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Arabian Business
21-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Abu Dhabi real estate: Property market sees growth in H1 2025 amid infrastructure boost
Abu Dhabi's real estate market recorded continued growth in the first half of 2025, supported by transaction activity in both the sales and rental sectors. The findings were published in dubizzle's H1 2025 Abu Dhabi Property Sales and Rental Market report, which outlined trends across ready and off-plan markets, investor activity, and short-term and long-term rentals. According to the report, transaction values increased in the first six months of the year, reflecting sustained demand across major communities. Ready and off-plan sales drive Abu Dhabi real estate market in H1 2025 Growth was attributed to the impact of digital platforms, such as Madhmoun, which enhanced transparency, streamlined transactions and increased property visibility. Infrastructure projects including Etihad Rail and the upcoming Disneyland on Yas Island were also cited as contributing factors to increased property values and rental demand in nearby areas. Haider Khan, CEO of dubizzle and Dubizzle Group MENA, said: 'Abu Dhabi's real estate landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by ambitious infrastructure projects and a clear commitment to transparency. With initiatives like Madhmoun and landmark developments such as Disneyland on Yas Island being announced, the emirate is becoming an even more attractive destination for investors and residents alike. 'At dubizzle, we're proud to support this momentum by offering a wide range of 'Verified' listings and a dedicated off-plan experience. Through our alignment with ADREC and our upcoming AI-powered innovations, we remain committed to building a smarter, more transparent property market that reflects the bold vision of Abu Dhabi's future.' Ready sales data showed increases across budget segments. Affordable apartment prices rose by 6.44 per cent, while villa prices increased by 3.38 per cent. Mid-tier apartments rose by 4.91 per cent, and mid-tier villas appreciated by 4.84 per cent. Luxury apartment prices increased by 8.95 per cent, with luxury villas rising by 4.92 per cent. Al Reef, Al Reem and Yas Island lead Abu Dhabi property returns in H1 2025 Al Reef recorded the highest price increase among affordable villa communities, with a return on investment (ROI) of 6.18 per cent. Other communities that performed well in this segment included Al Shamkha, Khalifa City, Zayed City and Hydra Village. Mid-tier villa buyers showed interest in Al Raha Gardens, Al Reem Island and Al Samha. Luxury villa buyers focused on waterfront locations, including Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Jubail Island and Al Matar. The off-plan market showed momentum in H1 2025 with a rise in project launches and buyer interest across price categories. In the affordable off-plan apartment segment, Al Shamkha and Zayed City remained key areas. Al Reeman 1 in Al Shamkha was popular, with apartments averaging AED 804,000. Granada at Bloom Living averaged AED 1.34 million, while Nawayef Park Views on Al Hudayriyat Island reached AED 3.56 million. Affordable villa prices ranged from AED 1.01 million to AED 4.7 million, led by projects such as Al Reeman 2 in Al Shamkha and Al Naseem on Al Hudayriyat Island. For mid-tier off-plan apartments, Al Reem Island remained active, supported by Vista 3 (AED 1.39 million), Reem Hills (AED 1.66 million) and Renad Tower (AED 1.58 million). Other active communities included Masdar City, Ghantoot and Shakhbout City. Mid-tier villa demand was led by Reem Hills on Al Reem Island and Royal Park in Masdar City. Luxury off-plan activity centred on waterfront areas including Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Al Maryah Island, Al Raha Beach and Al Jurf. Luxury apartment buyers favoured Yas Bay by Miraal (AED 2.11 million), Gardenia Bay by Aldar (AED 1.96 million), the Saadiyat Cultural District (AED 4.66 million), and Brabus Island in Al Raha Beach (AED 3.13 million). On Al Maryah Island, the St. Regis Residences and W Residences gained interest. Luxury villa demand was led by Yas Riva on Yas Island, with additional activity in Saadiyat Island, Al Jubail Island and Al Jurf. In the affordable segment, Al Reef led ROI for apartments at 9.46 per cent, followed by Al Ghadeer at 8.42 per cent. Hydra Village and Al Reef led for affordable villas with 8.42 per cent and 6.18 per cent