Real estate transactions in Sharjah rose by almost a quarter in the first half of 2026, driven by purchases from Emiratis and GCC nationals.
The value of deals in the emirate, one of seven that make up the UAE, increased by 10 percent year on year to AED30 billion ($8.2 billion) between January and June. The increase was underpinned by almost 60,000 transactions, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported, citing data from the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department.
There were 13,500 residential property transactions, which accounted for 82 percent of the total, followed by industrial (1,969 deals) and commercial properties (937 deals).
The emirate registered 11 new real estate projects in the first six months, with six open to foreign ownership. Expatriates are allowed to purchase property through 100-year leasehold agreements in approved investment areas.
Investments by Emirati nationals were worth AED15 billion, followed by GCC nationals at AED1.4 billion, while investments by non-Arab nationalities exceeded AED8 billion.
In December, Sharjah ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi approved a 2026 budget of AED45 billion to support economic growth and fund strategic initiatives and projects.
The emirate spans 2,590 square kilometres and has a population of 1.8 million, making it the third-biggest in the UAE.