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Villas for Sale in Abu Dhabi

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Villas for Sale in Abu Dhabi

Below are the villas for sale in Abu Dhabi.

What’s the difference between freehold and leasehold properties in Abu Dhabi?

The two main kinds of property agreements in Abu Dhabi are freehold and leasehold properties. Whereas a leasehold agreement only permits an individual to occupy a certain property for an agreed-upon period. Freehold ownership on the other hand allows foreigners to own properties in Abu Dhabi indefinitely and grants them the freedom to embark on the alterations they please to make.

Leasehold tenants are limited in what they can do with the property and have to gain the owner's permission to make any changes to the property.

It is important to note that ownership on a leasehold basis could be for shorter than 99 years depending on the type of agreement. Furthermore, the land on which the property is found is not part of the ownership scheme. Finally, ownership on a freehold basis is only applicable to certain areas in Abu Dhabi at the discretion of the local government.

The types of leasehold property contracts from the past

Freehold contracts were introduced in 2019. Before that, there were four different kinds of leasehold agreements that expatriates could use to own properties temporarily in Abu Dhabi. They are as follows:

99 year leasehold agreements

This kind of agreement allows expats to own a property for 99 years after which they lose ownership of that property.

Mustaha leasehold agreements

Mustaha freehold means the property is owned by the new owner for 50 years with the ability to make changes to the property during that period, with the option of renewing this contract at the end of the period.

Usufruct leasehold agreements

Usufruct leasehold contracts allow foreigners to hold properties for 99 years without property alteration privileges.

25 year leasehold agreements

This option was the minimal leasehold ownership scheme and it allowed expats to own properties on a leasehold basis for a minimum of 25 years.

Sidenote: It’s worth noting that individuals with Mustaha or Usufruct agreements can now make changes to their current property, mortgage, or dispose of the property as of 2019 and for 10 years after that date.

The types of villas for sale in Abu Dhabi

The villas for sale in Abu Dhabi range from 2-bedroom to 6-bedroom villas and come in all shapes and types. Below are some of the known villa types in Abu Dhabi.

Ready-to-move-in villas

These villas have already been built and are ready to move in. They are usually characterized by high prices and an abundance of amenities and nearby attractions.

Furnished villas

These kinds of villas come with furnishing. There are two types of furnished villas, they are fully-furnished and semi-furnished. Fully furnished means that new owners won’t need to buy any new furniture as all the furnishing requirements are already present. With semi-furnished properties, only kitchen cupboards, bedroom wardrobes, fans & lights are included. Some owners will include a few beds or sofas.

Un-furnished villas

Un-furnished villas come with no furniture and the new owner will need to purchase and move those in.

Offplan villas

Off-plan villas are villas that are still under construction or are still being planned for. These are best for investors as these properties cost less when they are being built, and their value rises with every passing construction milestone. Furthermore, there are instances where villas in highly sought-after projects make incredible jumps in value in only a few months.

 

Water-front villas

Any villa in Abu Dhabi that is located in front of a body of water is considered a waterfront villa. Famous examples include the villas available in Reem Hills, Saadiyat Lagoons, as well as the northern parts of Yas Acres.

Golf-front villas

Another popular type of villa in Abu Dhabi is the golf-front villa. There are an endless number of grand golf courses in Abu Dhabi and most of them happen to be surrounded by villas. A few examples of these communities are Yas Acres, Mayan Yas Island, and Golf Gardens.

Green villas

A relatively new villa type that is spreading quickly is the green villa. These are villas that were built in a sustainable manner and usually employ renewable energy in the functioning of the villa. A good example will be the villas in Yas Island’s Sustainable City complex. Developers such as Aldar are working hard to include these features in a majority of their new project launches such as Yas Park Gate.

The expenses of buying a villa in Abu Dhabi

There are several expenses you need to be aware of when buying a villa in Abu Dhabi, they are as follows:

  • The Abu Dhabi Municipality fee.
  • The agency fee.
  • An administrative fee paid to the villas developer.
  • The service charges paid to the villas developer.

Villas for Sale in Abu Dhabi FAQ

To buy a villa in Abu Dhabi follow these steps:

1. Find the right villa by using a trusted real estate agency in Abu Dhabi.

2. Visit the villa for a viewing to see how you like it in person.

3. Sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) contract with the landlord and pay your agency 2% of the property’s value as an agency fee.

4. Pay another 2% of the property’s value to the Abu Dhabi Municipality (ADM) for the transfer of the property to your name.

5. Pay a cheque to the seller after which your agent will book a transfer of the property.

6. Receive an ownership certificate from the developer after you pay an administrative fee. In some cases, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) may be required.

The best villa communities in Abu Dhabi for the first half of 2023 is as follows:

Expats can buy villas in Abu Dhabi in the following areas:

Villa investments in Abu Dhabi are highly profitable and worth the effort. ROIs for villas in Abu Dhabi range from 7% to 12%. Furthermore, Abu Dhabi has been crowned the safest city in the world for a second consecutive year by Numbeo. With the sheer number of development projects planned for Abu Dhabi, the star of the city will not stop shining. It isn’t hard to pinpoint why real estate investors are flocking to this modern emirate.

 

The best way to acquire cheap villas is to invest in an off-plan villa in Abu Dhabi. If you are after a ready-to-move-in-villa then consider the following areas:

  • Al Reef
  • Hydra Village
  • Al Raha Gardens
  • Mohammed bin Zayed City
  • Khalifa City A

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