jordan pulse -

The Ministry of Government Communication has published the primary features of the 2026 Amended Real Estate Ownership Draft Law, which is set for discussion by the Parliamentary Legal Committee in the House of Representatives. The proposed bill outlines amendments aimed at streamlining and digitizing real estate procedures, accelerating transactions for sales, partitioning, and the resolution of joint ownerships, thereby reducing time, effort, and costs for citizens. Additionally, the draft aims to stimulate investment and bolster confidence in the property market by permitting off-plan sales, regulating property ownership for non-Jordanian nationals under specific guidelines, and providing periodic market indicators to reflect the real estate sector's status.

A cornerstone of the draft law is the accelerated resolution of joint-ownership disputes to activate unused real estate assets that have been stalled for years. To achieve this, the bill eliminates the previous requirement of absolute consensus among partners for partitioning properties. Instead, it allows partitioning with the consent of owners holding at least three-quarters (75%) of the property shares, provided the rights of the remaining co-owners are fully preserved. Furthermore, the amendments resolve legislative overlaps regarding joint-ownership resolution within agricultural units, aligning them with the Jordan Valley Development Law to prevent any duplication of regulatory applications.

In terms of modernization, the draft law pushes for a complete digital transformation by formalizing electronic sales, adopting electronic signature verification, and fully automating transactions including payments, partitioning, and sales. This shift is designed to alleviate the financial and procedural burdens associated with traditional paper publication. To further encourage investment, the bill permits off-plan sales and partitioning before physical construction even begins, backed by bank-approved allocation certificates.

The draft legislation also introduces stricter rules on eminent domain, legally obliging government entities, municipalities, and the Greater Amman Municipality to pay expropriation compensations within a maximum of five years. If payments are delayed, these entities must pay delayed-payment interest accrued for every year of delay. Additionally, it grants greater chronological flexibility to mortgage creditors in disposing of real estate by easing restrictions related to the buyer's status.

The Ministry highlighted that this draft law was formulated following a consultative approach, taking into account the feedback, opinions, and notes of citizens, investors, and relevant stakeholders prior to drafting the legislation, ensuring alignment with the objectives of the Economic Modernization Vision.

//Petra// AA