UAE’s top 10 developers sell Dh113.7 billion of property in six months

Modon leads with Dh23 billion in UAE sales, followed closely by Emaar at Dh22.4 billion

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Dubai: The UAE’s 10 biggest-selling property developers recorded more than Dh113.7 billion in sales during the first half of 2026, with Modon Holding and Emaar accounting for almost Dh45.4 billion between them.

Modon topped the ranking with Dh23 billion in Abu Dhabi property sales, while Emaar followed with Dh22.4 billion in UAE sales. DAMAC ranked third with Dh16 billion, placing the three developers well ahead of the rest of the market during the six months to the end of June.

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The figures are based on announced first-half financial results, excluding international sales recorded by Modon and Emaar, together with the half-year ranking published by real estate data platform DXB Interact.

Modon and Emaar lead

Modon’s property sales reached Dh26 billion across its markets during the first half, 2.6 times the level recorded a year earlier, with Dh23 billion generated in Abu Dhabi.

The company said sales were supported by the launch of Hudayriyat Golf Estates and the sell-out of all units at Tara Park on Reem Island. Group revenue reached Dh9.2 billion, up 40% year on year.

Modon also continued sales at its Wadi Yemm development in Egypt and La Zagaleta luxury residential project in Spain, but those international transactions were excluded from the UAE ranking.

Emaar recorded total property sales of about Dh26.6 billion during the first six months of the year. Of that, Dh4.2 billion came from its international development business, leaving Dh22.4 billion attributable to its UAE operations for the ranking.

Its revenue backlog from projects under development stood at about Dh164.9 billion at the end of June, up 13% from a year earlier.

Aldar records Dh9.5 billion in UAE sales

Aldar ranked fourth with Dh9.5 billion in UAE development sales, part of Dh12.1 billion in total development sales across the group.

International buyers and expatriate residents accounted for Dh7.6 billion, or 80%, of Aldar’s UAE sales during the first half.

Aldar’s development revenue backlog reached Dh71.6 billion at the end of June, including Dh59.9 billion from UAE projects, while net profit after tax rose 18% year on year to Dh4.9 billion.

Its international businesses also recorded higher sales, with SODIC rising 171% and London Square increasing 236% during the period.

Dh6.6 billion needed to make the top 10

Binghatti ranked fifth with Dh7.6 billion in sales, narrowly ahead of Meraas at Dh7.5 billion and H&H at Dh7.4 billion.

Ellington followed with Dh7 billion, while Omniyat recorded Dh6.7 billion and Beyond completed the top 10 with Dh6.6 billion.

The figures put the combined sales of the UAE’s 10 leading developers at more than Dh113.7 billion in only six months, reflecting the scale of property transactions recorded across the country’s largest development companies during the first half of 2026.

Abdullah Rashid Al Hammadi  is an accomplished Emirati journalist with over 45 years of experience in both Arabic and English media. He currently serves as the Abu Dhabi Bureau Chief fo Gulf News. Al Hammadi began his career in 1980 with Al Ittihad newspaper, where he rose through the ranks to hold key editorial positions, including Head of International News, Director of the Research Center, and Acting Managing Editor. A founding member of the UAE Journalists Association and a former board member, he is also affiliated with the General Federation of Arab Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists. Al Hammadi studied Information Systems Technology at the University of Virginia and completed journalism training with Reuters in Cairo and London. During his time in Washington, D.C., he reported for Alittihad  and became a member of the National Press Club. From 2000 to 2008, he wrote the widely read Dababees column, known for its critical take on social issues. Throughout his career, Al Hammadi has conducted high-profile interviews with prominent leaders including UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and key Arab figures such as the late Yasser Arafat and former presidents of Yemen and Egypt. He has reported on major historical events such as the Iran-Iraq war, the liberation of Kuwait, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. His work continues to shape and influence journalism in the UAE and the wider Arab world.

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