Masdar City companies to be allowed Dubai property ownership

New framework will define eligibility criteria and legal and administrative procedures

Dubai's property market has been booming in recent years, having benefitted from government initiatives. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Abu Dhabi's Masdar City and the Dubai Land Department have teamed up to allow the former's free zone companies to own properties in Dubai, in a bid to boost real estate investment across the UAE.

The two entities will work on developing a comprehensive regulatory framework for the programme, which will help Masdar companies own plots and properties under the freehold system, the DLD said on Thursday.

Freehold properties are those in which an individual owns both the property and the land it is built upon.

The framework will define the eligibility criteria, and legal and administrative procedures that will “ensure direct co-ordination between the DLD and the free zone authority”, the DLD said.

“By simplifying property registration processes for companies operating within Masdar City’s free zones, we are enabling them to expand their operations seamlessly while contributing to the UAE’s long-term growth, said Ahmed Baghoum, chief executive of Masdar City.

Dubai's property market has been booming in recent years, having benefitted from government initiatives such as residency permits for retired and remote workers, expansion of the 10-year golden visa programme and overall growth in the UAE’s economy on diversification efforts.

Ahmed Baghoum, chief executive of Masdar City, left, and Majid Al Marri, chief executive of the Dubai Land Department's real estate registration sector, at the signing ceremony.

This month, a new scheme was also launched to help Emiratis and UAE residents who do not own any freehold residential property in the emirate get on the property ladder.

Under the initiative, first-time buyers will have priority access to new homes from participating developers as well as existing inventory, discounts or limited-time offers on the sales price of off-plan units, flexible payment plans and “improved” mortgage options with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees.

The DLD expects 5,000 new investors to enter the market this year following the initiative.

On Sunday, the Dubai Media Office said that the volume and value of real estate transactions in Dubai rose sharply in the first half of the year, amid the entry of more than 59,000 new investors into the market, according to DLD data.

On Wednesday, property consultancy Knight Frank showed that more than 51,000 homes were sold in Dubai in the second quarter of 2025, which was a year-on-year increase of 22.8 per cent, marking a quarterly record amid strong demand from buyers.

Total home sales surpassed 94,000, putting the market firmly “on track to exceed” 169,000 transactions recorded in 2024, it added.

“We continue to expand access to Dubai’s freehold market through collaborative models that enhance the integration of the real estate ecosystem across the UAE,” said Majid Al Marri, chief executive of the DLD's Real Estate Registration Sector in Dubai.

“Enabling companies registered in free zones to own property in the emirate aligns with our vision of building a more open investment environment that offers diverse ownership options.”