Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre Reports 76.1% Surge in Transaction Value to AED 171.26 Billion in First Nine Months of 2026

The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) has released its real estate transaction figures for the first nine months of 2026, demonstrating significant growth across all categories. The total transaction value surged to AED 171.26 billion from 38,483 transactions, marking a 76.1% increase in value and a 32.8% rise in transaction volume compared to the same period in 2025.

Key Growth Drivers

Sales were the primary contributor to this growth, accounting for 23,749 transactions valued at AED 119.33 billion. This represents a 105% increase in value and a 49.2% rise in volume year-on-year. Mortgage activity also saw a healthy increase, with 14,390 transactions totaling AED 45.92 billion, reflecting a 30.2% increase in value and a 13.2% rise in volume.

Leading Districts and Foreign Investment

Several districts emerged as hotspots for transaction value:

• Al Reem Island: AED 29.86 billion
• Al Hudayriyat Island: AED 28.62 billion
• Al Saadiyat Island: AED 18.69 billion
• Yas Island: AED 13.4 billion
• Zayed City: AED 5.36 billion

Foreign investment in Abu Dhabi's investment zones also saw a remarkable 131% year-on-year increase, reaching AED 86.11 billion, representing 81% of total investment value within these zones. Foreign direct investment (FDI) by non-resident individuals more than doubled to AED 17.22 billion, with investors from 121 nationalities contributing, predominantly from the UK, China, Russia, the US, France, and Germany.

Regulatory Enhancements and Transparency

ADREC continues to bolster the regulatory framework, registering 54 new real estate development projects and issuing 3,677 licenses for real estate professionals in the first nine months of 2026. The new Abu Dhabi Real Estate Broker Transformation Course, a mandatory licensing curriculum, aims to elevate professional standards. Abu Dhabi's real estate market was also recognized for its improved transparency, climbing eight places to 33rd globally in JLL's 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index, moving into the 'Transparent' tier.