Foreign investors inject Dhs23.2b into Sharjah realty, marking 62.2% growth

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Real Estate Registration Department (RERD) Sharjah Emirate has recorded a significant growth in the real estate foreign investments during the first nine months of 2025, underscoring regional and international investors’ confidence in the emirate’s investment climate and the resilience of its real estate economy.

According to a report issued by the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, the total value of transactions by foreign (non-Emirati) investors reached approximately Dhs23.2 billion in the first nine months of 2025, which reflects an impressive year-on-year growth of 62.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

Foreign investors traded a total of 13,428 properties during the reported period, highlighting a noticeable increase in ownership activity among investors of diverse nationalities.

Over these nine months, Sharjah attracted real estate investors from 121 different nationalities around the globe. This growth underscores rising international confidence in the emirate’s property sector and its growing appeal as a secure and stable destination for real estate investment.

UAE nationals topped the list of investors, with a total investment value of Dhs21.1 billion across 28,561 properties. Investors from countries outside the Arab and Gulf regions ranked second, with Dhs13.1 billion invested across 6,116 properties.

Arab nationals followed in third place with investments amounting to Dhs7.5 billion across 5,855 properties. GCC nationals (excluding Emiratis) recorded Dhs2.6 billion in investments across 1,457 properties.

The data revealed a broad-based increase in investments across all investor categories. Investments by UAE nationals grew by 54.3 per cent, those from GCC countries (excluding Emiratis) by 55.2 per cent, and Arab nationals by 45.8 per cent. While investors from other international markets recorded the highest growth rate at 74.9 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The real estate statistics also reveal that Sharjah continues to attract investors from a diverse range of nationalities around the world, as India topped the list with a total trading volume of approximately Dhs6.1 billion, followed by Syria with around Dhs2 billion, while Pakistan secured third place with investments totalling Dhs1.5 billion.

Next, Jordan ranked fourth with Dhs1.37 billion in transactions, and Saudi Arabia came fifth with approximately Dhs1.26 billion, and Egypt followed closely in sixth place with around Dhs1.12 billion in investments.

These figures underscore the broad international appeal of Sharjah’s real estate market, reflect investor confidence in the emirate’s stable and supportive investment environment, and strengthen the emirate’s position as a leading regional hub for real estate investment.

Commenting on this report, Abdul Aziz Ahmed Al-Shamsi, Director General of the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, stated: “The strong performance of the real estate sector during the first nine months of 2025 reflects the growing momentum in Sharjah’s property market. This momentum is being driven by flexible regulatory decisions that allow non-Gulf citizens to own property in specific areas, in addition to the economic stability and attractive legislative environment that characterise the emirate."

Al-Shamsi added: “The increasing diversity of investor nationalities and the expansion of the investor base illustrate Sharjah’s emergence as a regional hub for sustainable real estate investment, and plays a key role in advancing the UAE’s broader sustainable development agenda.”

Meanwhile according to the latest report issued by the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, and in a landmark milestone for Sharjah’s real estate market, the property transactions during the first nine months of 2025 soared to Dhs44.3 billion, marking an unprecedented 58.3 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024. This remarkable surge has already surpassed the total transaction value for the entire year of 2024, which stood at Dhs40 billion.

This historic performance underscores the exceptional dynamism of Sharjah’s real estate sector and reaffirms the emirate’s stable, investor-friendly environment—an outcome of its comprehensive and forward-looking development strategy.

The report further revealed that the number of property transactions rose to 80,320, up from 69,078 during the same period last year—representing a 16.3 per cent increase. Mortgages also saw substantial growth, reaching Dhs10.7 billion, a testament to the expansion of financing activities and the diversification of investment instruments within the market.

A total of 24,238 sales transactions, including sales, usufruct sales, and initial sales contracts, distributed across 239 areas, with a total traded area exceeding 150 million square feet. This reflects the significant real estate activity across the emirate’s various residential, commercial, and industrial areas.

Sharjah attracted investors from 121 nationalities, further solidifying its position as a globally recognised investment hub. Emirati citizens led the investor rankings, recording Dhs21.1 billion in trading volume across 28,561 properties. They were followed by foreign investors, who accounted for Dhs13.1 billion across 6,116 properties. Arab nationals contributed Dhs7.5 billion across 5,855 properties, while GCC investors registered Dhs2.6 billion across 1,457 properties. Altogether, a total of 41,989 properties were traded during the period, with a cumulative value of Dhs44.3 billion.