Exploring key themes of community appeal, a diversifying investor base and the growing role of technology in the home-seeking journey, the roundtable discussion sets the tone for the year to follow 

Property Finder, MENA’s leading property portal, recently brought together top industry leaders for an exclusive roundtable to discuss the current landscape and future opportunities within the UAE’s dynamic real estate sector. 

Chaired by Property Finder’s CEO and Founder, Michael Lahyani, the event was attended by senior leaders, such as Richard Waind, BetterHomes CEO Cencorp, Daniel Hadi CEO Engel & Völkers, John Lyons Managing Director Espace Real Estate, Kika Pavese, Managing Director MD Real Estate, Aron Lomax co-founder and Managing Partner Treo Homes and Sam McCone, Managing Director, McCone Properties. With an agenda focused on tapping into key trends, identifying and addressing challenges and mutually leveraging industry innovation, the discussion brought to light themes that will drive the industry forward in the coming year.

Michael Lahyani, Founder & CEO of Property Finder commented “Bringing together key leaders in real estate is not just about discussing business – it’s about collectively shaping the future of our industry. In such a dynamic market, where record-breaking transactions are redefining the landscape, it is more important than ever to maintain high standards of operation and continuously raise the bar. At Property Finder, we are committed to fostering collaboration and driving innovation to ensure a transparent, trusted, and forward-thinking real estate ecosystem in the UAE.”

The UAE Real Estate Boom: Opportunities and Growth
According to the Ministry of Economy, in the first six months of 2024 alone the real estate industry accounted for 7.6% of the nation’s GDP. The post-COVID era has seen accelerated urbanization take hold of the nation, fueled by significant infrastructural investments  and forward-thinking government initiatives such as the Golden Visa followed by the Green and Blue visas. Further supporting this are transparency measures introduced by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) such as the Smart Rental Index 2025, and the UAE Central Bank’s recent directive, to prevent banks from financing DLD fees and real estate broker commissions as part of property mortgages to encourage mindful borrowing. These initiatives have created a robust framework for the industry to unlock its full potential, over and above the existing successes seen in 2024.

According to MarketWatch data released by Property Finder, 2024 was the most active year on record for the UAE property market. In Dubai transaction volumes grew  36%, while transaction value increased 27%. This growth was driven primarily by the off-plan property segment, which now accounts for a larger share of transactions than existing properties.

On the other hand, Abu Dhabi’s existing market continued to scale with a YoY increase of approximately 53.4% in volume, with 4,320 transactions touching AED 9.27 billion.

Over the course of the discussions lead by Property Finder, insights that were brought to light included: 

• Strong Market Momentum: After an exceptional 2024, January kicked off with strong performance across the sector, recording 14,238 transactions, marking a 23% increase compared to January 2024. The value of these transactions increased by 24%, totalling to AED 44.4 billion. Looking more closely at individual players, companies reported record-breaking results across high-value transactions, such as a 25M AED sale by Espace, contributing to positive market sentiment and demonstrating continued demand for luxury properties in prime locations.
  
• Emerging and Established Communities: A sustained interest in community living prevails, with options such as Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) coming to the fore in terms of apartment rental interest, while Dubai Hills proved to be a significant driver in terms of villa rentals. Meanwhile, established areas such as Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, and the Meadows continue to maintain strong market equity, proving their lasting appeal.
  
• Diversified Investor Base: One notable post-COVID trend is the diversification of the investor base. While GCC investors dominated historically, the last two to three years have seen increased interest from global markets including the US, Europe, and the UK. This international appeal extends beyond Dubai, with Abu Dhabi also witnessing heightened investor appeal, thanks to high-end developments by companies like Aldar and strategic marketing initiatives.
  
• Abu Dhabi’s Maturing Market: A significant shift seen in Abu Dhabi’s real estate landscape is the decrease in off-plan transactions of 33% over the year, signaling increased market maturity and urban development. Countering this, existing property related transactions showed a significant YoY growth of 53% in volume, reaching approximately 4,320 transactions in 2024, as consumers sought to explore readily available investment and living options.
  
• Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Driving Innovation: The roundtable also explored the role of AI in enhancing transparency and efficiency within the sector, spearheaded by regulatory authorities such as the DLD, whose new smart rental index relies on AI to build the classification system. To this end, Property Finder showcased AI-driven tools that streamline agent operation from listing optimization to content creation. As per participant feedback, there is further potential to improve operational efficiency and facilitate better decision-making through use of AI.
  
• Talent as a Key Challenge: In a rapidly growing and competitive market, attracting, retaining, and developing top talent remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges. While tools like Property Finder’s Super Agent ranking were identified as crucial for setting performance standards, a collaborative commitment to fostering professional excellence will continue to be a cross-stakeholder priority.

Commitment to the Future
Closing the first roundtable of its kind this year, Michael Lahyani reaffirmed Property Finder’s mission to become a lighthouse tech company, and to change living for good in the region, bringing a breadth of industry stakeholders into the journey to elevate the industry as a whole. “At Property Finder, we will continue to lead the charge in making real estate better for everyone — streamlining the experience of brokers and agents in a dynamic working environment, while equipping consumers with the data-backed insights that are essential in their home-seeking journey”, Lahyani stated.

For more information on Property Finder’s Marketwatch, please visit the Insights Hub.