Abu Dhabi Property Deals Rise 76% to AED171 Billion in First Nine Months of 2026

The number of deals rose 32.8% to 38,483 from 28,977, the regulator said in figures released through the Abu Dhabi Media Office. Value rose faster than volume in every category it reported, which means the average deal grew larger as well as more frequent.

The figures point to heavy demand from overseas money. Foreign investment in the emirate's investment zones, where non-citizens can own property, rose 131% to AED86.11 billion and made up 81% of all investment value in those zones. Direct investment by non-resident individuals reached AED17.22 billion, more than double the AED8.2 billion recorded for the whole of 2025. ADREC said buyers came from 121 nationalities, led by investors from the UK, China, Russia, the US, France and Germany.

Sales drove most of the increase. There were 23,749 sales worth AED119.33 billion, a 105% rise in value and a 49.2% rise in volume from 15,910 sales worth AED58.20 billion in the same period of 2025. Mortgage transactions rose 13.2% in number to 14,390 and 30.2% in value to AED45.92 billion.

Al Reem Island recorded the highest transaction value at AED29.86 billion, followed by Al Hudayriyat Island at AED28.62 billion, Al Saadiyat Island at AED18.69 billion, Yas Island at AED13.4 billion and Zayed City at AED5.36 billion. ADREC projects that six districts, Al Saadiyat, Al Reem, Yas, Zayed City, Khalifa City and Al Hudayriyat, will account for 77% of new supply through 2030.

Musataha and long-lease deals, a form of long-term development rights, fell 18.7% in number to 268 but rose 52.9% in value to AED5.57 billion. Gift transfers rose to 76, worth AED0.44 billion.

Rashed Al Omaira, ADREC's director general, said buyers were making a long-term commitment to the emirate and expected projects to be delivered and communities to be well run. "Our responsibility at ADREC is to make sure the rules governing the market reflect those expectations, from how property is sold to how developments are managed after handover," he said.

The regulator registered 54 new development projects in the period and issued 3,677 licences to real estate professionals, 32% more than a year earlier. It has also replaced its broker training with a mandatory licensing curriculum, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Broker Transformation Course.

ADREC pointed to JLL's 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index, which named Abu Dhabi the most improved market after it rose from 41st in 2024 to 33rd, moving into the index's Transparent tier with a score of 2.42.

The centre did not give a quarter-by-quarter breakdown, so the release does not show whether the pace of buying changed during the year.