DH94B PROPERTY BOOM

A TURNING POINT FOR ABU DHABI

- BY NIVETHA DAYANAND Assistant Business Editor

Abu Dhabi's real estate market is heading into 2026 with renewed momentum, underpinned by record trading activity, deepening foreign investment and a broad shift toward lifestyle-led communities that continue to pull buyers into the capital's fastest-growing districts.

Fresh data from the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) shows transaction values climbing to Dh94 billion during the first nine months of the year, a 43.3 per cent jump from the same period in 2024. The surge reflects a market that is expanding in both scale and sophistication, with developers, investors and homebuyers responding to stronger fundamentals and a cycle driven by liveability rather than speculative flipping.

Transaction growth signals an inflection point

ADREC data shows that the market recorded 29,400 transactions between January and September, up 48 per cent year-on-year. Sales and purchases accounted for Dh61.8 billion through 16,887 transactions, while mortgage activity added Dh32.2 billion across 12,666 deals.

The breadth of activity signals balanced participation from end-users and invested capital, supported by a policy environment increasingly focused on transparency and data-driven oversight. “These results affirm the strength of Abu Dhabi’s real estate market fundamentals and the maturity of its investors,” said Engineer Rashed Al Omaira, Acting Director General of ADREC.

He added, “With greater transparency, reliable data, and effective regulation, the sector continues to create real economic value reflected in a 9 per cent increase in its non-oil GDP contribution to Dh21.9 billion in H1 2025 compared with Dh20.2 billion a year earlier. This alignment between policy, performance, and productivity is what continues to define Abu Dhabi’s real-estate success story.”