UAE real estate market posts strong first-half 2026 gains as transactions and foreign investment surge
UAE real estate market posts H1 2026 surge: transactions hit record levels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, foreign investment expands, and activity rises across emirates. (156 characters)
The UAE real estate market recorded robust growth in the first half of 2026, driven by higher transaction values, rising deal counts and an influx of foreign capital. Data from property authorities across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman show record or near-record gains in several key indicators, underscoring sustained investor confidence and stronger underlying demand.
Dubai posts record transaction value
Dubai registered AED 419.94 billion in real estate transactions during the first half of 2026, executed through some 112,850 transactions. Sales accounted for roughly AED 286.44 billion of that total in about 86,000 deals, with ready properties and off‑plan sales nearly balanced in value.
Ready-property sales amounted to AED 146.69 billion across approximately 27,160 transactions, while off‑plan sales reached AED 139.75 billion via about 58,840 transactions. Notably, off‑plan office sales surged to AED 13.1 billion in 1,668 transactions, exceeding the combined total of AED 5.48 billion recorded for the 2019–2025 period.
Abu Dhabi attracts broader international investor base
Abu Dhabi’s property market recorded AED 117 billion in transactions in H1 2026, an increase of 112 percent year‑on‑year, while the number of deals rose 61.7 percent. Sales activity led the growth, with values climbing 163.7 percent to AED 86.1 billion across 16,838 transactions.
The emirate also broadened its investor base, hosting buyers from 116 nationalities in the period compared with 82 in H1 2025. International investment into Abu Dhabi’s designated investment zones approached AED 75 billion, up 181 percent from AED 26.7 billion a year earlier, highlighting expanded global appetite for UAE assets.
Sharjah posts steady expansion and launches new projects
Sharjah recorded AED 29.5 billion in real estate turnover in the first half of 2026, a 9.3 percent rise versus H1 2025, with 59,460 transactions completed—up 23.7 percent. Total sales transactions across sale types reached 16,426 deals spread over 202 areas, covering about 85 million square feet and marking a 4.7 percent increase year‑on‑year.
The emirate added 11 new real estate projects in H1 2026 located in several key districts, supported by ongoing development of residential and commercial zones that aim to meet rising housing and business demand.
Ajman records notable transactional activity
Ajman’s land and real estate regulator recorded 6,815 property transactions in the first half of 2026, with total value exceeding AED 10.8 billion. The results contribute to a picture of broad‑based momentum across the Northern Emirates, where affordability and targeted infrastructure investments are attracting both end users and investors.
Developers and brokers point to structural demand
Industry executives said the H1 2026 performance was the continuation of a multi‑year recovery anchored in domestic economic strength and policy support. Mohammed Turki, director of real estate at Al‑Waleed Real Estate Group, noted that market resilience stems from economic diversification, sustained public infrastructure spending and regulatory flexibility that collectively absorb regional and global shocks.
Walid Al Zarouni, chairman of W Capital brokerage, said the data indicate the market is increasingly driven by genuine housing and business needs and by long‑term investors rather than speculative cycles. He added that this mix reduces volatility and supports a healthier growth trajectory for valuations and rents.
Buyers show confidence in off‑plan and long‑term ownership
Market participants highlighted continued appetite for off‑plan projects alongside strong ready‑property demand, reflecting buyer confidence in developers and protective measures such as escrow and warranty regulations. Ahmed Al Dawla, chairman of On Plan Real Estate, pointed to buyer trust in on‑map projects and to residency schemes that are converting short‑term investors into longer‑term owners.
The surge in diverse foreign nationalities purchasing property reinforces the UAE’s positioning as a safe, accessible destination for capital, while accelerated office‑sector transactions in Dubai point to an expanding need for commercial space as businesses scale operations in the emirates.
Outlook for the second half of 2026
Analysts and stakeholders expect the UAE real estate market to maintain its momentum in the second half of 2026, supported by ongoing project launches, population growth and the expansion of economic activities. Observers anticipate a more balanced pace of growth, where increases in supply align with sustained demand—an equilibrium seen as a marker of market maturity rather than cooling.
Elevated international investment, broader buyer nationalities and strengthened regulatory safeguards are likely to continue attracting long‑term capital, while localized initiatives to improve affordability and infrastructure will shape activity across emirates.
The first half of 2026 underlined the UAE’s appeal as a diversified and resilient property market, with gains recorded across price points and asset classes and with investor composition increasingly international and long term.