Abu Dhabi Property Deals Jump 76% to Dh171 Billion in First Nine Months of 2026

The total, equivalent to about $46.63 billion, is close to double the Dh97.19 billion recorded in the first nine months of last year, and value rose in every category the centre reported. For investors and developers, the figures show the capital's market growing much faster in money terms than in deal count, which points to larger tickets and more expensive stock changing hands.

Outright sales did most of the work. Adrec counted 23,749 sales worth Dh119.33 billion, up 105 per cent in value and 49.2 per cent in volume from 15,910 transactions worth Dh58.20 billion in 2025. Mortgage activity grew more slowly: 14,390 mortgage transactions worth Dh45.92 billion, a 30.2 per cent rise in value and a 13.2 per cent rise in volume from 12,706 deals worth Dh35.26 billion.

Foreign money accounts for a large share of the growth. Foreign investment in Abu Dhabi's investment zones rose 131 per cent year on year to Dh86.11 billion, making up 81 per cent of the total value invested in those zones, the centre said. Foreign direct investment by non-resident individuals reached Dh17.22 billion in nine months, more than double the Dh8.2 billion recorded for the whole of 2025. Buyers came from 121 nationalities, with the United Kingdom, China, Russia, the United States, France and Germany the leading sources by value.

"The scale of investment shows how many people and businesses are making a long-term commitment to Abu Dhabi," Rashed Al Omaira, Adrec's director general, said. He described the centre's job as making sure market rules match what buyers and businesses expect, "from how property is sold to how developments are managed after handover."

Activity was concentrated on the islands. Al Reem Island led by transaction value with Dh29.86 billion, followed by Al Hudayriyat Island at Dh28.62 billion, Al Saadiyat Island at Dh18.69 billion and Yas Island at Dh13.4 billion. Zayed City, on the mainland, recorded Dh5.36 billion.

Smaller categories moved in different directions. Gift transactions rose 145 per cent in number to 76, and their value rose 389 per cent to Dh0.44 billion. Musataha and long-lease deals, which grant long-term development or usage rights rather than freehold ownership, totalled 268 transactions worth Dh5.57 billion, with value up 52.9 per cent even as volume fell 18.7 per cent.

The pipeline is also growing. Adrec said it registered 54 new real estate development projects over the period and issued 3,677 licences to real estate professionals, 32 per cent more than in the first nine months of 2025.

Where new homes will come from is fairly narrow. Six districts, Al Saadiyat Island, Al Reem Island, Yas Island, Zayed City, Khalifa City and Al Hudayriyat Island, are projected to account for 77 per cent of the emirate's incremental real estate supply through 2030, according to the centre.