Identifying the beneficial owner
Where the buyer is a company, you must reach the natural persons behind it through the full ownership chain.
Sectors under AML supervision
AML Compliance for Real Estate Brokers and Agents
Large transactions, multiple parties. We build a practical framework that does not slow your deals.
UAE real estate is among the most attractive sectors for investment, and that is precisely what exposes it. A property transaction is high in value, infrequent, and involves several parties — broker, seller, buyer, and sometimes companies holding on behalf of others.
Real estate AML compliance therefore concentrates on two questions: who is the real beneficial owner behind the purchasing company, and where did the money come from? Answering them is not an administrative step but a documented enquiry.
We build a framework that answers both inside your normal workflow, so compliance does not become an obstacle that delays closing and costs you deals.
What your business must do
Source of funds verification
Understanding and documenting the buyer's source of wealth and the source of funds for this specific transaction — two different things.
Enhanced due diligence
Stronger measures for politically exposed persons and buyers from higher-risk jurisdictions.
Record keeping
Retaining due-diligence documentation for the prescribed period so it can be retrieved on request.
Registration and reporting
Registering on goAML and reporting suspicious activity.
Broker training
Your sales team meets the client first; training them on the indicators is a necessity, not a luxury.
Risk indicators in this sector
- Full cash purchase with no bank financing
- Newly formed companies buying high-value property
- A buyer who neither views the property nor negotiates on price
- Transfers from third parties with no apparent connection to the buyer
- Rapid resale at an unexplained price difference
Our services for this sector
Frequently asked questions
Does this cover leasing or only sales?
Scope attaches to the nature of the activities you carry out for clients. We assess your specific activities and confirm what applies.
Will this slow down our closings?
Not if the framework is designed around your workflow. We set tiered procedures so enhanced measures apply only where the case calls for them.
Who bears responsibility, the broker or the seller?
Your obligations as a broker stand on their own and are not discharged by the presence of other parties in the transaction.