ROI, respectively. Mid-tier apartment ROIs reached 7.33 per cent in Al Reem Island and 7.20 per cent in Masdar City. Villas in Al Raha Gardens and Al Samha recorded ROIs of 6.23 per cent and 5.34 per cent, respectively. Among luxury apartments, Al Maryah Island recorded the highest ROI at 8.48 per cent, followed by Yas Island (6.77 per cent) and Al Raha Beach (6.40 per cent). Saadiyat Island and Yas Island led the villa segment with ROIs of 5.56 per cent and 5.40 per cent, respectively. Abu Dhabi sees strong investor interest in affordable and luxury property segments In the luxury apartment segment, Al Raha Beach, Corniche Area and Yas Island recorded average annual rents between AED 112,000 and AED 143,000. Villas in Yas Island, Al Bateen and Saadiyat Island had average rents between AED 236,000 and AED 590,000. Apartment rents increased in popular mid-tier locations. Electra Street averaged AED 66,000 (+12.33 per cent), Al Reem Island AED 114,000 (+9.24 per cent), and Al Khalidiyah AED 91,000 (+9.22 per cent). Mid-tier villas in Shakhbout City, Al Samha and Al Raha Gardens averaged AED168,000, AED 144,000 and AED 184,000, respectively. In the affordable segment, apartments in Khalifa City, Al Shamkha and Al Nahyan ranged from AED 45,000 to AED 62,000. Villas in Khalifa City, Al Reef and Al Shamkha had rents between AED 135,000 and AED 199,000. Al Reem Island and Masdar City were preferred mid-tier short-term rental areas, with average monthly rents of AED 11,410 and AED 8,350, respectively. Luxury short-term rental demand remained focused on Yas Island, Al Raha Beach and Saadiyat Island. Yas Island rents increased slightly to AED 12,560. Al Raha Beach recorded 21.93 per cent growth, reaching AED 13,050. Saadiyat Island remained the highest, with an average rent of AED 16,740.
Economy ME
17-06-2025
- Business
- Economy ME
Summer real estate boom in Dubai to drive record sales, rentals: Report
Summer is one of the most active seasons for property transactions in Dubai, as revealed by a new report from UAE-based real estate platform Bayut. According to figures from the Dubai Land Department (DLD) , analyzed by Bayut's proprietary systems, summer 2024 (June–September) recorded the highest volume of property sales and rental transactions for the year. There were 64,596 property sales, reflecting a 38.1 percent increase over winter and an 18.1 percent rise compared to spring. Rental activity was equally robust, with a total of 372,337 rental transactions—surpassing all other seasons. These findings are visualized and accessible through Dubai Transactions on Bayut, a real-time analytics tool that enables users to explore transactional trends across communities and time periods. This marks a continuation of a three-year upward trend. Sales during summer 2024 rose by 37.7 percent compared to 2023, which itself had seen a 38.5 percent increase over 2022, demonstrating sustained year-on-year summer growth in both sales and rentals. 'Summer represents a busy and vibrant time for Dubai's property sector,' said Haider Khan, CEO of Bayut. 'Bayut's data paints a very clear picture: buyer and renter interest remains strong year-round, and our tools like Dubai Transactions and TruEstimate™ are enabling smarter, faster decisions. The market is more active, more informed, and more digitally enabled than ever before.' Read more | Dubai real estate: 61,580 new homes expected to be delivered throughout 2025 Growing preference for buying Data-led decisions are driving buyer confidence, the report noted. The summer surge aligns with a broader trend: a growing number of residents are opting to buy rather than rent. With the support of Bayut's suite of data-driven products, users are increasingly equipped to make informed investment choices. TruEstimate™, Bayut's AI-powered property valuation tool, has already generated over 300,000 personalized reports, assisting users in assessing fair value before making commitments. Dubai Transactions delivers government-backed property data directly to users, highlighting recent deal values, price trends, and unit-level activity across neighborhoods. With greater transparency and accessible insights, users are more empowered than ever to enter the market with confidence throughout the year. According to Bayut, downtimes simply do not exist within the modern iteration of Dubai's property sector. The market operates at a singular pace—lightning fast. As summer 2025 approaches, all indicators suggest another season of record-breaking growth.
