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The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre reported that real estate transactions in the emirate totalled AED117 billion in the first half of 2026, a 112 percent increase from the same period in 2025. Sales transactions reached AED86.1 billion across 16,838 deals, up 163.7 percent year on year, while mortgages stood at AED26.7 billion. Foreign direct investment surged 309 percent to AED13.8 billion, exceeding the full 2025 total, with investors from 116 nationalities taking part.
Residential sales contributed AED70.4 billion to the activity with off-plan deals making up 89 percent of the value, the centre’s mid-year report indicated. Resident expatriates and non-resident foreign buyers accounted for 70 percent of residential sales value during the period. Rashed Al Omaira, director general of the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre, said, “The first half of 2026 reflects a resilient market, supported by sustained demand, clear regulations, transparent data, and a balanced approach to supply and demand.”
The Dubai Land Department reported completion of 104 real estate projects valued at more than AED111 billion in the first six months of the year. That compared with 75 projects worth AED73 billion in the first half of 2025, equating to growth of 38.7 percent in project numbers and 52 percent in value. The projects delivered 24,537 new residential units, an increase of 36 percent, while handover space rose 23.4 percent to 1.95 million square metres.
Land values allocated to the completed projects climbed 135 percent to AED19.46 billion, according to the Dubai Land Department. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stated, “The significant increase in the volume of real estate transactions, the number of projects and the value of investment inflows into these projects represents a renewed vote of confidence from the global business community and investors in the strength of Dubai’s economic environment.” Similar gains appeared in the northern emirates where Sharjah real estate authorities logged AED29.5 billion in transactions, 9.3 percent higher than a year earlier, across 59,460 deals that grew 23.7 percent.
UAE nationals directed AED14.9 billion into Sharjah property investments during the first half, the authorities’ data showed. Transactions in Ajman exceeded AED10.8 billion from 6,815 deals while Ras Al Khaimah registered AED2.89 billion in real estate activity. A separate review by Khaleej Times of the Dubai Land Department statistics confirmed the sharp rise in land values as a key driver behind the expanded project pipeline.
The combined performance across the UAE underscored the role of regulatory improvements and product diversification in sustaining investor interest, according to reports from the respective real estate bodies. Active residential tenancy contracts in Abu Dhabi reached 233,000 with a value of AED9.3 billion, up 8 percent year on year, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre added. Resale prices increased 20 percent for apartments and 12 percent for villas in Abu Dhabi over the period.
