Dubai Ready Property Sales Soar in Q1 2025; Abu Dhabi Focuses on High-Value Existing Homes

The latest Q1 2025 data from Property Finder, the region’s leading real estate portal, reveals an upbeat start to the year for the UAE’s property market. Though driven by differing trends, both Dubai and Abu Dhabi have registered impressive performances. Dubai’s market is riding a wave of record-breaking transactions across both off-plan and ready segments. Abu Dhabi is experiencing heightened activity in its ready property sector, particularly for completed residential and commercial assets.

Dubai Breaks Records with Best Q1 in Over a Decade

Dubai’s property market has posted its strongest Q1 in more than ten years, reflecting robust demand from both investors and end-users. A total of 45,474 transactions were registered in Q1 2025, a 22% increase from the same quarter in 2024. In terms of value, transactions reached AED 142.7 billion, showing a substantial 30% rise year-on-year. These results mark the highest-ever first-quarter performance in both volume and value, highlighting Dubai’s growing appeal and the continued evolution of its real estate sector.

Off-Plan Segment Drives Dubai’s Growth

Off-plan properties played a pivotal role in this surge. In Q1 2025, off-plan transactions accounted for 56% of total sales in Dubai, with 25,440 deals recorded. This represents a 24% increase compared to Q1 2024, when 20,557 transactions were logged. The total value of off-plan sales jumped from AED 44.5 billion to AED 55.2 billion—a 24% year-on-year rise. These figures point to heightened confidence from investors in Dubai’s long-term real estate prospects and an optimistic outlook toward upcoming developments and project deliveries. Off-plan sales also contributed 39% of Dubai’s total real estate transaction value in the first quarter, further cementing this segment’s importance in shaping market dynamics.

Ready Property Market in Dubai Posts Historic Highs

Dubai’s existing, or ready, property market also delivered an exceptional performance in Q1 2025. A total of 20,034 transactions were recorded, worth AED 87.5 billion. Compared to Q1 2024, this represents a 21% rise in volume and a striking 34% increase in value (up from AED 65.3 billion). This performance set a new quarterly record for this segment and exceeded the 2024 average quarterly volume by 12% and value by 19%.

Ready property transactions made up 44% of all sales in Q1, indicating strong demand from buyers seeking move-in-ready homes. Much of this demand appears to be driven by a shift among residents from renting to owning, as rising rental rates across the city make homeownership increasingly attractive.

Abu Dhabi Market Gains Ground with Focus on Ready Properties

While Dubai dominated in terms of overall numbers, Abu Dhabi also showed healthy momentum, particularly in its ready property segment. The capital registered around 2,496 total real estate transactions in Q1 2025, with a total value of AED 9.6 billion. Although the volume growth was more moderate compared to Dubai, the value of these transactions surged, largely due to increased interest in commercial and high-end residential properties.

Abu Dhabi’s Off-Plan Activity Holds Steady

Abu Dhabi’s off-plan market-maintained stability in Q1 2025, with approximately 1,332 off-plan sales recorded. These were valued at AED 4.9 billion, reflecting consistent confidence in the emirate’s development roadmap. This segment remains a core component of the Abu Dhabi market, attracting long-term investors and those looking for future returns through new builds and master-planned communities.

Ready Segment Sees Notable Growth in Abu Dhabi

The capital’s ready property market accounted for 1,164 transactions in Q1 2025, which is roughly 47% of Abu Dhabi’s total real estate activity. This marks a 9% increase in volume from Q1 2024’s 1,066 transactions. In terms of value, ready transactions reached nearly half (49%) of the total, with a staggering 75% increase compared to the previous year.

Residential properties dominated this segment, making up 88% of transaction volume and 60% of total value. Compared to Q1 2024, residential-ready sales rose by 5% in volume and 33% in value—underlining a growing preference for immediately available homes. This trend indicates that more buyers are looking for practical, liveable spaces rather than waiting for future completions.

Key Takeaways

> Dubai continues to lead in both volume and value, setting new records for off-plan and ready properties.

> Off-plan sales in Dubai grew by 24% YoY in both volume and value, driven by long-term investor confidence.

> Ready properties in Dubai saw a 21% rise in transactions and a 34% increase in value, breaking historic records.

> Abu Dhabi’s ready market witnessed a massive 75% surge in value and steady volume growth, highlighting a clear shift toward completed, liveable spaces.

> Residential demand remains strong in both emirates, with increasing signs of a shift from renting to owning due to elevated rental prices.

Cherif Sleiman, Chief Revenue Officer, Property Finder, commented, “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. Overall, the UAE continues to be a reliable and globally competitive real estate ecosystem, supported by initiatives such as the Dubai Real Estate Alliance by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) that brings together public and private sector partners. In parallel, DLD’s partnership with the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) to link the Emirate’s real estate registry with property tokenisation enables fractional ownership of assets and is a major step towards allowing a broader base of investors to enter Dubai’s market. Together, these developments are helping build a smarter, more inclusive and investment-friendly property market.”

“As a lighthouse tech company in the region, Property Finder remains committed to empowering home seekers with accurate, real-time data and supporting our partners in navigating these evolving trends.”