According to Property Finder’s Q1 Insights report, the first quarter of 2025 saw 45,474 transactions totaling AED142.7 billion, which represented a 22% increase in volume and a 30% increase in value over the same time the previous year. This was a historic high for Dubai’s real estate market.
With 20,034 transactions totaling AED87.5 billion, the ready-to-move-in real estate market in Dubai saw its best-ever quarterly performance. This represents a 21% increase in volume and a 34% increase in value year over year.
Dubai property market soars
With 25,440 sales totaling AED55.2 billion, or a 24% rise from Q1 2024, off-plan sales remained the market leader, making up 56% of all transactions in Dubai.
In the meantime, the real estate market in Abu Dhabi shown a trend toward high-value existing houses, with ready-to-move-in property transactions rising by 9% in volume and 75% in value when compared to the first quarter of 2024.
Approximately 2,496 transactions totaling AED 9.6 billion were recorded in the emirate.
“This year remains strong, particularly in Dubai where investor confidence in long-term capital appreciation remains high. Abu Dhabi’s evolving buyer behaviour shows growing interest in quality, ready-to-move-in homes. From an international perspective, global policy shifts and the depreciation of the dollar are creating heightened interest in UAE real estate investment opportunities,” Cherif Sleiman, Chief Revenue Officer, Property Finder said in a statement.
Sleiman pointed out that increased interest in UAE real estate investment potential is a result of both dollar devaluation and changes in global policy.
In order to create a “smarter, more inclusive, and investment-friendly property market,” he cited programs like the Dubai Real Estate Alliance and the collaboration between the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
As rising rental prices encourage residents to think about buying, the city’s ready property transactions indicate a possible transition from renting to owning.
In Q1 2025, residential transactions accounted for 60% of overall value and 88% of total market volume in Abu Dhabi.
In comparison to Q1 2024, residential-ready transactions increased in volume by 5% and in value by 33%, demonstrating a persistent demand for finished properties.
