UAE real estate transactions more than doubled in the first half of 2026, with deal volumes climbing 103 percent against the same period in 2025. Combined apartment and villa sales reached AED84.4 billion (approximately $23 billion), a 173.9 percent increase in value. The figures come from an ADXinteract analysis cited by the Emirates News Agency WAM.
Dubai drove the broader performance. The emirate recorded property sales exceeding $77.8 billion in the first six months of the year, the second-highest half-year sales volume in Dubai’s history, according to W Capital Real Estate Broker drawing on Dubai Land Department data. New project announcements since January surpassed $74.8 billion in value, the largest half-year cycle of project launches ever documented in the emirate.
Additional reference context is available at https://www.yemenonline.info/gulf-news/12987.
The structural forces behind that expansion are well established. Population growth, sustained residential demand, and economic diversification continue to underpin activity. Long-term residency programs, the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, and major infrastructure projects centered on Dubai South and Al Maktoum International Airport are expected to sustain demand through the remainder of the year. CBRE cited the UAE’s financial reserves and sovereign credit profile as key drivers of economic resilience, while Knight Frank highlighted Dubai’s growing appeal as a destination for global wealth and property investment.
What changed, according to developers and operators now active in the market, is the nature of buyer behavior. Thomas Wan, Founder and CEO of Refine, said buyers are becoming increasingly selective, placing greater emphasis on project quality, location, developer reputation, and the overall living experience. As new supply enters the market, he argued, developers will need to focus on projects meeting evolving buyer expectations while adopting competitive and sustainable pricing strategies.
Hussein Salem, CEO of Ohana Development, described the market as having entered a more mature phase, with growth increasingly driven by long-term demand. He pointed to strong transaction activity in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi as evidence of the market’s continued ability to attract domestic and international capital.
Farhad Azizi, Group CEO of Azizi Developments, said the property sector continues to strengthen its role as a major contributor to the UAE economy, supported by housing demand, foreign investment, and a growing share of self-financed buyers. He emphasized that the UAE’s economic stability, flexible regulations, and long-term development plans have enhanced its appeal to international investors. Growth is expected to become more balanced in the second half of the year, with greater competition among projects based on location, quality, execution, and long-term investment potential.
Demand patterns point toward specific asset categories gaining traction. Master-planned communities, branded residences, and waterfront developments are expected to remain strong through the rest of 2026. Syed Mahrooz, CEO and Chief Financial Officer of Albagh Group, said economic diversification, infrastructure development, long-term residency initiatives, and the UAE’s growing population of high-net-worth individuals continue to support the sector. Investors, he added, are increasingly focusing on premium residential communities, branded developments, waterfront destinations, and high-quality commercial assets that offer long-term value.
The broader picture is one of a market moving beyond its initial surge phase. Broad-based expansion is giving way to more nuanced competition among developers, with quality, location, and investment fundamentals increasingly determining which projects succeed. Whether the pipeline of announced projects, totaling more than $74.8 billion in Dubai alone, can be delivered at a pace that matches buyer expectations will be the defining operational question for the second half of 2026.