When you need a valuation
You will usually need a formal valuation for a mortgage application, probate or estate division, company or fund audits, or to set a defensible asking price before a sale. Each purpose has slightly different requirements, so it helps to tell the valuer up front why you need the report.
RICS Red Book and DLD framework vs a free appraisal
A certified valuation is a documented opinion of market value prepared to recognised standards, such as the RICS Red Book, within Dubai's DLD-regulated valuation framework, by a qualified or RERA-approved valuer. That is very different from a free appraisal: an agent's market estimate is useful for guidance but is not a certified figure that a bank, court or auditor will rely on.
What affects your property's value
Valuers weigh a combination of factors when assessing a Dubai property:
- Location and community, plus proximity to amenities and transport
- Floor level and view, which can materially change apartment values
- Size, layout and the condition or quality of finishes
- Service charges and the standard of building management
- Recent DLD transaction comparables for similar units
Mortgage valuations
When you buy with finance, the bank commissions an independent valuation and lends against the lower of the purchase price and the valuation. If the valuation comes in below the agreed price, you cover the gap from your own funds, which is why an accurate, independent figure protects you from overpaying.
Compare valuers through the directory
Match the valuer to your need, mortgage, sale or portfolio, and check that they hold the right accreditation. Browse the full directory, line up the right agent if you plan to sell or buy, or talk to an investment advisor about portfolio strategy.