UAE real estate market set to skyrocket to AED486bn by 2030

The UAE’s real estate sector is on track to surge to AED486.2 billion by 2030, cementing its role as one of the country’s most powerful economic engines, according to new projections from market analysis firm Research and Markets.

The sector, valued at AED302.65 billion in 2024, is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 8.06 per cent as investor demand, government-backed development and rapid digital transformation push the market into its next phase of expansion.

UAE real estate set for surge

Driven by steady population growth, rising international investor interest and major infrastructure spending, the UAE continues to position real estate as a cornerstone of its diversified economy. Research and Markets notes that technology is now a decisive factor in this rapid evolution, with artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality and augmented reality becoming central to how properties are designed, marketed and sold.

By 2023, more than 80 per cent of property listings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi had moved online, and over 60 per cent of buyers were starting their transactions through digital portals. Industry analysts expect these numbers to rise further as developers compete to offer increasingly immersive and transparent buying experiences.

One of the companies capitalising on this shift is Lifesize Plans Dubai, a global leader in life-sized architectural projection technology that entered the UAE market in 2023. Its AR and VR platforms allow buyers to walk through full-scale digital replicas of villas, apartments and entire communities before a single brick is laid. Developers using the technology aim to cut costly post-design revisions and give buyers greater confidence in off-plan purchases.

PropTech revolution transforms real estate

Georges Calas, CEO of Lifesize Plans Dubai, said the UAE is entering “a new era of data-driven growth”, with immersive technologies reshaping the entire development cycle. “Technologies such as AR and VR are not just add-ons, but also redefining how properties are conceptualised, marketed and sold. By immersing clients in hyper-realistic environments, we bridge the gap between imagination and reality, driving faster decisions and smarter investments,” he said.

As the UAE strengthens its position as a global investment hub, PropTech adoption is accelerating across the market. Government innovation strategies, rising investor demand for transparency and a growing base of tech-savvy buyers are pushing developers to incorporate advanced visualisation tools that bring projects to life with unprecedented clarity.

The sector’s rapid digital shift, combined with strong capital inflows and large-scale development activity, supports expectations that the UAE real estate market will continue its impressive upward trajectory through the decade.