Aldar Properties generated more than Dh3.5 billion ($953 million) in sales from Fahid Beach Residences and The Beach House, the island’s first residential developments released during launch week, amid soaring property demand.
The Fahid Island homes attracted a range of buyers. Expatriate residents and overseas purchasers accounted for 67 per cent of total sales, the developer said in a statement on Friday. Buyers from the UAE, Russia, the UK and China made up the top nationalities by sales volume.
The company, Abu Dhabi’s biggest listed developer, said 42 per cent of buyers were under the age of 45 and 67 per cent of them were first-time Aldar customers.
Watch: Abu Dhabi to develop new island with one-bed apartments priced at $1 million
Key demand drivers include Fahid Island’s position as Abu Dhabi’s first coastal wellness destination, its waterfront lifestyle and proximity to Kings College School Wimbledon, which sits within the wider wellness-inspired masterplan.
“The sales serve as a powerful validation of our vision to place wellness at the heart of community living,” Jonathan Emery, chief executive at Aldar Development, said.
“The success reflects Abu Dhabi’s position as one of the world’s most desirable investment and lifestyle destinations.”
A one-bedroom unit at the new development is priced from Dh3.5 million. The massive project, which has a gross development value of Dh40 billion, will be built in phases. The first residential development – Fahid Beach Residences, with seven buildings – is expected to be complete by 2029.
Spread across 2.7 million square metres, with an 11km coastline, Fahid Island is being built between Yas Island and Saadiyat Island. It will have amenities including running tracks and cycling routes, with 30 per cent of the area dedicated to natural spaces.
Residential property sale prices in Abu Dhabi rose by 11 per cent annually last year amid higher demand and a supply shortage, according to a March report by real estate company Cushman & Wakefield Core.
Aldar launches Fahid Island – in pictures
The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre reported that total transaction value in the emirate grew by 34.5 per cent to Dh25.3 billion across 6,896 deals in the first quarter of 2025, compared with Dh18.8 billion from 5,773 transactions in the same period of 2024.
Off-plan sales in April across the UAE capital were up 75 per cent month-on-month at Dh804 million, driven by an increase in activity on Saadiyat Island and Al Jubail Island, EFG Hermes said in May. Aldar Properties accounted for the largest off-plan market share, contributing 70 per cent of activity in April.
The announcement of a Disneyland Abu Dhabi theme park on Yas Island has further supported the property market.
In response to the “overwhelming demand” for Fahid Beach Residences, Aldar accelerated the launch of Fahid Island’s second residential offering, The Beach House.
The new development comprises 11 towers including studios and three-bedroom apartments. It offers views of the sea and Abu Dhabi skyline, shoreline access and connectivity to Coral Drive, the island’s boutique retail boulevard.
Aldar said on Friday it has planned further residential launches for Fahid Island.
The island’s waterfront promenade will have a combination of retail, dining and art experiences. Coral Drive will have outlets, concept stores, art galleries, a ballet school, cafes and public artworks. Kite surfing, paddle boarding, illuminated night swimming, and volleyball will also available to residents of the island.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
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