In the first half of 2025, Abu Dhabi’s real estate market witnessed a strategic shift among buyers, with a growing preference for ready-to-move-in villas as new supply struggled to keep pace with demand.

Robust data points to this transition: residential transactions in H1 totaled approximately AED 9 billion, representing a 36% drop from the same period in 2024. In contrast, the ready property segment gained traction, accounting for 68% of all transactions, compared to 44% a year earlier, while off-plan activity declined markedly.

This supply crunch has helped accelerate asset appreciation. Residential prices rose 6.4% quarter-on-quarter, culminating in 17.3% annual growth, with villas outperforming apartments, posting a remarkable 42.3% value increase since Q1 2020.

Industry experts point out that limited new project launches have driven capital values upward. Average sale prices climbed from AED 14,100 to AED 16,200 per square meter year-on-year, representing a 13.4% surge, as buyers chased immediacy over potential future gains.

With existing buyers showing little interest in waiting, demand for completed homes—and particularly for villas continues to shape Abu Dhabi’s market narrative, reinforcing the city’s appeal for stability, lifestyle, and value.