Abu Dhabi’s 76% year-on-year growth bolstered by strategic and sustainable development.
- Dubai continues to be a safe haven for investment with value-driven, rather than volume-driven demand.
- Impressive growth has been reported in Abu Dhabi and Dubai for off-plan properties.
United Arab Emirates, October 2025: Property Finder, the MENA region’s leading property platform, has unveiled record Q3 results for the robust property markets in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Abu Dhabi’s real estate market reached a historic peak in Q3 2025, driven by strong investor confidence and structural market changes. Total sales transactions soared to 7,154 – a 76% year-on-year increase – while the total value surged by 110% to AED 25.3 billion. Meanwhile, in Dubai, 59,044 sales transactions were executed, representing a 17% year-on-year increase, with the total value up by 19% to AED 169 billion.
Thoughtful Development in Abu Dhabi is Reaping Rewards:
The historic peak in Abu Dhabi’s real estate market, with a 76% year-on-year increase in sales transactions, has been attributed to a number of key factors.
- A structural upturn in demand has been supported by improved liquidity.
- The strategic shift towards master-planned communities and sustainable development is boosting the market in line with the emirate’s 2030 urban diversification agenda.
- The residential sector has been the main catalyst for growth, accounting for 96% of volume – 6,883 transactions have a total value of AED 23.3 billion, a 107% year-on-year increase.
Abu Dhabi’s Off-plan Market Continues to Thrive:
The record Q3 performance was overwhelmingly dominated by off-plan transactions, which comprised 73% of all sales and 68% of the total value. Abu Dhabi’s off-plan value spiked by 136% year-on-year, reaching AED 17.3 billion. Residential sales made up 99% of this value.
High value transactions in new properties on Fahid Island (Aldar) and Al Hidayriyyat Island (Modon), fuelled the off-plan sector momentum. The Q3 off-plan sales at these two projects accounted for 30% of the total residential off-plan value.
Investor appetite for diverse formats continues, with sales surging in specific residential sectors.
- Off-plan Apartments dominated, with transaction values increasing by 276% and volumes by 198%, highlighting a shift towards early-stage investment in vertical communities.
- Off-plan Villas saw solid expansion, with values up 68% and transactions rising 42%.
- Off-plan Duplexes performed exceptionally well, registering a 424% jump in value and a 255% increase in activity, showcasing traction for mid-luxury hybrid layouts.
Ready Market on the Rise in Abu Dhabi:
The ready market showed strong gains, recording AED 8 billion in value, representing a substantial 71% year-on-year rise, across 1,940 transactions. This affirms sustained end-user absorption despite factors such as higher mortgage rates. Residential ready sales grew by 15% in volume and 56% in value, totaling AED 6.1 billion, with dual-track demand from mid-tier buyers and luxury villa investors.
- Al Reem Island and Al Raha Beach led the activity, driven by dense, move-in-ready apartment stock.
- Al Reef continued to attract mid-ticket, family buyers.
- Saadiyat Island contributed high-ticket villa transactions, significantly lifting the average ticket size.
Dubai Remains a Safe Destination for International Property Investment:
Dubai’s real estate market reached an unprecedented peak in Q3 2025, recording its highest-ever quarterly transaction volume. A total of 59,044 sales transactions were executed – a 17% year-on-year increase – with the total value surging by 19% to AED 169 billion. These results surpass all previous market highs, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a global capital magnet and safe investment hub, benefiting from sustained international capital inflows and population growth.
Off-Plan Drives Forward-Looking Investment:
Like neighbouring Abu Dhabi, Dubai’s record Q3 performance was primarily fuelled by the off-plan sector, which is driving forward-looking investment behaviour. Off-plan activity soared to 40,108 transactions, representing a 26% increase year-on-year, and making up 68% of the total market volume. The value reached its highest-ever quarterly total at AED 82.9 billion, reflecting a 23% year-on-year rise.
Key districts with master-planned developments remain crucial to Dubai’s long-term confidence.
- Business Bay alone accounted for around AED 7.4 billion in sales, boosted by new launches.
- Projects in Al Barsha and Dubai Islands demonstrate that buyers are prioritising investment in high-potential master-planned communities.
Value-driven Demand Wins Out Over Volume:
Again mirroring trends in Abu Dhabi, Dubai’s ready sales market continued to grow, albeit more modestly than the capital. Dubai registered 18,936 transactions in Q3 2025, contributing 32% of the total volume, a 2% year-on-year increase. Crucially, the segment’s value saw a remarkable 16% increase to AED 86.1 billion, indicating demand is increasingly value-driven rather than volume-driven.
Value-driven strength is concentrated in established premium districts, reflecting a mature market phase focused on capital preservation and luxury end-user migration.
- Wadi Al Safa 3 recorded more than AED 7 billion in transactions, driven by demand for land
- Business Bay was another solid ready sales performer, supported by ultra-luxury resales, emphasising its enduring appeal to high-net-worth buyers.
- Palm Jumeirah and Marsa Dubai (Dubai Marina) together generated more than AED 6 billion, underscoring sustained global investor interest in apartment-driven, waterfront living.
