Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Al Reem Island accounted for 1,291 of Abu Dhabi’s 2,658 off-plan apartment transactions during the summer months of June, July and August, according to a market analysis by MERED.
This represented 49% of the emirate’s off-plan apartment transactions during the period, underlining the island’s role in Abu Dhabi’s residential property market, the real estate developer said in a statement.
Approximately 139,000 square metres of off-plan apartments were sold on Al Reem Island during the summer of 2026, compared with 34,000 square metres during the same period in 2024, representing a more than fourfold increase.
Across Abu Dhabi, about 308,000 square metres of off-plan apartments were sold during the three-month period, 2.4 times the volume recorded in the summer of 2024. Al Reem Island accounted for approximately 45% of the total area sold, the analysis showed.
Prices also increased alongside transaction activity. According to MERED, the average transaction price for off-plan apartments across Abu Dhabi rose by 28% between the summers of 2024 and 2026 to approximately $7,070 per square metre.
The statement attributed Al Reem Island’s residential appeal to its waterfront location and access to parks, schools, shops, restaurants and other services. It also cited the island’s proximity to Al Maryah Island and central Abu Dhabi.
Al Reem Island has been under the jurisdiction of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) since the UAE Cabinet expanded the financial centre’s jurisdiction in 2023 to include the island alongside Al Maryah Island. ADGM completed the integration of Al Reem Island at the end of 2024.
More than 1,100 businesses on Al Reem Island were operating under ADGM’s jurisdiction by February 2025.
“As Al Reem matures, the benchmark for successful residential projects is changing. Buyers are becoming more selective, looking closely at how well a home is planned, how it functions day to day, the quality of construction, the amenities it offers and its long-term relevance,” Artemiy Marinin, Project Director at MERED, said.
“For developers, that means creating homes that respond to how people actually want to live, while giving projects a clear sense of distinction in an increasingly competitive market,” he added.
The findings come amid wider growth in Abu Dhabi’s off-plan residential market. Data published by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre for the first half of 2026 showed that off-plan transactions accounted for 82% of residential deals and 89% of residential sales value across the emirate, according to the statement.
