Dubai Land Department Introduces New Requirements for Property Sale Ads.
Dubai: Property brokers in Dubai can no longer quickly post ‘Just Sold’ advertisements on social media as soon as a deal is completed. Instead, they must follow a proper process from now on.
This means that a ‘Just Sold’ ad can only be published after the property has been officially transferred to the new buyer, according to new rules set by the Dubai Land Department (DLD).
“The new circular from the DLD is specifically for brokerage houses and agencies to announce deals that have been signed and approved,” said Lewis Allsopp, Chairman of Allsopp & Allsopp Group. “It ensures that ‘Just Sold’ ads are only created after the transaction is officially completed. This regulation is important because it maintains transparency and integrity in the market for buyers, sellers, and investors. By advertising deals only after they are transferred, it protects buyers and sellers from any misleading information in the market.”
Be Careful with Property Advertisements:
Dubai authorities have made it clear that they will not tolerate any misleading advertisements related to property listings. Property brokers and brokerage houses must follow due processes and obtain permits before placing any ads. This strict approach now applies to ‘Just Sold’ ads as well.
Recently, Dubai’s real estate authorities have been closing gaps in how properties are advertised for sale or rent. They have taken strong actions against property brokers and agencies that violated the rules.
Sources in the property market say that the DLD is very committed to ensuring ‘full transparency’ throughout the entire process of buying and selling real estate in Dubai. “The new requirement for ‘Sold’ ads is logically correct and gives confidence to both buyers and sellers that the information they see is 100% accurate, meaning the properties advertised have indeed changed hands,” said Allsopp.
In the past, brokers and agencies often quickly posted ‘Just Sold’ ads as a way to promote themselves. Now, they can still do this, but only after the property has been legally transferred and all DLD data confirms the sale.
“While brokers or brokerages don’t need to seek approval to advertise sold properties, they must follow the new regulation or face possible consequences,” said Allsopp. “It’s important to note that brokers/brokerages must have obtained a permit for the initial property advertisement.”
Get Pre-Approval:
The DLD views this move as part of a series of stricter measures regarding property listings and how brokers or agencies handle them.
Introduction of Mandatory Advertising Permits:
For property listings, agents must obtain permits from RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency). “This ensures that every property advertisement has a permit before it’s posted,” said Allsopp. “This applies to all platforms, including social media.”
Brokers must apply for a permit through the Trakheesi system on the DLD website, which generates a unique ID for each listing. This ID verifies that the advertisement is legitimate and linked to a valid property listing agreement.
Strict Regulations on the Authenticity of Listed Properties:
RERA has also tightened the rules on what information brokers can include in any property advertisement. All details in the ad must accurately reflect the property itself.
“A common frustration for buyers and tenants in the past has been misleading ads, which wasted time and caused mistrust,” said Allsopp. “With the DLD’s actions, brokers posting such ads can face fines and penalties.”
Restrictions on the Number of Listing Agents:
RERA has created a rule for brokers regarding the posting of the same property multiple times or creating ‘ghost’ listings to attract clients. Now, each property can only be listed once by an authorized broker or company. Duplicate advertisements for the same property are banned. This rule ensures a more straightforward search process for buyers and tenants.
Have Dubai Property Listings Decreased?
According to property market sources, the strict new rules on property listings have led to a decrease in the number of listings. This is due to a ‘clean-up’ in how Dubai brokers handle listings, making them more cautious about what they can and cannot do.
Some industry experts say this has led to a drop in revenues for property portals as their listings have decreased.
However, Allsopp has a different perspective. “If we look at the overall Dubai property market, it’s hard to judge because of the number of new developments being handed over,” he added. “But in individual residential communities across the city, we now see fewer listings online and, more importantly, a significant increase in the quality and accuracy of listings online.”
“The problem hasn’t completely disappeared, and there is still work to be done, but the improvements have been significant.”
