Abu Dhabi’s property market reported its best-ever start to the year, despite a slowdown after Iran launched thousands of missile and drone attacks. Sales in the first three months of 2026 were almost half of last year’s total figure, according to the sector’s regulator ADREC.

Off-plan sales dominated the period, making up 81% of all transactions, with apartments accounting for almost three-quarters of the deals. Manchester City Yas Residences, a development on Yas Island linked to the English football club owned by Abu Dhabi, alone generated 6 billion dirhams ($1.63 billion) in sales within 72 hours of its launch in mid-February, according to real estate consultancy Savills.

However, after the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28, the picture shifted, and transaction volumes fell 16% month-on-month in March as buyers adopted a more cautious stance, Savills noted.