and contract terms visible
For any reservation or deposit, confirm the payee's authority, what the payment secures, whether it is credited against the price, and the conditions governing refund or forfeiture. Have material terms reviewed before committing.
A developer instalment schedule is not itself a mortgage approval. A proposed bank loan is not proof that future instalments can be met. Keep the two cash schedules separate until the funding arrangement is confirmed.
Jurisdiction also matters. ADGM's real estate services cover Al Maryah and Al Reem. Use the appropriate transfer and document process for the exact property.
Produce a short, traceable readiness summary
Record the agreed price, verified available cash, lender decision status, remaining conditions, costs and next payment date. Keep supporting financial documents private and accessible only through the appropriate process.
The result should say what is established and what remains conditional. Proof of funds supports a funding discussion; it does not certify legal eligibility, title, financing approval or completion.