Off-plan questions people are afraid to ask

"What if the project is delayed?"

Be realistic: delays happen in off-plan, in the UAE and everywhere else. What matters is what happens to your money when they do.

In Abu Dhabi, your payments sit in a protected escrow account the developer can't freely touch, and the developer only draws money as they actually build. If a project is properly cancelled, the law requires refunds from escrow within 15 working days. So a delay is an inconvenience, not usually a loss of your money. Buy from a developer with a real track record and delays are far less likely in the first place.

"Can I sell before it's finished?"

Yes, often you can. Selling an off-plan unit before handover is called an assignment (some people say "flipping"). Usually you need to have paid a certain percentage of the price first, and you need the developer's approval (an NOC, or No-Objection Certificate), which normally carries a fee. Once that's done, the new buyer takes over the contract. Always check your SPA for the exact resale terms before you count on it.

"Can I get a mortgage on off-plan?"

Yes, but with limits set by the UAE Central Bank, and they apply across the whole country including Abu Dhabi.

• On off-plan, a bank will lend you at most 50% of the value. You cover the other half yourself.
• Banks usually only release mortgage money once the project is roughly 40% built, so the earliest instalments come from your own funds.

For a 25/75 plan like Reeman Residence 01, many buyers self-fund the early payments and arrange a mortgage closer to handover for the larger final amount.

"What are service charges?"

Once you own the home, you pay an annual service charge to maintain the shared parts of the building, lifts, lobbies, pools, security, cleaning, and so on. It's charged per square foot of your unit and set after handover, under ADREC oversight. It's a normal, ongoing cost of owning any apartment, not a hidden trap, but budget for it.

"Can a foreigner even own here?"

Yes. Under Abu Dhabi Law No. 19 of 2005 (expanded in 2019), foreign nationals can own property on a full freehold basis, meaning it's truly yours, inside Abu Dhabi's designated investment zones. Abu Dhabi now has around 50 such zones, and the number keeps growing. Freehold in these zones gives you the same ownership rights as a UAE national. If you want, we'll confirm the ownership status of a specific unit before you commit.

The simple version

Delays don't usually cost you your money, it's protected. You can often resell before handover with the developer's sign-off. Mortgages exist but cap at half the price on off-plan. Service charges are a normal yearly cost. And yes, foreigners can fully own freehold in Abu Dhabi's investment zones.