Aldar Properties booked more than Dh5 billion of villa sales in one sitting across two new Abu Dhabi launches — Talay on Saadiyat Island and Yas Riva Reserve on Yas Island. Emiratis took 31% of units; UK, Russia, Jordan and India rounded out the top-5 buyer nationalities.
What was sold, and for how much
On 29 September 2026 Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi's largest listed developer, told the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange it had generated more than Dh5 billion ($1.36 billion) in sales across two new residential launches:
- Talay — 351 stand-alone villas inside Marsa Al Saadiyat, a Dh100 billion waterfront destination on Saadiyat Island designed for 58,000+ residents at completion;
- Yas Riva Reserve — 292 four-, five- and six-bedroom villas in a gated community on Yas Island.
Who bought: 31% Emiratis, Russians in the top-5
According to Aldar, Emiratis accounted for 31% of all buyers across the two projects. The top-5 buyer nationalities also included the UK, Russia, Jordan and India. "The continued demand we are seeing, from Emiratis, residents and international buyers, reflects confidence in the emirate," said Jonathan Emery, CEO of Aldar Development. For Russian and CIS investors, Abu Dhabi is increasingly a stable alternative to Dubai — where we've separately walked through rental yields and ROI benchmarks on UAE real estate.
Abu Dhabi: property market at a peak
The Aldar numbers fit a broader market trend. Per the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), total real estate transactions in the emirate in H1 2026 reached Dh117 billion (+112% year-on-year), with volumes rising 61.7% to 16,838 deals. CBRE (July 2026 report) put Q2 2026 residential price growth at 21.6% year-on-year — apartments +24.4% and villas +6.3%.
What it means for the investor-buyer
A Dh2 million-plus investment in UAE residential property qualifies an owner for the 10-year residency Golden Visa — for many international buyers, that's the second half of the trade after the investment itself. In parallel Abu Dhabi is preparing a new off-plan mortgage framework, flagged by The National as a companion announcement — expected to widen the pool of buyers financing under-construction homes.
Aldar by the numbers: Q2 2026 and backlog
In Q2 2026 the group posted net profit up 10% year-on-year to Dh2.16 billion, on revenue up 5% to Dh8.1 billion. Its development backlog at end-June stood at Dh71.6 billion, of which Dh59.9 billion is in the UAE — earnings the company expects to recognise over the next two to three years.
Source and primary source
The primary source is Aldar Properties' statement to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, dated 29 September 2026, distributed by the company's press office. Market context comes from Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) and CBRE. Media signal: The National, Fareed Rahman, 29 September 2026.
