Today's Edition
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
Aldar Properties retained its position as the leading Abu Dhabi developer in 2025, recording around 5,300 transactions and commanding a 32.4% share of total developer activity, according to Cavendish Maxwell’s report on Abu Dhabi’s residential market.
Modon followed as the next biggest developer, surging from 485 transactions in 2024 to 2,700 in 2025, capturing a 16.8% market share. Reportage Properties also posted strong growth, more than tripling its transactions from 400 to 1,300, accounting for 8.1% of total activity and placing it third among developers.
Bloom Holding and Radiant Real Estate rounded out the top five with 4.8% and 4.5% market shares, respectively.
Abu Dhabi’s residential market delivered a record-breaking performance in 2025, with total transaction volumes reaching approximately 22,400 deals, a 55% increase compared with the previous year. The value of these transactions climbed to about Dh73.2 billion, representing a 70% year-on-year rise.
The strong growth was largely driven by the off-plan segment, which recorded around 15,900 transactions in 2025, up 67.8% from 9,400 in 2024 and accounting for roughly 71% of total sales activity.
Developers capitalised on strong market sentiment by launching new projects, while flexible payment plans broadened the pool of potential buyers, the report said. At the same time, ready residential transactions also expanded significantly, increasing by 30.7% to about 6,500 deals from 4,900 a year earlier, supported by end-user demand and investor interest in income-generating assets.
Apartments continued to dominate the market, accounting for 66.1% of total transactions. Apartment sales volumes rose by 57.9% year-on-year to around 14,800 deals, while villa and townhouse transactions increased 49.7% to approximately 7,600 deals, reflecting strong demand from families and high-net-worth individuals seeking larger living spaces.
In terms of location, Al Reem Island remained the most active district for apartment sales, recording about 5,100 transactions in 2025, a 74.4% increase compared with the previous year.
Fahid Island emerged as a significant new contributor with around 1,000 apartment transactions following the launch of several residential projects. Collectively, the four main districts — Al Reem Island, Yas Island, Al Saadiyat Island and Fahid Island — accounted for 75.6% of all apartment transactions.
Meanwhile, Al Bahyah and Al Hidayriyyat led villa and townhouse sales, together accounting for 48.2% of such transactions.
Residential supply also expanded steadily during the year. Around 7,400 units were completed in 2025, bringing the total residential stock in Abu Dhabi to approximately 315,000 units. While about 15,900 units are projected for completion in 2026, recent handover trends suggest that the actual number of completed units may be lower, likely in the range of 6,500 to 9,000 units.
Prices and rents continued to climb in 2025 amid strong demand. Apartment sale prices increased by 15.1% year-on-year, while villa prices rose by 12.2%. Rental growth also remained robust, with apartment rents rising 12.5% and villa rents increasing 5.5%.
Commenting on the market dynamics, Andrew Laver, Director of Commercial Valuation for Abu Dhabi at Cavendish Maxwell, said the strong performance across both off-plan and ready segments reflects a balanced market. “The strength of off-plan and ready transactions in parallel indicates a broad market base. This balance is important because it shows that growth is sustainable across segments, not concentrated in one,” he said.
The report said Abu Dhabi’s residential market is entering 2026 from a position of strength, supported by strong investor confidence, disciplined supply and favourable economic conditions. While new project launches are expected to keep the off-plan segment active, rising rents and population growth are also likely to encourage more tenants to transition towards homeownership, sustaining demand in the coming year.
