Aldar has become the first developer in Abu Dhabi to complete mortgage financing on an off-plan property under a newly launched framework from the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), a move that gives buyers a clearer path to financing before their homes are handed over.
The framework allows a financing bank to be formally named on the mortgage registration certificate ahead of handover, closing a gap that previously left off-plan buyers without a formal, registered mortgage record until their property was complete.
How the financing works
Under the new rules, customers who have paid 50 percent of the purchase price can arrange a mortgage against their off-plan property. The bank then funds the remaining installments as well as the final handover payment. The 50 percent threshold reflects UAE Central Bank regulation, which requires that level of payment before a customer becomes eligible for off-plan mortgage financing.
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) supported the initial transactions as the mortgage bank, marking the first live use of the ADREC service in the market.
Aldar also offers its own in-house mortgage advisory service, Home Finance by Aldar, which is available to customers without fees and helps buyers navigate off-plan financing options.
What ADREC says the framework changes
Ghazi Saeed Alateibi, Executive Director – Real Estate Transaction Sector at ADREC, said the completed registration shows the service is now operating in live market conditions. "The completion of this registration demonstrates ADREC's off-plan mortgage registration service in live market use. By enabling mortgage interests in eligible off-plan real estate units to be recorded in the Initial Real Estate Register, the service strengthens transparency and provides greater clarity and protection for buyers, developers and financial institutions," he said.
Alateibi added that the service is not limited to a single developer or bank. "The service is available on a market-wide basis to participating institutions that meet the relevant requirements, supporting a secure and well-regulated off-plan market in Abu Dhabi," he said.
Aldar's view on market growth
Faisal Falaknaz, Chief Financial and Sustainability Officer at Aldar, linked the framework to Abu Dhabi's broader growth as a property destination. "As Abu Dhabi continues to develop as a leading global business and lifestyle destination, its real estate market is growing in both appeal and sophistication. The new off-plan mortgage framework introduced by ADREC marks an important step in further enhancing the transparency and accessibility of the market," he said.
For buyers, the practical effect is a more formal financing trail during construction: a named bank on the mortgage certificate, a registered mortgage interest recorded in the Initial Real Estate Register, and a structured process for covering remaining payments through to handover. Because the service is open to other participating banks and developers that meet ADREC's requirements, similar off-plan mortgage registrations are expected to follow across Abu Dhabi's property market.