Real estate news and market intelligence backed by verified sources and AlSafaqa data.
Dubai’s retail real-estate sales value reached AED3.8 billion in the first half of 2026, up 176.7% year-on-year. Off-plan retail premises represented nearly 60% of transactions and almost 70% of sales value, while Jumeirah Village Circle recorded more than 12% of off-plan retail transactions.
Dubai has begun studying a potential Metro connection between Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, with the work expected to take about one year. The study comes as the 30-kilometre Blue Line is under construction and the AED34 billion Gold Line moves forward with an inauguration target of September 9, 2032.
Knowledge Economic City Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Almajdiah and Capital Hill for a proposed mixed-use development in Knowledge Economic City, Madinah. The approximately 97,000-square-metre project has a preliminary cost of approximately SAR 2.8 billion and expected revenues of more than SAR 4 billion.
Miral will invest more than AED 12 billion across Yas Island over the next five years, supporting new developments, attraction expansions, immersive experiences and additional hotel rooms. The programme is separate from the previously announced Disney project and could strengthen the island’s role in Abu Dhabi’s tourism and real-estate strategy.
The agreement establishes a substantial development and delivery framework around one of Riyadh’s most prominent future event-related projects.
HUMAIN and DataVolt have announced an expanded partnership to jointly develop a 100MW AI-ready data centre at Oxagon in NEOM. Construction is reported as underway, with the first 100MW expected to be available in 2028.
Saudi Arabia’s National Housing Company is developing Khuzam Digital Valley in Riyadh through NHC Innovation, with an approximately SAR 3.3 billion investment reported for a data-centre project targeting up to 65 megawatts of IT load by 2033.
Red Sea Global announced the opening of Nammos Resort AMAALA at Triple Bay on 7 September 2026, adding 110 keys, 20 private residences and a private-island beach club to the destination’s hospitality portfolio.
Al Moammar Information Systems announced a $1.2 billion expansion taking its Saudi data-centre capacity to 192 megawatts, while NHC Innovation announced an $880 million, 65-megawatt development at Khuzam Digital Valley by 2033.
Saudi AI company HUMAIN is considering a fund of up to $3 billion to expand data-centre capacity across the Kingdom. The proposal comes alongside non-binding financing terms of up to $1.2 billion for up to 250 MW of hyperscale AI capacity and an approximately $3 billion partnership with AirTrunk.
Saudi Arabia's foreign real estate ownership regime is now operational, allowing non-Saudis to pursue ownership or other rights in rem within designated areas and under defined conditions. Applications are being handled through the official Saudi Properties portal.
HUMAIN has begun preparations for a potential public listing and is reportedly seeking $2.5 billion from domestic and international investors for a Saudi data-centre fund. The plan adds a significant prospective capital source to the Kingdom’s AI infrastructure pipeline, alongside up to $1.2 billion in non-binding financing terms with the National Infrastructure Fund.
Vida Aljada officially opened in Sharjah on September 3, 2026. Owned and developed by Arada and operated by Emaar Hospitality Group, the 175-room hotel adds a new branded hospitality component to the Aljada mixed-use development.
Dubai retail property rents increased 5.9% year on year during the first half of 2026, moving from AED 238 to AED 252 per square foot. The performance reinforces the importance of location, leasing quality and tenant retention for owners and investors assessing the emirate’s retail assets.
Infinity Developments has completed Villa Serenity, an approximately 14,000-square-foot waterfront residence in Al Hamra Village, Ras Al Khaimah. The five-bedroom property highlights the emirate’s positioning around high-end coastal living and affluent residential demand.
Al Maktoum International Airport is being developed as Dubai’s future major aviation hub, with its first major phase targeted for operations in 2032. Its planned queue-free security model could strengthen Dubai South’s long-term appeal for hospitality, logistics and mixed-use investment.
Dubai International Airport expects to handle around 70 million passengers in 2026 after regional disruption and UAE airspace restrictions reduced capacity and passenger volumes. With Dubai Airports also targeting 100 million annual passengers by the end of 2027, the forecast reinforces the airport’s importance to Dubai’s tourism and real-estate investment environment.
Etihad Rail has scheduled the opening of its Dubai passenger station in Jumeirah Golf Estates for September 30, 2026. The planned Abu Dhabi-Dubai-Fujairah connection adds a new intercity mobility layer with potential implications for accessibility, development activity and investment analysis around the station.
Azizi Developments has launched Azizi Florence, its first project in Sharjah, with a stated development value of AED 30 billion. The planned mixed-use community is set to include approximately 1,130 villas, more than 6,000 townhouses, 3,500 apartments and a Central Park of approximately 1.7 million square feet.
Abu Dhabi Global Market reported 54% year-on-year growth in assets under management during the first half of 2026, alongside more than USD 100 billion in AI-focused capital deployed from institutions established in the financial centre.
