On 4 September 2026 Aldar Properties and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) closed Abu Dhabi's first off-plan mortgage under a new ADREC framework. For the first time the regulator lets a bank be formally named on the mortgage certificate of an off-plan unit before handover. The buyer pays 50% of the price and the bank funds the remaining instalments and the final handover payment; rates start from 3.49% p.a. fixed for three years.
What ADREC actually changed
The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC, adrec.gov.ae) — the emirate's state real-estate regulator — introduced a service to record mortgage interests on off-plan units in the Initial Real Estate Register. In plain terms: the financing bank can now be formally named on the mortgage certificate of an under-construction property before handover. Previously the bank's interest could only be recorded after handover — the moment when the buyer had already paid most of the price and could face mortgage rejection or worse terms.
Executive director of ADREC Ghazi Saeed Alateibi stated the regulatory logic directly:
«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.»
Deal mechanics: 50/50 and a rate from 3.49%
The framework works as follows:
- The buyer independently pays 50% of the property price on the developer's standard schedule.
- Once the 50% mark is reached, they can arrange a pre-approved mortgage covering the remaining instalments and the final handover payment.
- Under Home Finance by Aldar, rates start from 3.49% p.a., fixed for the first three years.
- The bank is formally recorded on the mortgage certificate before handover, not after it.
For the buyer this delivers three things at once: financing certainty at the point of purchase, preserved liquidity during construction (capital is not fully locked into the project), and removal of mortgage risk at handover. Previously some buyers were caught out by mortgage rejection or worse pricing after they had already invested 60–80% of the property value.
Home Finance by Aldar: six-bank panel, free of charge
Home Finance by Aldar is the developer's mortgage advisory service; it is free of charge to the buyer. The panel includes six banks — both Islamic and conventional:
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) — the first bank to close a deal under the new ADREC framework;
- First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB);
- Emirates NBD;
- Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB);
- Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB);
- Emirates Islamic.
The presence of Islamic banks in the panel means buyers can choose between a conventional mortgage and a Sharia-compliant structure (Ijara, Murabaha, Diminishing Musharaka) under the same ADREC framework.
Aldar's position: market accessibility
Aldar CFO Faisal Falaknaz commented on the framework:
«The new off-plan mortgage framework introduced by Adrec marks an important step in further enhancing the transparency and accessibility of the market.»
Aldar is one of Abu Dhabi's largest developers, with a portfolio concentrated in the emirate's principal investment zones where foreigners can hold freehold: Al Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Al Reem Island, Fahid Island and Al Hudayriyat Island. Per ADREC's H1 2026 data, off-plan accounts for 89% of transaction value and 82% of transaction count in the emirate's residential market — the new framework addresses the main flow of demand.
What this means for Golden Visa investors
Investors pursuing UAE residency via real estate care about two things. First — the ICP threshold of AED 2 million per property or across a portfolio, which counts toward mortgaged properties from approved banks and off-plan units from approved developers. Second — the predictability of financing: if an off-plan mortgage is formally recorded on the certificate up front, the investor knows financing terms from day one and does not risk rejection at the final stage.
Against the backdrop of ADREC expanding the number of investment zones to 50 in 2026 (with 8 added this year), and off-plan taking 89% of the market, an off-plan mortgage under an ADREC framework was the missing financial instrument. Full methodology for calculating property yield — including gross vs net yield and service-charge assumptions — is set out in Dubai real estate yield in 2026; the approach applies to Abu Dhabi with adjustments for local tariffs. A detailed breakdown of the property-based Golden Visa (AED 2 million threshold, eligible formats, mortgage, off-plan) is in UAE Golden Visa 2026: key changes.
Practical takeaways
- Off-plan buyers in Abu Dhabi: discuss with the developer whether the specific project qualifies under the ADREC framework, and secure mortgage pre-approval once the 50% mark is reached — before the final handover quarter.
- Golden Visa investors: an off-plan unit from an approved developer with a mortgage from an approved bank counts toward the AED 2 million threshold; the new mechanism makes this route more predictable.
- Expats planning relocation: the off-plan-with-partial-mortgage route preserves liquidity during construction and removes mortgage risk at handover.
- Investors comparing Abu Dhabi with Dubai: Abu Dhabi has just gained a regulatory shift not yet mirrored in Dubai — off-plan mortgage with the bank formally named on the certificate before handover.
What comes next
The first deal is closed, but Aldar and ADCB have not publicly disclosed either the typical mortgage package size or a target number of deals in 2026. Two parameters worth watching: how many other Abu Dhabi developers join the framework (only Aldar is announced so far) and how quickly the other five banks in the Home Finance by Aldar panel bring their own products under the new mechanism to pilot transactions.
This material is for information only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. For current mortgage terms, borrower requirements and registration rules please consult your bank, the developer and the official ADREC resource (adrec.gov.ae).
