What does that word mean?
The terms you'll meet buying in Abu Dhabi, in a sentence or two each, with a link to the guide that covers them.
Which words come up most?
The ones in agreements, bank letters and agent messages. Each links to the guide that explains it in full.
- ADGM
- Abu Dhabi Global Market, the financial free zone. Since January 2025 it also registers property on Al Reem Island, instead of the main Abu Dhabi registry. Can foreigners buy?
- ADREC
- The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, the government body that regulates the property market. It approves service charges, licenses brokers and publishes the official market figures. Market updates
- DARI
- Abu Dhabi's official online real estate platform, where sales, mortgages and leases are processed and registered. Renting it out
- DMT
- The Department of Municipalities and Transport, an Abu Dhabi government department. Some official property documents, such as registrations used for the Golden Visa, go through it. Golden Visa
- Early settlement fee
- What a bank charges if you pay off your mortgage early, for example when you sell. UAE Central Bank rules cap it at 1% of what you owe or Dh10,000, whichever is less. Selling
- Escrow account
- A bank account each off-plan project must have, run by an approved trustee. Your instalments go into it and are released to the developer as building progresses. Off-plan or ready?
- Freehold
- Owning a property and the land it stands on outright, with no end date. Foreigners can buy freehold in Abu Dhabi's investment zones. Can foreigners buy?
- Golden Visa
- A 10-year residence visa for property investors with at least Dh2 million of their own money in Abu Dhabi property. It also covers your spouse and children. Golden Visa
- Gross yield
- A year's rent divided by the price, before any costs. Net yield is what's left after service charges, fees and empty months, and is always lower. Renting it out
- Handover
- The day a finished off-plan home is handed to the buyer and the keys change hands. Check the home for defects before you accept it. Off-plan or ready?
- Investment zone
- An area the government has designated where foreigners can own property freehold, such as Yas, Saadiyat and Al Reem islands. Can foreigners buy?
- Loan to value (LTV)
- How much a bank lends as a share of the property's value. Expats can borrow up to 80% on a first home worth Dh5 million or less, so the deposit is at least 20%. Mortgages
- Long lease
- The right to use a property for a fixed period, up to 99 years, without owning the land. This is what foreigners can usually hold outside the investment zones. Can foreigners buy?
- MOU
- Memorandum of understanding: the agreement buyer and seller sign on a resale home, setting the price, deposit and timeline. Pulling out after signing can cost you the deposit. How to buy
- NOC
- No objection certificate: the developer's confirmation that a home's service charges are paid and it can be sold. The seller usually pays for it. How to buy
- Off-plan
- Buying a home from the developer before it's finished, usually paying in stages as it's built. Off-plan or ready?
- Payment plan
- A developer's schedule for paying for an off-plan home in instalments, often tied to building stages or handover. Off-plan or ready?
- Pre-approval
- A bank's provisional agreement to lend you a set amount, before you choose a property. It tells you your real budget. Mortgages
- Registration fee
- The fee for registering a sale in Abu Dhabi: 2% of the price, often split between buyer and seller. Buying costs
- Resale
- Buying a finished home from its current owner rather than from the developer. Also called a ready or secondary home. How to buy
- Service charge
- The yearly bill for running your building or community, set per square foot and approved by ADREC. You pay it every year you own the home. Service charges
- SPA
- Sale and purchase agreement: the contract you sign with the developer when you buy off-plan. How to buy
- TAMM
- Abu Dhabi's government services platform. You can use it, as well as DARI, to register a lease. Renting it out
- Tawtheeq
- Abu Dhabi's tenancy registration system. Every lease must be registered on it, or the tenant can't connect water and electricity. Renting it out
- Title deed
- The official record that you own the property, issued when the sale is registered. It costs Dh1,000. Buying costs
- Valuation
- The bank's own assessment of what a property is worth. It lends against this figure, not the price you agreed, so a low valuation means a bigger deposit. Mortgages
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