Arabian Business
10-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
AB Majlis podcast: Bayut CEO reveals how AI and transparency are reshaping UAE's real estate market
The UAE's real estate market is undergoing a technological revolution that's fundamentally changing how properties are bought, sold, and valued, according to Haider Khan, CEO of Bayut and Dubizzle, he said on the latest episode of the AB Majlis podcast. Khan, who leads the region's largest property portal, revealed how artificial intelligence, blockchain tokenisation, and enhanced transparency measures are creating a more efficient and trustworthy marketplace while addressing longstanding industry challenges. The property listing accuracy problem that once plagued Dubai's market has significantly improved through sophisticated backend integrations with the Dubai Land Department (DLD), Khan explained during the podcast discussion. 'We've been working very closely with the land department, and there's strong technology integrations that exist in the back end that you don't see in the front end, where we ensure that all the properties that are there have a valid permit,' Khan said. The platform has implemented a comprehensive verification system where brokers must obtain permits from DLD before listings go live. 'We check in the back end from the Land Department if it's a valid permit, and if it is then the listing goes live, otherwise it doesn't,' he added. Beyond permit verification, Bayut introduced TruCheck, a geolocation-based system requiring agents to physically visit properties and submit geotagged photos. 'We essentially ask the agent or the broker to go to the property and take a snapshot which is geotagged, so that we know that they also have accessibility to the property,' Khan explained. Elevating broker standards through recognition The platform's True Broker program represents the first recognition and rewards system of its kind in the region, designed to highlight top-performing agents based on multiple performance metrics. 'We wanted to take the best brokers in the market and highlight them, because the people who provide the best quality of service should hopefully close more business,' Khan said. The system evaluates responsiveness, listing quality, lead interaction speed, and property accessibility. The program has created an organic marketplace for property sellers. 'There are people looking to sell properties [who] don't necessarily know where to start. It's become a very good tool for organically reaching out to brokers to actually sell your property as well,' he noted. Dubai's sustainable growth trajectory Addressing concerns about market overheating, Khan expressed confidence in Dubai's continued growth potential, citing comparative affordability and strong fundamentals. 'If you start looking at price per square foot and you compare to some similar cities across the world, Dubai is still very affordable from that angle,' he said. 'The last two, I would say three years have really been fantastic and remarkable in terms of the growth that we've seen in the industry, but I think there's more room left.' Khan pointed to publicly available bubble index reports showing Dubai at extremely low risk levels. 'Dubai is extremely low on the risk side, it's a lot of it is in the green side. So that gives us a lot of excitement about what's to come in the future.' Supply dynamics also support continued growth, particularly in the villa segment. 'If I look at the villa side, there's not that many units hitting the market in the next year or a couple of years, and I think the absorption on that side should be pretty good,' he explained. Fractional ownership and regulatory innovation The Dubai Land Department's recent launch of fractional ownership experiments represents a significant regulatory evolution that could democratise property investment access. 'DLD launched this experiment which is fractional ownership, or tokenising real estate, and that's going to be interesting,' Khan said. 'It opens up this asset class to a lot of people which historically haven't had access to this, because properties are not cheap, but once you break it down to smaller chunks, it becomes pretty interesting.' While acknowledging the need for proper financial product regulation, Khan expressed optimism about the potential market expansion this could enable. Bayut has emerged as a regional pioneer in AI-powered property search, launching the first conversational AI tool allowing users to describe their property requirements in natural language. 'We launched Bayut GPT which is you can just have a conversation with it in terms of how you want to look for your property, and that gives us a lot of insights into what people are actually looking for,' Khan explained. 'When you can converse with somebody, it's very interesting because you actually start understanding what they're really after.' The platform has also introduced AI-powered listing generation across its broader marketplace. 'We have this feature which is 'sell with AI', so all you need to do is just take a snapshot and it really generates the listing for you. It generates the ad for you, even guides you in terms of how you should price it.' The future of real estate agents Despite AI advances, Khan firmly believes human agents remain irreplaceable in high-value transactions like real estate. 