Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Ownership of Property in UAE

Basking in the warmth of the Persian Gulf, the Middle East houses the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which is made up of seven sovereign states aka emirates, namely: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al- Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al- Quwain. UAE is home to a unique amalgam of Islamic and western culture that produces a wonderfully modern country offering something to all. With its modern cities teeming with world-class facilities such as super-luxurious hotels, marvelous recreational destinations, and mouth-watering shopping places, UAE has become a major tourist hotspot and a prime relocation destination for world’s peoples.

The year 2002 brought a sweeping revolution in the UAE real estate sector when the foreigners were allowed to buy freehold Real estate in UAE for the first time ever. The very year marked the onset of the UAE property boom that has only gained momentum with the passage of years and till date shows no signs of slowing down. It was in Dubai that the property freehold decree was first issued by crown prince General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoom. The laws that followed further reinforced the ability of foreigners to own a freehold property in Dubai. The other emirates to follow suit were Ras Al Khaimah and then Ajman which allowed freehold property ownership in 2004.