Abu Dhabi’s property market has recorded a gradual but consistent recovery in the first half of 2026, according to in-house data from Bayut and dubizzle covering activity through to Week 14 of the year.
Property views recovered to 95 per cent of the 2026 baseline across the two platforms, with impressions at 83 per cent, active users at 80 per cent and unique buyers at 87 per cent.
Agent activity has held up more strongly: daily agent responses in Abu Dhabi now stand at 102 per cent of the baseline, suggesting supply-side engagement has kept pace with returning demand.
“Abu Dhabi’s property market has continued to demonstrate resilience, supported by strong fundamentals, improving user activity and a clear appetite for quality residential communities. “The market is also benefiting from a more structured and transparent regulatory environment. ADREC’s continued focus on strengthening the sector, along with measures such as the recent rent freeze announcement, gives tenants, landlords and real estate professionals greater clarity when making decisions. This kind of predictability is important for long-term confidence, especially in a market where users are becoming more deliberate, data-driven and value- conscious,” Haider Khan, CEO of Bayut and dubizzle and CEO of Dubizzle Group MENA said in a statement.
An AI-led analysis of more than 7,000 property inquiry calls recorded through both platforms found the sales-to-rental split broadly stable, with sales accounting for 54 per cent of calls and rentals 46 per cent.
At the community level, rental apartment interest has been strongest in Masdar City, Al Reef, Al Raha Beach, Yas Island, Al Khalidiyah and Al Reem Island, with several of those areas returning to pre-disruption demand levels. For villa rentals, Al Shamkha recorded particularly strong traction, while Mohamed Bin Zayed City, Al Reef, Khalifa City and Yas Island remained active.
In sales, ready-market interest was concentrated in Al Raha Beach, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island and Al Reem Island for apartments. Al Shamkha stood out in the ready villa segment, with recovery metrics ranging from 80 per cent to 130 per cent across user activity indicators.
Off-plan apartment demand was led by Masdar City, with Zayed City, Al Reem Island, Al Maryah Island and Al Hudayriat Island also drawing attention. Ramhan Island, Yas Island and Saadiyat Island led off-plan villa interest.
