The UAE's 'Golden Visa' program has been a game-changer for real estate, pulling in long-term investors and skilled professionals. Now, we're seeing just how big its impact has become, pushing the nation's property market to its highest point in fifteen years.

The second quarter of 2025 wasn't just a good season; it was proof of a market in overdrive. A new report from Colliers confirms that strong growth is happening nearly everywhere you look, thanks to a powerful mix of high demand and smart government policies. This leaves one big question on everyone's mind: how long can this run last?

Abu Dhabi Takes the Lead

The nation's capital is seeing a major comeback. Abu Dhabi's residential and office markets are the strongest they've been since 2009. That's a 15-year high.

Developers are clearly confident. They delivered 3,250 new residential units in the second quarter alone.

And the demand is there to meet it:

Apartment rental rates jumped by an average of 13% for the year.
Sales of completed properties shot up by a huge 46% compared to just the first quarter of 2025.

Buyers aren't waiting around; they're actively buying up the available homes.

Dubai's Big Numbers and the Policies Behind Them

While Abu Dhabi's performance is impressive, Dubai is still the main event. The emirate added about 12,500 new residential units in Q2 2025, and average sales prices continued their climb, rising another 3%.

But this isn't happening by accident. The government is actively shaping this growth.

In July 2025, a First-Time Home Buyer Program was launched to help more residents own their homes. This is just one part of a bigger strategy. Policies like the Golden Visa have truly changed the market, encouraging people to put down roots rather than just work here. These visa changes, along with new investment rules, are building a much more stable base for demand than we've seen in past market cycles.

Expert View: Boom, Not Bubble

With growth this fast, it's natural to worry about a bubble. However, experts on the ground suggest this time is different.

"The current growth isn't merely speculative; it's underpinned by robust economic diversification, population influx, and long-term strategic government visions," explains a Senior Research Analyst at the Dubai Economic Foresight Centre. "This makes it a more resilient cycle than previous booms."

In other words, the market is standing on a solid foundation of real economic and population growth, not just short-term speculation.

Growth Across the Nation

This isn't just an Abu Dhabi and Dubai story. The expansion is happening across the country. The Northern Emirates have announced plans for 8,000 new residential projects and are also seeing strong rent increases.

Ras Al Khaimah, for example, saw rental rates climb by 5% in a single quarter. From Al Ain to Sharjah, the story is the same. For investors and residents, the message is clear: the growth is real, and it's happening everywhere.