Abu Dhabi's total real estate transactions surged 112 per cent year-on-year to hit Dh117 billion ($31.9 billion) in the first half of this year, underpinned by strong foreign direct investment despite the fallout from the US-Iran war.
The volume of deals posted an annual increase of 62 per cent, as sales comprised Dh86.1 billion through 16,838 transactions in the six months ending in June, up almost 164 per cent compared with the same period last year, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Friday, quoting data from the industry regulator.
Mortgages climbed by a third to Dh26.7 billion across 8,876 transactions, figures from the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (Adrec) showed.
Deals for long leases and Musataha – an agreement that gives UAE national investors the authority to develop and benefit from land owned by a third party, typically the government, for up to 50 years – hit Dh4 billion. Gift transactions totalled Dh311.5 million.
FDI into the capital's property sector more than quadrupled to Dh13.8 billion, already passing the total for the entirety of 2025, Adrec said.
FDI was led by investors from the UK, China, Russia, the US, Germany and France, with non-resident investors representing 116 nationalities, up from 82 during the first half of 2025, the report said.
Abu Dhabi's investment zones, which are open to all nationalities, attracted Dh75 billion in the first six months of the year, a nearly threefold annual rise. The report did not mention any effects the regional conflict, which began on February 28, had on the real estate sector. Adrec did not provide a breakdown for the first and second quarters of the year.
Adrec director general Rashed Al Omaira said rules to ensure transparency and adaptability in the sector, which were able to provide long-term views, had helped investors with their market moves.
“Investment decisions begin long before a transaction takes place. They begin with a clear understanding of the market, its direction and the rules that govern it," he said. "Our focus at Adrec is to provide that visibility from the outset through transparent regulation and reliable, up-to-date data, giving investors a stronger basis on which to assess opportunities and make long-term decisions."
The property sector remains an integral part of the economies of Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, with projects continuing to attract investors and buyers, even withstanding the effects of the conflict.
The Emirates was ranked as the world's leading real estate investment destination as the industry has been able to retain its momentum amid the challenges, according to Arada's new UAE Property Investment Index released last month.
In a bid to further support the market, Adrec last month announced that rents for residential, commercial and industrial properties will not increase until further notice, apart from communities managed by Abu Dhabi financial centre ADGM, such as Al Maryah and Reem islands.
Adrec approved eight new investment zones in the first half of 2026, bringing the total to 50. The regulator also registered 28 new real estate developments, a 16 per cent increase from a year ago, "creating new opportunities for local and international investors across the emirate", it said.
“As Abu Dhabi’s real estate sector evolves, what matters is not only how much it grows, but how it grows," Mr Al Omaira said. "This requires a regulatory environment that responds to changing needs while supporting the sector’s long-term direction."
Additionally, Adrec issued more than 2,000 licences for real estate professionals in the first half of 2026, which is up by more than a third compared with the same period last year, as the total number of licensed real estate brokers in the capital passed 3,300.
