The UAE real estate market did well in the first half of 2026, helped by factors like increased investment interest, more construction projects, a variety of investors, and improvements in laws that made the Gulf’s property markets more appealing.
The sector will be entering the second half of the year on a solid foundation, with factors like strong demand, diversified real estate products, a growing pipeline of new projects, rising foreign investment, and the broader range of nationalities participating in the market further reflecting continued confidence in the UAE’s ability to attract long-term capital.
In Abu Dhabi, the total value of property transactions reached around AED117 billion during the first half, up 112% compared with the same period in 2025, while the number of transactions increased by 61.7%.
Sales transactions led the bulk of the industrial activity, reaching AED86.1 billion through 16,838 transactions, up 163.7%, while mortgage transactions amounted to AED26.7 billion. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Abu Dhabi real estate reached around AED13.8 billion during the first six months of 2026, an increase of 309%, exceeding 2025’s total.
The number of nationalities represented among non-resident foreign investors also rose to 116. On the other hand, investment zones in the Gulf attracted around AED 75 billion.
According to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre’s report for the first half of the year, residential unit sales reached AED70.4 billion, while off-plan properties accounted for 89% of sales value and 82% of the total number of transactions.
“Resale prices rose by 20% for apartments and 12% for villas. The number of active residential tenancy contracts reached around 233,000, while their total value stood at AED9.3 billion, up 8% year-on-year,” the department said.
“Dubai’s real estate sector completed 104 projects during the first half of 2026 with a total investment value exceeding AED111 billion, compared with 75 projects worth AED73 billion during the corresponding period of 2025, representing growth of 38.7% in the number of projects and 52% in value,” the Emirati city’s authorities said.
The number of new real estate units rose to 24,537, an increase of more than 36%.
Completed and ready-for-handover construction space grew by more than 23.4% to 1.95 million square meters in H1 2026, compared with 1.58 million square meters during the same period in 2025.
The cost of land allocated to projects jumped by more than 135% to AED19.46 billion, compared with AED8.27 billion in the corresponding period of 2025. The area of land allocated to completed projects also more than doubled to around one million square meters, from 484,000 square meters in the first half of last year.
“The strong performance reinforces the resilience of Dubai’s real estate sector and its importance as a key pillar of the emirate’s sustainable economic diversification drive. The figures also highlight its position as a secure, growth-oriented destination for investors from around the world,” authorities said.
In Sharjah, real estate transactions reached around AED29.5 billion during the first half of 2026, up 9.3%, while the number of transactions increased by 23.7% to 59,460.
Residential properties accounted for the largest share of sales transactions, with 13,501 deals, while mortgage transactions reached AED7.6 billion.
The Emirati city’s real estate sector attracted investors from 121 nationalities. UAE nationals invested around AED14.9 billion, Arab investors around AED5 billion, and other nationalities around AED8.2 billion. Eleven new real estate projects were also registered during the same period.
Ajman, the fifth-largest and fifth-most populous Emirati city, witnessed its real estate sector recording 6,815 transactions worth more than AED10.8 billion, including AED7.64 billion in trading transactions and AED1.88 billion in mortgage transactions.
In Ras Al Khaimah, the value of property transactions between January and June reached around AED2.89 billion, including AED1.353 billion in sales through 1,274 transactions, AED1.160 billion in mortgages through 463 transactions, and around AED380 million in property transfers.