The United Arab Emirates has taken first place globally in terms of real estate market investment attractiveness, ahead of the United States and the United Kingdom, according to data from the Arada UAE Property Investment Index.
The study was conducted by the American Penta Group on behalf of the developer Arada from April 1 to 23, 2026. The survey included 689 investors from 12 key markets who have an annual income of over $100,000 and more than $250,000 in investment assets, and who have already invested or are interested in investing in real estate outside their home country.
According to the index, 56% of global investors expressed serious interest in the UAE real estate market. This is the highest figure among all markets included in the study. The U.S. received 54%, the UK 41%, France 28%, and Spain 27%.
Investor awareness of opportunities in the UAE real estate market reached 51%, which is comparable to the UK and close to the US. Arada notes that this confirms the UAE’s emergence as one of the most recognizable global centers for real estate investment.
Interest in the UAE is particularly high among investors from neighboring and rapidly growing markets. 91% of Indian investors, 92% of Egyptian investors, and 85% of Saudi respondents named the UAE as one of the three most attractive destinations for investment. Among European investors, the UAE has become the top overseas destination for the French (63%), Germans (60%), and Swiss (57%).
Investors cited the potential for high returns as the main factor driving the UAE’s appeal: 38% of respondents selected this criterion. For Australian investors, this figure reached 57%, for Spanish investors—56%, and for British investors—41%.
Security and stability were key factors for 65% of Chinese and 58% of German investors. Another 34% of all respondents cited the ease of purchasing and owning real estate as an important advantage; among investors from Saudi Arabia, this figure was 57%, and from Egypt, 41%.
Arada Group CEO Ahmed Al-Khoshaibi stated that the survey results confirm trends the company observes in its own sales: international investors increasingly note the maturity of regulations, economic stability, and the resilience of the UAE market even amid external challenges.
“The UAE has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to adapt faster than almost any other market in the world,” he noted.
The release of the index coincided with the announcement of major infrastructure investments in the UAE, including the 34-billion-dirham Dubai Metro Gold Line project, the launch of the first commercial air taxi network, and a 6-billion-dirham federal road corridor to improve connectivity between the emirates.
For the real estate market, this signals continued interest from international capital, despite signs of a cooling in certain segments following several years of rapid growth. Investors continue to view the UAE as a market offering a combination of returns, tax efficiency, stable regulation, and a relatively straightforward property ownership process.
Arada is a development company founded in 2017 in the UAE. The company carries out projects in real estate, retail, education, healthcare, fitness, wellness, and the hospitality sector. Arada’s project portfolio exceeds 130 billion dirhams; the company is also expanding its operations in the UK and Australia.
Arada, DEVELOPMENT, INVESTMENTS, REAL ESTATE, UAE
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