Abu Dhabi’s residential property market is heading into its busiest launch period yet, with around 30 projects expected to launch over the next 90 days, according to analysis by Metropolitan Capital Real Estate, a leading full-service real estate agency in Abu Dhabi and part of the Metropolitan Group.
The pipeline could bring an estimated AED 33 billion to AED 45 billion of new inventory before year-end, with a new launch roughly every three days.
Despite the scale of new supply, Metropolitan’s believes the market is increasingly driven by product quality rather than launch hype. Buyers are becoming more selective, weighing location, design, community offering, branding, pricing and developer track record.
“What we are seeing in Abu Dhabi is not simply a large number of new projects coming to market. It is a sign of how quickly the market itself is maturing. With around 30 launches expected over the next 90 days, buyers will have more choice than ever and that changes the conversation,” said Evgeny Ratskevich, CEO of Metropolitan Capital Real Estate.
“Abu Dhabi is increasingly becoming a product market. The projects that will perform are not necessarily those that sell out the fastest, but those that offer the right combination of location, quality, pricing, lifestyle and long-term value. The fundamentals are encouraging. Off-plan remains the dominant part of the market, while resale activity and repeat-sale values are also growing. For us, the most important signal is that demand is becoming more diversified and more informed. As we move into 2027, we expect the market to become increasingly selective, and ultimately, the product will decide,” he added.
According to developer reports and Metropolitan’s analysis of registry, data shows that more than AED 40 billion of residential property have found buyers since January this year.
Modon’s Hudayriyat Golf Estates led with more than AED 13 billion, followed by Ohana’s Manchester City Yas Residences Phase 1 at around AED 6 billion and Aldar’s Talay, Talay Beach and Yas Riva Reserve at more than AED 5 billion. Eagle Hills’ Ramhan Island (about AED 2 billion), ORA’s BAYN (AED 1.8 billion) and Modon’s Tara Park (AED 1.4 billion) also featured, alongside more than 40 other launches worth around AED 14 billion.
According to ADREC data and Metropolitan’s analysis, between January and mid-September, around 82% of transactions were off-plan, while resale transactions rose approximately 34% year-on-year. Off-plan resales have nearly tripled, while repeat-sale prices have increased by approximately 20% for apartments and 12% for villas. Buyers come from 116 nationalities, reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s increasingly international appeal.
According to Metropolitan, regulation has underpinned that confidence. Transactions run through DARI (Abu Dhabi’s official digital real estate platform to handle online property transactions, lease registrations, and ownership services), listings are verified through Madhmoun (Abu Dhabi’s digital permit system and Multiple Listing Service) and off-plan payments are held in escrow. A new framework introduced in September also lets buyers who have paid 50% of an off-plan home finance the balance during construction, and ADREC has now taken the number of investment zones to 50.
Looking ahead to 2027
Metropolitan expects the next phase of the market to be defined by five shifts:
- Phased launches and retail-pace sales will replace the race to sell out on day one, rewarding developers who price for the long term.
- Buyers will increasingly choose complete districts over individual towers, as schools, marinas, leisure and transport become part of the offer.
- Branded and serviced living will move from niche to mainstream.
- Financing will widen the buyer pool, helped by regulatory changes and developer-bank partnerships.
- International developers, new partnerships and major infrastructure, including Etihad Rail and new bridges, will bring fresh capital and momentum to the market.
“In a market this active, not every project will win and that is a sign of health, not risk,” added Mr. Ratskevich. “The buyers who do well in 2027 will be the ones who ask which product is right for them, not how fast it sold.”
For more information, please visit www.abu-dhabi.realestate.
