Is below original price the same as below market value?
No. It compares the current asking price with this unit’s supported original contracted price. Market value requires separate current evidence.
Below Original Price Methodology for Dubai Listings
“Below original price” is a factual comparison, not a synonym for motivated seller, below market or good value. We use the label only when the original contracted property price and the current asking price can be supported and compared on the same basis.
1. Define the comparison
The default formula is: original contracted property price minus current asking price. Percentage below original price equals that difference divided by the original contracted property price. The calculation is shown only when both figures are positive, attributable to the same unit and still current.
2. Evidence accepted for the original price
- Signed sale and purchase agreement or official contract schedule
- Developer statement or reservation record clearly tied to the unit
- Oqood or other official record where the relevant price is shown
- Seller-provided evidence that can be checked against the property identity
A brochure launch price, portal advertisement, nearby unit or salesperson recollection is not the original contracted price of this unit.
3. Align what is included
Check whether either figure includes DLD fees, agency fees, upgrades, furniture, parking, storage, incentives, service charges, assignment fees or payment-plan benefits. If the bases differ, disclose the difference or do not publish a percentage.
4. Separate three different claims
| Claim | Evidence basis |
|---|---|
| Below original price | This unit’s supported contracted price versus its current asking price |
| Below recent transaction evidence | Relevant DLD transactions adjusted for unit and timing differences |
| Below competing asking stock | Current comparable listings, which are advertisements rather than completed sales |
These claims must never be merged into one unsupported “market value”.
5. Quality controls before publication
- Match unit, project, property type and size
- Record evidence source and checked date privately
- Confirm the current asking price and availability
- Calculate from raw figures rather than typed percentages
- Disclose material inclusions or exclusions
- Remove or update the claim when evidence or status changes
6. What the method does not prove
A verified reduction from original price does not prove the property is below current market value, financeable, free of liabilities or suitable for a buyer. The original buyer may have contracted at a high or low price, and current value depends on unit-specific and market evidence.
7. How to use the site’s area and project pages
After checking a listing’s comparison basis, browse its linked area, community, developer and building/project page. These links provide context and current inventory; they do not replace an independent valuation.
Official source: DLD Real Estate Data ↗
Continue with the seller resource cluster
Questions, answered
Are DLD fees included in the saving?
Only if the comparison explicitly uses the same basis on both sides. Otherwise fees and incentives are disclosed separately.
Can a listing claim below original price without the SPA?
Only where another reliable unit-specific record supports the contracted price. A brochure or nearby unit is not enough.