The UAE real estate sector achieved strong performance in the first quarter of 2026, confirming that local and international investors have confidence in its stability, resilience, flexibility to adapt to changing conditions, and ability to generate medium- and long-term returns.
According to official figures from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman, real estate markets across the UAE witnessed strong performance in the first three months of 2026, confirming the UAE as one of the world’s leading destinations for property investment.
In Dubai, the Dubai Land Department reported 718,160 transactions, including 60,303 disposals, a 6% increase over the same period in 2025.
The overall investment value increased 31% to AED252 billion, while the number of transactions increased by 7% to 57,744, with a total value of AED173 billion.
The investor base also grew to 48,448 investors, an 8% year-on-year increase, including 29,312 new investors, a 14% increase from the first quarter of 2025.
Abu Dhabi also achieved its highest quarterly transactions on record, with transactions reaching 13,518 transactions valued at AED66 billion, compared to AED25.31 billion in the first quarter of 2025, according to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC).
According to the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, in the first quarter of 2026, the volume of real estate trading stood at AED18.5 billion (up by 40.7% compared to AED13.2 billion in the first quarter of 2025), with the total number of transactions reaching 29,235 (an 18.9% year-on-year increase). This reflects a higher diversity of investor nationalities, with 113 nationalities participating in the market in 2026 (up from 97 in 2025).
UAE nationals traded around AED9 billion in 10,099 properties, while investors from the GCC, Arab nationals, and other foreign investors traded approximately AED9.5 billion in 19,136 properties.
In Ajman, the total value of real estate transactions during the first quarter reached AED6.22 billion through 3,890 transactions, marking a 12% increase compared to the same period last year, while trading volume amounted to AED4.24 billion through 3,128 transactions.