A sale price is not the amount a seller receives. Build the calculation in three parts: selling charges, the debt settlement amount, and agreed completion adjustments. A single percentage estimate can hide a large mortgage balance or assume that someone else pays a charge which your agreement assigns to you.
This guide keeps the practical seller cost checklist and worked example, but does not present a citywide fee quote. The official sources were inspected on 2 October 2026. Confirm the property's applicable registration jurisdiction and current service requirements before acting. This is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice.
What selling actually costs, in one view
Use a dated cost sheet. For each line, record who charges it, the supporting document, who has agreed to pay and whether it is already included elsewhere. An unknown amount should stay marked as unresolved rather than becoming zero.
| Cost or cash movement | Evidence to obtain | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Brokerage charge | Applicable agreement and itemised invoice | Record your actual obligation and tax treatment |
| Registration and transfer services | Current service assessment and written allocation | Enter your share, not an assumed customary payer |
| Developer or manager administration | Applicable requirement and itemised statement | Verify the charge and basis before accepting it |
| Lender settlement | Dated statement and transaction instructions | Separate principal and fees where possible |
| Service charge or other adjustments | Account statement and agreed completion calculation | Identify debits, credits and the relevant period |
| Professional support | Scope, quotation and invoice | Include only services actually engaged |
| Preparation and moving | Your chosen budget and invoices | Keep discretionary spending visible |
No row means that every sale requires that service or has the same charge. A mortgaged sale, an unencumbered home and a transfer under a different registration regime need their own calculations.
Agency commission: document your actual obligation
The ADREC legislation page publishes Resolution 183 of 2017. Its sale commission provision specifies 2 percent with an AED 500,000 maximum. This is not proof that the seller always pays the whole amount or that a particular invoice is correct.
Before marketing, identify the contracting parties, services, payment trigger, tax treatment and any separate charges. Ask for clarification where an invoice differs from the agreement. Do not assume that an agency fee guarantees a stronger price or faster completion.
For a sale outside the applicable ADREC framework, establish the relevant rules separately. Do not copy Dubai practices into an Abu Dhabi cost sheet merely because an online example looks familiar.
Registration fees and who pays
The ADREC published Resolution 49 of 2018 fee schedule provides for equal sale fee allocation unless the parties agree otherwise. It sets a percentage framework; this article does not treat that extract as a current service quotation.
Obtain the actual assessment for the proposed transaction and document the agreed split. Distinguish the rate charged by the authority from the allocation between the parties. Negotiating who pays is not the same as negotiating the authority's fee.
Keep a copy of the assessment with its date and transaction reference. If the buyer agrees to pay a charge, show that assumption explicitly in your completion estimate and confirm that the signed documents reflect it.
Developer administration and professional support
Resolution 183 also limits the developer administrative fee exception to AED 5,000. A ceiling is not a standard invoice or proof that every claimed charge is payable.
Ask which clearance or document is required for this property and route, who issues it, its validity and the itemised amount. Do not assume an NOC is universally required or that a generic online price applies. Separate administration from arrears or other obligations shown on the account.
Professional support should have a written scope. Identify whether it includes document review, liaison, attendance or only administration. Check exclusions and duplicate charges before engaging it; paying a professional does not itself guarantee completion or eliminate risk.
Mortgage settlement and financing fees
A mortgage balance affects your sale proceeds, but principal repayment is not the same thing as a selling fee. Request transaction instructions and a dated settlement statement from your lender. Reconcile the amount against its validity date and avoid adding separately a fee already included in it.
ADCB's mortgage FAQ, inspected on 2 October 2026, distinguishes the outstanding loan amount and settlement fee in its procedure. It also publishes an early settlement charge. That is evidence of this bank's published policy, not a quote for every lender or loan.
Confirm the process with all relevant parties rather than assuming one universal sequence for releasing a charge and completing a transfer. If the expected sale proceeds do not cover settlement and other obligations, the negative equity calculation guide explains how to make the shortfall visible. It does not promise lender approval.
Service charges and completion adjustments
Use the actual account statement and agreed completion terms. Distinguish outstanding sums, advance payments and amounts that the parties have agreed to allocate. Do not assume that every charge is small, billed annually or automatically divided on the same date.
If a proposed credit covers an unused prepaid period, show the amount, period and calculation. If an item is disputed, identify it separately. A provisional estimate should not conceal disagreement by quietly assuming that the other party will pay.
For a tenanted property, tenant deposits and rent adjustments need separate treatment. A deposit held for a tenant is not automatically the seller's income. The tenanted property guide covers the document and completion questions.
Presentation spending and a worked example
Preparation is a choice, not a guaranteed return. Decide what is necessary for accurate presentation or an agreed sale condition, obtain quotes and keep optional improvements separate. Transaction records alone cannot prove how much a fresh paint job would add to your particular sale price.
Here is a fictional calculation, not a fee schedule, market estimate or quote. Assume an AED 2,000,000 sale and an all-inclusive lender settlement amount of AED 909,000. The remaining amounts below are invented solely to illustrate the arithmetic.
| Illustrative item | AED |
|---|---|
| Sale price | 2,000,000 |
| All-inclusive lender settlement | 909,000 |
| Separately payable brokerage invoice | 42,000 |
| Seller's agreed registration allocation | 20,000 |
| Other verified administration and professional invoices | 7,000 |
| Net completion debit | 3,000 |
| Preparation spending | 5,000 |
| Total deductions | 986,000 |
| Amount remaining after these deductions | 1,014,000 |
The calculation is 2,000,000 minus 909,000 minus 42,000 minus 20,000 minus 7,000 minus 3,000 minus 5,000, giving AED 1,014,000. The lender figure already includes any financing charge in this example; adding it again would double count it.
This is cash remaining after the listed deductions, not profit. An investment profit calculation would need the original acquisition cost and a clearly defined treatment of other historic cash flows. This example establishes no tax outcome.
Before accepting an offer, replace every invented amount with your own supported figure, record unresolved items and check whether the completion date changes the estimate. Obtain qualified advice for contractual, tax and financing decisions. The useful result is a reconciled statement, not a reassuring percentage.