Abu Dhabi residential property prices continued to climb hitting 31% across many established communities during Q3 2026, even as the latest transaction data points to a market becoming considerably more selective.

According to new research from Crompton Partners, Q3 2026 Abu Dhabi Secondary Market Report and Q3 2026 Off-Plan Secondary Market Report, show 527 completed-property transactions across six key areas during Q3, up from 483 in Q2. However, their combined value fell from AED1.25 billion ($340 million) to AED1.11 billion, suggesting more activity at lower price points.

The headline increase in transactions also needs context. Saadiyat Beach Residences alone accounted for 105 sales during the quarter. Excluding those transactions, the six areas monitored by Crompton Partners recorded 422 sales.

Stronger story

But prices tell a stronger story. Najmat on Al Reem Island recorded the highest year-on-year price increase among the established communities tracked, at 31%, closely followed by Al Reef Villas 2 at 30.4% and Al Bandar at 25.7%.

Al Raha delivered some of the broadest growth, with every one of the four communities monitored recording price increases of more than 18% year-on-year: Al Bandar rose 25.7%, Al Raha Gardens 24.2%, Al Zeina 20.8% and Al Muneera 18.3%.

Ben Crompton, Managing Partner of Crompton Partners, said: “Q3 is a useful reminder that a headline market average can hide an enormous amount. Transaction numbers are technically up, but total value is down and one project accounts for much of that increase in volume.

“What’s more significant is the resilience of pricing across a number of established communities. Clearly, our data shows that buyers are still active and willing to pay for the right property, but they are becoming much more discriminating about location, product and price.”

Al Reem Island

Meanwhile, Al Reem Island recorded 157 completed-property transactions worth AED274.5 million during the quarter, with price growth extending across all five communities tracked. Alongside Najmat’s 31% rise, Sun Sky Gate increased 22.5%, City of Lights 20.6%, Marina Square 13.5% and Shams Reem Island 11.5%.

Al Reef recorded 125 transactions worth AED215 million, with all three communities monitored posting double-digit annual price growth. Al Reef Apartments rose 15.2% and Al Reef Villas 1 increased 17.6%, while Al Reef Villas 2 climbed 30.4%.

Saadiyat Island remained the highest-value established market covered by the report, generating AED308.1 million from 112 transactions. Crompton Partners cautions, however, against interpreting the sharp increase in transaction numbers as a broad market trend, given the concentration of sales at Saadiyat Beach Residences.

Off-plan resale market 

At the same time, Abu Dhabi’s off-plan resale market remained highly active. 

Crompton Partners’ separate Q3 Off-Plan Secondary Market Report recorded 825 resale transactions across 35 projects containing 27,297 units. Over the 12 months to the end of September, the projects recorded 2,616 transactions, equivalent to 9.6% of their combined stock.

Yas Island remained the largest off-plan resale market, with 228 transactions across Yas Island Apartments and North Yas, while Al Reem Island followed closely with 216.

Gardenia Bay was the busiest individual development, with 121 resales during Q3 and 366 over the preceding 12 months. Sustainable City recorded 40 transactions and an annual turnover rate of 19.9%.

Liquidity

Liquidity varied dramatically even between neighbouring projects. Reem Eleven recorded an annual turnover equivalent to 20% of its stock, Sustainable City 19.9%, Saadiyat Grove 16.8% and Yas Park Views 16.7%. By contrast, several developments on the same islands recorded turnover rates below 5%.

Crompton added: “The market is increasingly rewarding buyers who look beyond the name of the island or community and understand what is happening within the individual development.

“Two projects can sit minutes apart and have completely different levels of liquidity, buyer demand and resale activity. The same applies to the ready market, where price movements vary significantly from one community to another.

“The message from Q3 is increasingly clear: pick your project, not just your postcode.”

Activity also remained significant beyond Abu Dhabi’s best-known island destinations. Developments on the capital’s outskirts recorded 133 off-plan resales during Q3, led by Bloom Living with 66 and Al Reeman with 64. Over the previous 12 months, Al Reeman recorded 341 transactions and Bloom Living 278, placing both among the most actively traded developments in the report.—TradeArabia News Service