
Mark’s £300K Dilemma: UK Property vs Dubai – Where Would You Invest?
Meet Mark, a 42-year-old British professional sitting on £300,000 in savings. After years of watching his UK pension fund crawl and the housing market stagnate, he decides it’s time to invest in real estate.

He has two choices:
Buy a flat in the UK – familiar, but slow returns and high taxes
Explore Dubai – newer market, but growing, tax-free, and globally in demand
Here’s what happens when Mark dives deeper.
Option 1: Buying Property in the UK

Property Price: £300,000
Stamp Duty + Legal Fees: ~£10,000
Rental Yield: ~3.5% = £10,500/year
Tax on Rental Income (20–40%): ~£2,000–£4,000/year
Council Tax + Maintenance: ~£2,000/year
Mortgage? Yes, but with high UK interest rates (now over 5%)
After 5 Years:
Gross earnings: ~£52,500
Net after tax and expenses: ~£35,000–£38,000
Capital Gains Tax & 40% Inheritance Tax apply
House price growth in UK (2023–2024): just -1.3% (Nationwide)
Net outcome: Low yield, high tax, limited growth.
Option 2: Investing in Dubai Real Estate

Mark considers Dubai—and he’s surprised by the flexibility.
20% Down Payment = ~£60,000
NO mortgage needed upfront
Monthly plan: Pay the rest 30–50% over 2–5 years
Post-handover: Flip it, rent it, or take a mortgage
Rental Yield: 8–10% = ~£24,000/year on full value
No Stamp Duty, No Income Tax, No Property Tax
Property price growth in Dubai (2023): 19% average (CBRE)
2024 forecast: 9–12% growth (Knight Frank)
After 5 Years:
£120,000 earned tax-free
Potential resale gain of 20–30%
No inheritance or capital gains tax
Mortgage can be activated later to release cash
Mark realises: Dubai is not just property—it's a strategy.
What Convinced Mark?
UK real estate has stalled
Dubai offers flexibility, zero taxes, and rental demand
He only needs to deploy 20% now and can build the asset gradually
Future exit options: resale, mortgage, or high-yield rental
Brighton to Burj – Built by Someone Like Mark
Mark didn’t know the Dubai market. Until he found Brighton to Burj, a boutique real estate advisory founded by Amit, a British national who lived in the UK for 15+ years.
Amit understood the real pain points:
Inheritance tax
Stamp duty
Market fatigue
Mortgage stress
Legal confusion overseas
Brighton to Burj offers end-to-end guidance tailored for UK-based investors.