EMIRATES · 7 COVERED
Every emirate we cover.
1603 active off-plan projects tracked across all seven emirates — from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.
MARKET OVERVIEW · UAE
The property market across the UAE.
The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates — Abu Dhabi (the capital), Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah — each with its own real estate market and its own property law. Dubai has allowed non-GCC nationals to buy freehold property in designated zones since 2002, and Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah later opened comparably broad freehold frameworks of their own. Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah take a narrower approach — full freehold is available only in specific developer-designated projects, with long-term leasehold (up to 99 years) available elsewhere. Off-plan dominates new supply across the country, with payment plans typically split between construction milestones and post-handover periods.
As of today, 1603 active off-plan projects from 398 developers are tracked across all seven emirates — updated weekly from live developer inventory. Dubai currently leads by active project count.
EMIRATE
Dubai
Freehold since 2002 across dozens of designated zones — the deepest, most liquid market.
1,336 active projects
EMIRATE
Abu Dhabi
Freehold in Saadiyat, Yas, Al Reem and more — capital-city market with a strong long-term profile.
89 active projects
EMIRATE
Ras Al Khaimah
Freehold in Al Marjan Island and more — the fastest-growing market, with lower entry prices.
75 active projects
EMIRATE
Sharjah
Freehold only in Executive Council-designated projects like Aljada — lower prices, 20-30 min from Dubai.
57 active projects
EMIRATE
Ajman
Freehold in specific designated zones — the most affordable emirate for entry-level budgets.
25 active projects
EMIRATE
Umm Al Quwain
Freehold in specific designated zones — quiet, emerging waterfront and island projects.
20 active projects
EMIRATE
Al Fujairah
No emirate-wide freehold — ownership verified project-by-project, on the Indian Ocean coast.
1 active project
COMPARISON · ALL 7 EMIRATES
Emirates side by side.
| Emirate | Foreign ownership | Active projects | Official authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Freehold (since 2002) | 1,336 | Dubai Land Department (DLD) ↗ |
| Abu Dhabi | Freehold | 89 | Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) ↗ |
| Ras Al Khaimah | Freehold | 75 | RAK Real Estate Regulatory Administration (RERA) ↗ |
| Sharjah | Designated projects only | 57 | Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department (SRERD) ↗ |
| Ajman | Designated zones only | 25 | Department of Land and Real Estate Regulation – Ajman (AjmanRE) ↗ |
| Umm Al Quwain | Designated zones only | 20 | Umm Al Quwain Land and Property Department ↗ |
| Al Fujairah | Project-by-project | 1 | Fujairah Municipality ↗ |
FAQ · UAE PROPERTY BASICS
Common questions about property in the UAE.
Can foreigners buy property in every UAE emirate?
Not on the same terms everywhere. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah allow non-GCC nationals to buy freehold property across broad designated investment zones. Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah restrict full freehold to specific developer-designated projects, offering long-term leasehold (up to 99 years) elsewhere. We verify the exact ownership structure for every project we list — see each emirate page for details.Which UAE emirates allow full freehold ownership emirate-wide?
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah have the broadest freehold frameworks, covering multiple designated investment zones each. Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain allow full freehold only in specific designated projects rather than emirate-wide. Fujairah has no established emirate-wide freehold framework at all — ownership access there is decided project by project.What's the difference between freehold and leasehold in UAE real estate?
Freehold means full, permanent ownership of the property and the land it sits on, transferable and inheritable like in your home country. Leasehold (also called usufruct in parts of the UAE) grants the right to use and occupy a property for a fixed long-term period — typically up to 99 years — without owning the underlying land. In emirates where foreign freehold is restricted to specific designated projects, leasehold is usually the mechanism available everywhere else.Which emirate currently has the most active off-plan projects?
Dubai currently leads all seven emirates with 1336 active off-plan projects tracked live, though this changes weekly as new launches and sellouts are recorded — see the current count for every emirate above.Can I get a UAE Golden Visa by buying property in any emirate?
Yes — a property worth AED 2 million or more anywhere in the UAE, including all seven emirates, qualifies you for a 10-year renewable Golden Visa, which can cover your spouse and children. We coordinate the purchase and the visa eligibility paperwork regardless of which emirate you buy in.Do I need to be in the UAE to buy property here?
No. The entire purchase can be completed remotely through a notarised Power of Attorney in any of the seven emirates — we sign and register on your behalf and keep you updated at each step with the relevant land department.Do property registration fees vary by emirate?
Yes, significantly. Dubai's DLD fee is a flat 4%. Abu Dhabi's ADREC fee is 2%. Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain fees run roughly 2-4% depending on the transaction and buyer nationality. We confirm the exact current rate for your specific emirate and project before you commit — see each emirate's own FAQ for its precise fee.Is off-plan property common across the whole UAE, or mainly in Dubai?
All seven emirates have active off-plan pipelines, but they're far from evenly sized — Dubai alone accounts for 1336 of the 1603 active projects we track nationwide, with the other six emirates making up the remainder. Off-plan is genuinely nationwide, just heavily concentrated in Dubai.