FAQs
An escrow account is generally a third-party medium that holds the money transferred from the buyer until the merchant fulfills the escrow agreement. A failure to fulfill this agreement from the merchant results in the money being refunded to the buyer.
An escrow account in the UAE real estate market has a very specific function. According to escrow account laws, the developers of different projects have to open an escrow account for every project. Doing so allows for better regulation of the funding that project developers receive from their buyers for project construction.
Freehold property is a kind of property purchase that entitles a buyer to own the plot and the unit. That landowner is entitled to the title deed under their name. Freehold property is inheritable to an heir. Moreover, the owner holds the authority to occupy, lease, or sell the property.
The purpose of allowing freehold property purchases was to facilitate foreign investors and encourage them to invest in the UAE. This law allows expats to purchase freehold properties in Al Barsha, Emirates Hills, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Marina.
A proper power of attorney is a legal proxy that benefits property owners and buyers. According to the law, a person with the power of attorney can buy, sell, or transfer the possession of a property on the behalf of their client. The POA generally allows property sale, mortgage, and gifting. Typically, the validity of such type of POA is 2 years. On the other hand, the POA will be valid for five years in case it is attained for the property purchase. The date of notarization at the notary public is when this POA becomes valid.
Ejari stands for ‘my rent’. In Dubai, it is an electronic online registration system to register and regulate tenancy contracts. This system governs rental transactions and ensures that all contracts are law-abiding. Thanks to the Ejari system, Dubai is one of the most regulated rental markets in the world.
In case the property is being resold, the buyer and reseller have to sign an MOU. This MOU, or Memorandum of Understanding, defines the terms and conditions of the sale transaction between the buyer and reseller.
On the other hand, a SPA will be signed if the buyer purchases the property directly from the developer. SPA, or Sales Purchase Agreement, states all the terms and conditions about the sale transaction and is an essential document to be signed by the buyer and developer.
Here is an overview of the documents needed to list a property with ANW Real Estate:
Documents required for leasing:
Sales Purchase agreement (SPA) or Oqood or Title Deed
Owner-signed leasing form
Filled listing sheet
Signed passport copy of the owner
POA document and a signed passport copy of the POA
Documents required for sale:
Sales Purchase agreement (SPA) or Oqood or Title Deed
Owner-signed Form A
Filled listing sheet
Signed passport copy of the owner
POA document and a signed passport copy of the POA
**You will need a Certificate of Completion to get it verified by the Propertyfinder for newly handed over properties.
Oqood, the Arabic word for contracts, is an online service that Emirates Real Estate Solutions offers to developers. The purpose of this service is to help with property registration between buyers and developers.
DLD stands for Dubai Land Department, and it is a regulatory authority that oversees legislation and the organization of all properties and real estate. It also deals with all real estate transactions in Dubai.
DLD Waiver refers to the waiver of the DLD fee charged on the occasion of a property purchase. This fee constitutes 4% of the property value and should be paid by the buyer. In general, this fee is payable by the developer instead of the buyer.
Freehold refers to the complete property purchase, which results in the buyer’s name on the title deed. On the other hand, leasehold refers to getting a property on lease for a period ranging from 10 to 99 years. In other words, leasehold is not a complete property purchase.
DEWA stands for Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the department providing electricity and water supply in Dubai.