'AI is not going to take your job, but is your job going to be the same job that you do every day today? No. Should you be more productive? Yes. Do you know how to use AI to your benefit? Yes, you should,' he said. The human element becomes crucial for expensive purchases requiring trust and guidance. 'Property is perhaps one of the most expensive things that people buy in their lives. You need a certain factor of trust, and I think that really the human touch is important, somebody giving you that reassurance and even guiding you through the process.' Virtual tours vs. traditional methods Contrary to industry expectations, virtual reality and 3D property tours haven't achieved widespread adoption, with traditional photography remaining the preferred medium for initial property screening. 'The main medium that we've seen over the years that hasn't changed is pictures,' Khan noted. 'You can get a lot more from pictures in a very short amount of time than you can from a video or VR.' Consumer behaviour analysis shows efficiency preferences drive this trend. 'You can go through 10 properties very quickly [with pictures]. If you start watching VR for each one, that can be pretty taxing time-wise,' he explained. Advanced valuation and market intelligence The platform operates eight to ten different AI models for its TruEstimate property valuation tool, while recent acquisition of Property Monitor enhances market intelligence capabilities. 'We're pretty excited about what we can build on top of that and just not show you transaction data, but also start showing you what the demand looks like,' Khan said of the Property Monitor integration. Looking ahead, Khan revealed ambitious AI development plans, including room-level inventory management. 'Wouldn't it be nice if you just take a picture of the entire room and you can pick up all the items and you don't need to create 10 items? We can create that room sale for you.' Market evolution and future outlook Khan positioned the real estate portal evolution from simple classified advertising to sophisticated data platforms providing market insights and predictive analytics. 'We can become very strong data platforms or insight platforms,' he said. 'The point is how can we educate the user at the same time and the brokers and everybody to build that stronger connection that's based on actual factual information.' The technological transformation reflects broader market maturation, with transparency, efficiency, and user experience becoming key competitive differentiators in the UAE's dynamic real estate landscape. Tune in to a new episode of AB Majlis every Monday To listen to the full episode and gain a comprehensive understanding of doing business in the Gulf region, visit our RSS feed or check out AB Majlis on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms. Episodes are also available on: Tune in every Monday for weekly episodes that will help you stay ahead of the curve and enrich your understanding of the Gulf region.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Meet the Belfast firefighter ready to set the MMA world ablaze after injury hell
By day, Sean McCormac fights fires. By night, he fights some of the toughest athletes on the planet. A couple of months ago, he feared his MMA career was over. The 29-year-old was in the middle of a two-year plus absence during which time he went through a number of serious knee injuries. Add to that a freak concussion suffered at the hands of his brother three weeks out from a scheduled contest, and Belfast man McCormac, who works as a firefighter in his day job, was beginning to think his time was up. READ MORE: West Belfast burglar who swung hammer at woman during confrontation is jailed READ MORE: Carl Frampton's huge net worth, bitter feud with Barry McGuigan, sad health admission Flash forward to May 10th and McCormac will be stepping into the cage to take on Englishman Haider Khan in a massive fight at the SSE arena in Belfast on the undercard of an event headlined by blossoming superstar Paul Hughes, a scenario which was absolutely not on the cards two months ago. "I was supposed to fight in March and about three weeks out, me and my brother, we were grappling, and he came out of the position and just the way his elbow hit me it just concussed me. "And my team pulled me from the fight. So I took a week off and I was up in Donegal. And I was chilling out. "I was almost a wee bit depressed like 'f*** me, I've just blown another fight, what's going on here with all these injuries?' "Then the text comes through with the name (Khan) and it says the PFL can't get a match for him, what do you think of him? "I said yes before I even watched him to be honest. I'm just here for a scrap, if I can't go against the best in the world and test my ability, then what am I doing this sport for?" After suffering a second major knee injury, McCormac admits there was a time when he considered quitting fighting altogether, instead, he is on the cusp of living out his biggest dream. "The first knee injury, it took three months to come back and I got back to better than where I was before. I'm blessed my father's a physio, so I went to him. And you know, it's not like I want to get back to the level of a normal person, I have to get back to the level to where