The 14th edition of the International Real Estate and Investment Show (IREIS 2025) concluded at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) with strong calls for developers to launch more residential projects to meet surging demand.
Abu Dhabi’s population grew 7.5 per cent in 2024 to 4.13m, driven by growth in non-oil sectors including tourism, aviation, retail, and construction.
This has placed pressure on the housing market as supply struggles to keep pace.
Abu Dhabi real estate growth
The UAE economy is forecast to grow 4.6 per cent in 2025, with non-oil sectors contributing significantly, according to the World Bank. Abu Dhabi’s real estate market has already shown strong performance in early-to-mid 2025, with apartment prices up 18 per cent and villa prices up 14 per cent year-on-year as of June.
Amer Al Ahbabi, CEO of Vertix Holdings, said: “Housing demand is outpacing supplies as Abu Dhabi needs more properties. This has been evident in the recent release of some properties that were sold out at launch.
“I urge more and more developers to enter the Abu Dhabi market and launch real estate properties, where the price of homes are growing at a fast pace.
“In the absence of capital gain tax, a home buyer or an investor stands to get better return on investment in Abu Dhabi properties.”
Industry reports reveal the total value of active urban development projects in the emirate has reached AED2.78tn ($758.79bn), with urban construction alone accounting for AED813bn ($221.56bn).
Developers at the event, including Reportage, Danube Properties, Object 1, Dugasta Properties, Meta Homes Real Estate GGM, and Dia Properties, confirmed plans to launch new projects. Reportage Properties reported strong sales during the exhibition, with most homes already sold out.
Residential supply is gradually increasing, with 2,400 units delivered in 2025. Around 10,400 units are projected for completion by year-end, with 11,000 more due in 2026, according to Cavendish Maxwell.
According to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), the emirate’s real estate transaction value rose 39 per cent in H1 2025 to AED51.72bn ($14.09b), compared to AED37.2bn ($10.13bn) in H1 2024.
