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.