I was and also get better because I'm obviously getting better in the sport. "Then when I got back from that, I broke the ribs. I was going to get another fight signed up and then I blew the knee a second time. "I was lying up again in the knee brace for another 10 weeks, and there was sad times where you're lying there and you're like, is this it? "Like what am I doing this for? "You just have to truck through those. You got to be a tank running downhill and just keep trucking. Any obstacle in the way, just take it as it is. I knew there was a reason just to stick it out, and here it is, and now I'm performing in Belfast. "This has been my dream. I drive past that stadium all the time. My missus is probably sick of me saying 'Someday I'm gonna fight here'. literally she's probably sick of hearing it, but you get goosebumps when you think about it, now I get to do it." For a man who fights fires to pay the bills, he's well used to high pressure situation, and it's safe to say he's not exactly feeling the heat ahead of the biggest night of his career. "I just think it adds excitement for me, you know, I've never been one that's really caved under the pressure. "I think I shine brighter the bigger the moment is, so I think this is just gonna be the exact same when I get out there. "I think you are gonna be like, 'that's crazy that this man had two years off of those injuries, and he went in and did that to that guy.'" Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox
The National
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- The National
Dubizzle - the trusted marketplace that stands apart in a crowded digital world
In a digital landscape teeming with online marketplaces, dubizzle has become the most trusted and reliable in the UAE. While numerous options for buying, selling and renting have come and gone, none have been able to overtake or even come close to the popularity and love dubizzle enjoys. While it can be daunting to navigate social media marketplaces due to a lack of trust and authenticity, dubizzle has taken the onus of providing the most secure environment for online buyers through verified users, trusted listings and strong safety measures, ensuring a smooth and reliable transaction experience. Verified Users on dubizzle - who authenticate their accounts with personal information and Emirates ID - benefit from an added layer of security, whether they are buying or selling. By leveraging advanced verification tools and manual moderation, dubizzle uses its considerable technical expertise to minimise negative activity and enhance user confidence. In addition, dubizzle strongly urges all buyers and sellers to keep their conversations within the platform's chat channel, ensuring that interactions are monitored and easily tracked. This protects users from scams and unauthorised transactions, as any activity outside the dubizzle platform falls beyond its security measures. As well as being a trusted marketplace, dubizzle offers a range of value-added services for cars, designed to simplify the buying and selling process. With 'dubizzle Cars Inspection', buyers can ensure the vehicle's condition before making a purchase. 'Managed by dubizzle' takes the hassle out of selling by managing the entire process, from listing to finalising the deal. To further support users, dubizzle provides banking and loan facilitation, insurance assistance, and Tasjeel registration services, making it a comprehensive solution for all automotive transactions in the UAE. With an intuitive interface and powerful search filters, dubizzle makes discovering and securing the right deal effortless. Whether you're finding a new home, selling your car or hiring for your business, the platform is designed for efficiency, convenience and trust, and as one of the UAE's most widely recognised marketplaces, dubizzle connects millions of users every month. This expansive reach ensures that sellers gain maximum visibility, while buyers enjoy access to a vast selection of listings across multiple categories. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, dubizzle hosts an average of 650,000 ads monthly across categories, attracting 190 million views and engaging 5 million buyers and sellers each month. dubizzle Cars sees an average of 45,000 ads and 75 million views monthly, connecting 2 million buyers and sellers, while dubizzle Property features an average of 275,000 listings, 40 million views, and 1 million monthly users, solidifying dubizzle's unmatched reach and reliability. Haider Khan, chief executive of dubizzle, said trust is the foundation of everything dubizzle does. "We are committed to keep working towards a secure, transparent and efficient online marketplace where users can buy and sell with complete confidence," he said. "Our continued investment in technology, verification and user experience upholds our dedication towards making dubizzle the go-to platform for a safe and seamless experience in the UAE. We're not just a classifieds portal, we are a household name for every buying and selling need." In a crowded and competitive digital landscape, dubizzle continues to lead the way with trust, security and innovation. Whether you're making a major purchase, searching for a job, or selling an item, dubizzle ensures that your safety and convenience always come first.
