UAE real estate maintained strong momentum in H1 2026. Abu Dhabi transaction values surged 112% to AED117 billion, while Dubai completed 104 projects worth AED111 billion. Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah also recorded solid activity, supported by rising foreign investment and increasingly diverse international demand.

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Bayut has launched AI Search, an AI-powered conversational property discovery tool allowing UAE users to find and refine homes using natural-language prompts. The feature complements traditional filters and integrates with Bayut’s transaction, valuation and broker tools, reflecting growing adoption of AI-driven property search.

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Luxury real estate is increasingly being shaped by wellness-focused design. Beyond location, architecture and craftsmanship, buyers are placing greater value on homes and communities that support long-term health and wellbeing, making wellness a core design principle rather than an optional amenity.

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Danube Properties has launched a two-day “Deal of the Decade” promotion on August 29–30, offering 20% down payments, 10% cashback, 40% post-handover payment plans and fully furnished homes across all its Dubai projects.

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Union Properties CEO Amer Khansaheb has resigned after leading a major turnaround that included repaying AED1.47 billion in legacy debt, restarting project launches and restoring dividends. A board-led transitional committee will manage the Dubai-listed developer for up to six months while a successor is appointed.

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Dubai’s RTA will open a 5-km Emirates Road expansion on August 30, adding two lanes from Sharjah towards Wadi Al Amardi. Capacity will rise from 12,000 to 16,000 vehicles per hour, with peak-hour journey times expected to fall by up to 25%.

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Smart city investment has exceeded $190 billion globally, but many cities still struggle to turn technology into better outcomes for residents. The report suggests the main challenge is weak governance, accountability and decision-making structures, urging cities to evolve from monitoring-focused command centres into integrated decision-making systems.

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Dubai’s real estate market recorded AED2,596.99 million in off-plan and ready-property transactions on 27 August 2026. Ready properties generated AED1,924.97 million, accounting for 74.1% of total transaction value, while off-plan properties contributed AED672.01 million, or 25.9%. Ready-market activity exceeded off-plan transactions by approximately AED1,252.96 million, with the day heavily influenced by a major building transaction in Downtown Dubai. The AED725 million Downtown Dubai building sale was the defining transaction of the day. The deal alone represented approximately 43.7% of all ready-flat transaction value, 37.7% of the entire ready market, and 27.9% of total off-plan and ready-property transactions.

The transaction was also associated with a AED471 million mortgage, highlighting the scale of financing attached to the asset.

Land transactions reached a separate AED1,075.08 million for the day.

Total Value: AED672.01 million
Share of Total Market: 25.9%

Flats remained the principal driver of off-plan activity, generating AED464.46 million and accounting for 69.1% of the segment.

Villas provided a substantial secondary contribution at AED166.20 million, representing 24.7% of off-plan value. Together, apartments and villas accounted for almost 94% of the segment, indicating that residential properties continued to dominate new-development transactions.

Commercial properties contributed AED34.65 million, or 5.2%, while hotel apartments and rooms remained comparatively limited at AED6.71 million, equivalent to 1.0% of off-plan activity.

Total Value: AED1,924.97 million
Share of Total Market: 74.1%

Ready properties overwhelmingly led the market, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the day’s transaction value.

Flats generated AED1,659.59 million, representing an exceptional 86.2% of ready-market activity. This unusually high concentration was significantly influenced by the AED725 million sale of a building in Downtown Dubai.

Villas were the second-largest ready category at AED222.77 million, contributing 11.6%. Commercial properties and hotel apartments and rooms generated AED21.67 million and AED20.94 million, respectively, each accounting for approximately 1.1% of the segment.

Apartments were overwhelmingly the market’s principal transaction driver, generating a combined AED2,124.05 million across off-plan and ready properties, equivalent to 81.8% of total transaction value.

Villas generated a combined AED388.97 million, representing 15.0% of the market, while commercial properties contributed AED56.32 million, or 2.2%. Hotel apartments and rooms accounted for AED27.64 million, equivalent to 1.1%.

Overall, the day reflected an unusually strong ready-market session, with completed properties accounting for 74.1% of transaction value compared with 25.9% for off-plan properties. The AED725 million Downtown Dubai building sale amplified this imbalance considerably, but underlying ready-market activity remained stronger than off-plan transactions even after excluding the deal.

Data Source: Dubai Land Department

Only freehold transactions are included