Special Post

Property valuation tells you what a property is reasonably worth at a specific point in time. That sounds simple, but valuation becomes critical when you are: buying; selling; applying for a mortgage; refinancing; transferring property; reviewing an investment; dealing with inheritance or another formal transaction. Abu Dhabi regulates real-estate valuation as a professional...

Yes. You can buy a property in Abu Dhabi while it is occupied by an existing tenant. But buying a tenanted property is different from buying a vacant property. The most important legal point is that a property sale does not automatically cancel the existing tenancy contract. Abu Dhabi tenancy rules state that when title to the leased property transfers to another person, the tenancy contract remains...

Property service charges are one of the most important ongoing ownership costs in Abu Dhabi. If you own an apartment, townhouse, villa or another unit within a jointly owned development, you may be required to contribute toward the cost of managing, operating, maintaining and repairing the development’s common areas. Under Abu Dhabi’s current jointly owned property regulations, each unit owner...

A title deed is one of the most important property ownership documents in Abu Dhabi. ADREC defines a title deed as a certificate issued by the Real Estate Registration Department based on the property cadastre, identifying the property’s location, boundaries, area and related registered details. Abu Dhabi law also makes registration fundamental: ownership and other real-estate rights are not...

Buying a property in Abu Dhabi involves more than the advertised purchase price. Depending on whether you are buying ready property, off-plan property or using a mortgage, your total acquisition budget may also include: property registration charges; ownership-transfer service fees; mortgage registration costs; bank valuation charges; brokerage commission; developer or administrative...

Owning property in Abu Dhabi does not mean you have to live in it. Your property can still work for you as: a long-term rental investment; a professionally managed asset; a second home; a future residence; a property held for capital appreciation; or an asset you eventually sell and reinvest elsewhere. The mistake is not owning a property you do not occupy. The mistake is...

Not while it is still genuinely off-plan and under construction. An off-plan property is a unit that has been sold before completion and is registered through Abu Dhabi's off-plan real-estate framework. ADREC treats project completion and handover as a later stage: only after the developer receives the Certificate of Completion does the formal handover process begin, including snagging and title deed...

Yes. In certain circumstances, a legal entity or company can own qualifying real estate in Abu Dhabi, but corporate ownership is not as simple as creating a company and putting any property under its name. The correct answer depends on: the company's legal form; where it is incorporated; its shareholders and beneficial owners; the property's location; whether the property is inside an...

Yes. Two or more people can own property together in Abu Dhabi, provided the ownership structure is legally permitted, the buyers are eligible to own the property, and the transaction is properly registered. Abu Dhabi's registration rules expressly recognize shared ownership. ADREC's registration regulation states that when an owner sells part of a property, the property is registered in common among...

Yes. An Abu Dhabi property can potentially be transferred to another eligible person as a gift, but gifting real estate is a formal ownership transaction—not simply handing someone the keys or signing a private letter. Abu Dhabi's real-estate registration regulations expressly recognize donation/gift transactions as dispositions that must be registered. The regulations also set specific conditions...