1. Introduction On July 1, 2026, senior government leaders from across Abu Dhabi gathered at the iconic Zayed National Museum for the official launch press conference of LIVEX 2026 — the emirate's inaugural Livability and Investment Exhibition. The event brought together senior figures from eight of Abu Dhabi's key government departments for a keynote and two high-level panels, confirming for the...

1. Introduction Abu Dhabi's residential property market is closing the first half of 2026 in a position that would have seemed impossible to predict during the uncertainty of February and March. A period of geopolitical volatility that briefly weighed on regional sentiment — and produced a documented 16% month-on-month transaction decline in March — has given way to a measurable, broad-based...

Abu Dhabi is taking another major step in its cultural development with Dar al Funoon Abu Dhabi, meaning “House of the Arts.” Located on Saadiyat Island near the Saadiyat Cultural District, the performing arts institution is scheduled to open in 2030 for residents, visitors, artists and communities from around the world. Designed by the late architect Frank Gehry, Dar al Funoon will bring together...

1. Introduction While Abu Dhabi's residential market has dominated property headlines through 2025 and into 2026, a quieter but equally significant story has been building in the emirate's commercial sector — and its implications extend well beyond the office leasing market into the residential communities where every corporate occupier's workforce eventually needs to live. Prime office vacancy in...

Hamzeh Shalan, General Manager of NAS Luxury Real Estate, appeared live on Al Dhafra TV on 24 June 2026 to discuss Dubai Land Department’s new Flexi Rent initiative and its wider significance for investment, housing accessibility and quality of life across the UAE. During the television discussion, Hamzeh explained that the importance of the announcement should not be viewed only from the perspective...

1. Introduction On June 23, 2026, His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, officially inaugurated the Mohamed bin Zayed City Passenger Train Station in Abu Dhabi and witnessed the unveiling of the UAE's passenger rail network. The moment marked the end of years of anticipation and the beginning of a transport...

1. Introduction Abu Dhabi's property market is entering what analysts are calling a supply-sensitive phase — a period where the number of new homes being delivered cannot keep pace with the number of people who want them. Around 15,900 units are expected to complete in 2026, but past delivery patterns and current consultancy estimates suggest actual handovers will range between 6,500 and 9,000 homes....

The Summit That Put the Number in Writing On June 23 and 24, 2026, Abu Dhabi hosted the second edition of the Forbes Middle East Building the Future Summit at an event bringing together approximately 3,000 policymakers, business executives, and industry experts under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. The summit was organised by Forbes Middle East in partnership with One...

One Last Opportunity in a Community That Rarely Opens Its Doors Yas Acres is not a new name in Abu Dhabi's property market. It is one of the island's most established, consistently oversubscribed, and highly rated family communities — a neighbourhood that has been operating, growing, and delivering resident satisfaction for years. The community has achieved a Net Promoter Score of plus 49 for the...

1. The Assumption That Costs Buyers More Than Anything Else I have had this conversation more times than I can count. A buyer finds a property they love, the location is right, the price makes sense, and they are ready to move. Then we check the zone — and they discover that what they were told was "freehold ownership" is actually a usufruct right for 99 years, or that the community sits outside the...