Abu Dhabi property deals reach Dh171 billion in nine months of 2026, ADREC reports

Abu Dhabi's real estate market recorded Dh171.26 billion in transactions during the first nine months of 2026, according to figures released by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) and reported by Gulf News on 7 November 2026. The data points to growth in both deal values and volumes, and to a marked rise in money coming from buyers based outside the UAE.

What the ADREC figures show

ADREC counted 38,483 transactions over the nine-month period, a 32.8 per cent rise in volume and a 76.1 per cent jump in value compared with the same months of 2025, when the centre recorded Dh97.19 billion, according to Gulf News. According to Gulf News, 7 November 2026, sales accounted for 23,749 of those deals, worth Dh119.33 billion, while mortgages made up 14,390 transactions worth Dh45.92 billion.

ADREC also noted 54 newly registered development projects and 3,677 licences issued to real estate professionals, a 32 per cent increase, according to the same report. For a buyer, a wider pipeline of registered projects and a larger pool of licensed brokers are practical signals: more regulated supply to choose from, and more vetted intermediaries to work through.

Where foreign money is going

Foreign investment in Abu Dhabi's designated investment zones rose 131 per cent year on year to Dh86.11 billion, making up 81 per cent of the investment value recorded within those zones, Gulf News reported citing ADREC. According to Gulf News, 7 November 2026, direct investment by non-resident individuals reached Dh17.22 billion, more than double the Dh8.2 billion logged for the whole of 2025. The centre said buyers from 121 nationalities took part, with the UK, China, Russia, the US, France and Germany named as the largest sources by value.

Activity clustered in a handful of districts. By transaction value, Al Reem Island led with Dh29.86 billion, followed by Al Hudayriyat Island at Dh28.62 billion, Al Saadiyat Island at Dh18.69 billion, Yas Island at Dh13.4 billion and Zayed City at Dh5.36 billion, according to the figures reported by Gulf News. ADREC said six districts, including these, are projected to account for 77 per cent of new supply through 2030.

What it means for buyers and investors

For an international buyer, the point to watch is where demand and future supply overlap: the same islands drawing the most capital today are also where most new homes are expected to be delivered. That can mean more choice and more comparable sales to reference, though it says nothing on its own about future prices, which ADREC did not forecast. Any yield or price expectation should be checked against a specific project and payment plan, not inferred from a market-wide total.

The report also flags a governance point that matters to overseas buyers: Abu Dhabi rose to 33rd on JLL's 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index, up from 41st in 2024, and ranked second in the MENA region, per Gulf News. ADREC director general Rashed Al Omaira said the centre's role is to make sure the rules governing the market reflect investors' long-term commitment. Clearer rules and better data make due diligence easier, but they do not replace it.