Five emirates, Dh239bn: UAE real estate rockets in early 2025

Real estate transactions across five emirates in the UAE surged to over Dh239bn in the first quarter of 2025, underpinned by investor confidence, flexible regulations, and expanding project pipelines, official data showed.

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More than 94,719 sales, purchase, and mortgage deals were recorded from January through March in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah, marking a robust start to the year for the UAE’s property sector, a WAM report said.

Talal Al Dhiyebi, Group Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Properties, said the UAE’s real estate boom is fuelled by the country’s broader economic and cultural progress, making it one of the world’s most attractive destinations for living, working, and investing.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), he said Aldar reported Dh8.9bn in Q1 sales—a 42 per cent year-on-year increase—with portfolio occupancy rates exceeding 95 per cent by the end of the quarter.

Abu Dhabi posted Dh25.3bn in total real estate transactions, up 34.5 per cent from Q1 2024. This included 3,819 sale deals worth Dh15.51bn—up 26.7 per cent—and 3,077 mortgage transactions totalling Dh9.8bn, a 49 per cent increase, according to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre.

Dubai accounted for the largest share, with Dh193bn in real estate transactions resulting from 58,039 transactions—a growth of 16.2 per cent in value and 31.5 per cent in volume compared to 2024.

The Dubai Land Department reported Dh142bn in sales from 45,077 deals, marking a 30 per cent increase in value compared to the same period last year. Mortgages reached Dh41bn from 10,949 transactions, up 27 per cent in volume. The remainder came from grants and exchanges.

Sharjah recorded Dh13.2bn in property transactions from 24,597 deals, up 31.9 per cent year-on-year, data from the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department showed.

Ajman registered Dh5.55bn in total transactions, reflecting a 29 per cent increase. Of this, Dh3.69bn came from 3,132 sales and purchase transactions, and Dh905m from 498 mortgage transactions, with the remainder comprising grants and property exchanges.

In Ras Al Khaimah, residential off-plan sales exceeded Dh2.4bn from more than 1,300 transactions, according to a report by CBRE, highlighting continued demand in the northern emirate’s housing market.