Sector Expertise

Real Estate

UAE real estate — developers, brokers, mortgage intermediaries, property managers, REITs and family offices holding investment property — operates inside one of the most actively regulated environments in the country.

9% Corporate Tax
5% Commercial VAT
0% 1st Sale Residential

What we handle for you

  • IFRS 15 revenue recognition — off-plan & over-time
  • RERA escrow account reconciliation
  • VAT — residential, commercial & mixed-use
  • IAS 40 investment property — fair value vs cost
  • Mortgage broker & commission accounting
  • Corporate Tax — developer, broker & investor
About the Sector

What makes Real Estate different

Real estate rewards patient capital. But the accounting must keep up with both the patience and the capital — from off-plan sales recognition to escrow scrutiny and complex VAT rules.

IFRS 15 Off-Plan Revenue Recognition

Revenue recognition depends on contractual enforceability, right to payment, construction progress and whether the asset has alternative use.

RERA Escrow Compliance Is Non-Negotiable

Project costs, escrow withdrawals, sales receipts and construction progress must reconcile cleanly for regulatory and audit review.

VAT on Real Estate Is Intricate

Residential, commercial and mixed-use developments can carry different VAT treatments across the same project.

Investment Property Policy Choice Drives P&L

IAS 40 fair value versus cost treatment affects reported profit, tax planning, dividends and investor reporting.

Common Challenges

Where the books actually hurt

Accounting bottlenecks that create legal, tax and audit risk for UAE real estate businesses.

01

IFRS 15 Revenue Recognition — Off-Plan Sales

Weak SPA wording or missing legal opinions can force point-in-time recognition, deferring revenue and creating major P&L volatility.

02

RERA Escrow Account Management

Escrow withdrawals, sales receipts, project costs and milestone progress must be reconciled accurately to avoid compliance issues.

03

VAT — Residential, Commercial & Mixed-Use

First supply, second supply, commercial units, mixed-use projects and service charges each require correct VAT treatment.

04

IAS 40 Investment Property — Fair Value vs Cost

The investment property policy choice affects reported profits, dividend planning, tax positions and investor communication.

05

Corporate Tax — Developer, Broker & Investor Structures

Rental yields, capital gains, trading profits, free-zone structures and entity ownership need careful Corporate Tax planning.

Our Services

How Map My Books fixes it

A complete accounting, tax and advisory function built around the way real estate businesses actually work.

Full-Stack Accounting & Bookkeeping

We run project-level ledgers from land cost through development cost, escrow movement, sales contracts, handover and rental-roll reconciliation.

Tax & Compliance — VAT, CT

We handle VAT treatment, mixed-use apportionment, CT structures for brokers and real estate businesses.

Audit & Assurance

We prepare IFRS 15 revenue memos, escrow reconciliations, audit packs and fair-value disclosures with valuation support.

Advisory & CFO Services

We provide project cash-flow dashboards, IRR tracking, sales velocity, rental-yield analytics and exit-tax planning.

Speak to a sector specialist

Tell us about your real estate business, projects, escrow needs and tax challenges. We’ll come back to you within one working day.