Fake Property Listings In Abu Dhabi Vanish As Authorities Roll Out Madhmoun

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

For years, house-hunters in Abu Dhabi have chased listings that didn't exist, only to arrive at sold or misrepresented units. That frustration is finally easing thanks to the Madhmoun initiative, which has helped remove nearly 90 per cent of unverified property listings from major portals, including Property Finder, Bayut, and Dubizzle.

"We are very grateful for Madhmoun because it has reduced a lot of fake listings, especially on Property Finder,” said Lee Bekker, a broker at Crompton Partners and property owner.“Previously, agents would use our property without consent just to get clickbait. Now, as owners, we can choose agencies as per our preference, and at least we know the listings are legitimate."

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The system also cut out wasted time; "When I was buying, I would often find a listing and when I inquired about it, they would say: 'oh sorry, it is sold',” she explained.“Now, what you see is what you get. And as owners, we're no longer overwhelmed with calls from people who aren't real buyers."

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Zabna Amer, an active real estate investor, said buyers also feel the difference.“It is now easier to surf for property, and agents will no longer use misleading approaches to hunt buyers. This gives the market more credibility.” While it is too early to say how the system will reflect on property values, she said“it has already made transactions more transparent.”

How Madhmoun works

Launched by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), Madhmoun is the region's first government-backed multiple listing service. Every property advertised must carry a permit issued through the DARI platform, which requires the owner's consent and limits each unit to a maximum of three brokers. The system removes duplicate or misleading adverts, ensures accurate pricing, and gives buyers confidence that what appears online is actually available.

From 75,000 to 20,000 listings

Before August 15, Abu Dhabi's major portals hosted around 75,000 property listings. That figure has now dropped to roughly 20,000.“All units without permits were removed, including duplicates and fake listings. Any listing where the owner didn't want to issue a permit came down,” said Ben Crompton, managing partner of Crompton Partners Estate Agents.

“Previously, you would often find misleading adverts - now every property has to be registered, which means what you see online is what you can actually buy or rent. That improves trust in the system.” He added that while the number of listings fell sharply, this is likely to be temporary.“As brokers and owners get used to the system, the number of listings will go up again.”

Cleaner marketplace

Property portals have welcomed the change. Cherif Sleiman, chief revenue officer at Property Finder, said:“Removing duplicates or expired listings collectively raises the bar for quality and accuracy. For buyers and renters, the experience becomes more reliable and transparent. For sellers and landlords, verified properties stand out in a cleaner, more credible marketplace.” Sleiman expects volumes to stabilise soon;“The current dip is a temporary adjustment. Once everyone adapts to the verification process, listings will bounce back - this time with higher quality as the foundation.”

The new regime has also introduced new costs for brokers and owners. Rachad Fouad, CEO of Capital Avenue Real Estate, said the market is now easier and cleaner to navigate but raised concerns.“The system is placing a financial burden on brokers, and owners are required to reveal too much private information - like how many units they own, their home address, and Tawtheeq details - before a listing goes live.”

Permit fees vary by duration and type:

• Rental permits range from Dh50 to Dh115 plus VAT (for one to three months).

• Sales permits cost Dh125 to Dh250 plus VAT.

• Off-plan projects are charged Dh25,000 per project per broker for a three-month permit.

“The rates are quite high for off-plan listings,” Fouad noted.“If you have 10 units to list, you end up paying a large sum until they sell - not everything sells immediately. The system is not only removing fake listings, it is also removing many real ones that are not yet under Madhmoun.”

Extending to ADGM

On August 21, the initiative was extended to Abu Dhabi's financial hub. The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) launched its own advertising permit service on the Access RP platform in collaboration with ADREC, meaning all adverts within ADGM's jurisdiction now require a permit.

The move underlined the capital's new direction, according to Crompton. “ADREC has attacked this problem with speed and tenacity. This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what they plan to implement to make Abu Dhabi one of the best regulated markets in the GCC.”

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