RealtyReview.aeReal Estate Reviews for the UAE

Best Real Estate Developers

Best Real Estate Developers in Dubai & UAE

Every developer on RealtyReview.ae, with the facts each one publishes about itself — who owns it, when it started, what it builds — and the register to check it against.

The 62 developers below are ordered by a rule you can check, not by our opinion: how this list is ordered.

62
developers listed
6
file audited accounts
1985
earliest start date
26 of the 62 publish a founding date for the company itself, and 4 publish only an older date they inherit. Every fact on this page was read off the company's own site or a filing, and is sourced beside it.

How this list is ordered

This is not a quality ranking. No developer on this page has a published buyer review here yet, so there is nothing to rank quality by, and we will not invent a score to fill the gap. The order is a rule, applied the same way to every company:

  1. Listed companies first

    A developer whose shares trade on the DFM or ADX files audited accounts and must disclose material events. That is a real difference in how much you can find out about it before you buy.

  2. Then by their own start date

    Earliest first, using the date the company publishes for itself — incorporated, founded, established, development arm formed. Each row shows which of those it is, in the company's own words.

  3. Then inherited dates

    Some developers publish only an older date: a parent group's year, a predecessor business, the year their first project launched. Those come next, so no company rises on its parent's history.

  4. Then those with no date

    Alphabetically, and not as a penalty. It is the honest place for a company whose own site does not say when it began.

Why there is no “projects delivered” count. Nobody publishes one that holds up: developers' own figures are marketing copy with no definition of a project, the portals each count their own listings, and the DLD register includes projects that were cancelled or merged. Each row shows how many project pages this site holds instead, which is a fact about our coverage rather than about the company.

Nobody pays for a position. Advertising here is one box, labelled Sponsored wherever it appears, and it cannot move a company up or down this list. We are not affiliated with any developer. How we rate.

Top 10 developers in Dubai & UAE

The first 10 by the rule above, each with the facts it publishes about itself and where they were read from.

  1. 1

    Union Properties

    DubaiIncorporated 28 October 1993, by UAE ministerial decree Publicly listed

    Union Properties PJSC was incorporated in Dubai on 28 October 1993 by UAE ministerial decree and has traded on the Dubai Financial Market under the symbol UPP since 25 March 2000.

    Listing
    Dubai Financial Market (DFM), symbol UPP, listed 25 March 2000
    Legal name
    Union Properties PJSC
    Type
    Property developer and investor (also property management and maintenance)
    Home market
    Dubai
    Head office
    Green Community, Dubai Investments Park, Dubai
    On RealtyReview.ae
    No project pages here yet
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Dubai Motor City
    • Uptown Mirdif
    • Green Community, Dubai Investments Park
    • Uptown Mirdif Mall
    • Index Tower
    • Control Tower
    • Takaya, Motor City
    • Mirdad, Motor City
    • UP Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road
    • Al Loze Villas

    Read fromDubai Financial Market: Union Properties PJSC company profile (legal name, incorporation and listing dates, symbol, head office, principal activities)Union Properties: Homepage and milestones (the communities and current launches)Union Properties: CommunitiesDubai Land Department: Register a project (escrow for off-plan sales)

  2. 2

    Emaar Properties

    DubaiIncorporated 1997 Publicly listed

    Emaar Properties PJSC is a Dubai real estate developer incorporated in 1997 and listed on the Dubai Financial Market since 26 March 2000.

    Listing
    Dubai Financial Market (DFM), symbol EMAAR, listed 26 March 2000
    Legal name
    Emaar Properties PJSC
    Type
    Property developer (also malls, retail, hospitality and leisure)
    Home market
    Dubai
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Downtown Dubai (Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Mall)
    • Dubai Marina
    • Dubai Hills Estate
    • Dubai Creek Harbour
    • Arabian Ranches III
    • Emaar Beachfront
    • Emaar South
    • The Valley
    • The Oasis

    Read fromEmaar: About EmaarEmaar: Investor relations, Emaar Properties PJSCEmaar: Investor relations FAQ (incorporation and DFM listing date)Dubai Land Department: Register a project (escrow for off-plan sales)

  3. 3

    Deyaar Development

    DubaiEstablished 6 January 2001 Publicly listed

    Deyaar Development PJSC is a Dubai real estate company listed on the Dubai Financial Market under the symbol DEYAAR since 4 September 2007, and registered as a public joint stock company in Dubai on 10 July 2007.

    Listing
    Dubai Financial Market (DFM), symbol DEYAAR, listed 4 September 2007
    Legal name
    Deyaar Development PJSC
    Type
    Property developer (also property, facilities and community management, asset management, hospitality)
    Registered as a PJSC
    10 July 2007, in Dubai
    Home market
    Dubai
    Head office
    Deyaar Building, Al Barsha 1, Dubai
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Midtown, Dubai Production City
    • Mar Casa
    • Amalia Residences
    • Eleve
    • Rivage
    • Rosalia Residences
    • Talia, Al Furjan
    • Tria
    • Regalia
    • ParkFive
    • DWTN Residences
    • AYA Beachfront Residences, Umm Al Quwain

    Read fromDubai Financial Market: Deyaar Development PJSC company profile (legal name, establishment and listing dates, symbol, head office)Deyaar: About us (business units, areas, and the employee figure behind the Employees band)Deyaar: Investor relations (confirms the Deyaar Development PJSC name and the contact details)Dubai Land Department: Register a project (escrow for off-plan sales)

  4. 4

    RAK Properties

    Ras Al KhaimahFounded 2005 Publicly listed

    RAK Properties PJSC is a Ras Al Khaimah property developer, listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange as RAKPROP since 2005 and backed by the Government of Ras Al Khaimah.

    Listing
    Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), symbol RAKPROP, listed since 2005
    Legal name
    RAK Properties PJSC
    Type
    Property developer (also hospitality and leasing)
    Ownership
    Backed by the Government of Ras Al Khaimah
    Home market
    Ras Al Khaimah
    On RealtyReview.ae
    No project pages here yet
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Mina Al Arab
    • Hayat Island
    • The Strand
    • Lagoon Marina
    • Cape Hayat
    • Anantara Residences
    • Solera
    • Mirasol II
    • Nura
    • Lunara
    • Enta Mina

    Read fromRAK Properties: Investor Hub (PJSC status, ADX listing since 2005, Ras Al Khaimah government backing)RAK Properties: Home (the current project list)RAK Properties: Launches Cape Hayat in Mina Al Arab

  5. 5

    Aldar Properties

    Abu Dhabi Publicly listed

    Aldar Properties PJSC is an Abu Dhabi real estate developer and manager whose shares trade on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

    Listing
    Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), symbol ALDAR; listed in 2004 according to shareholder Mubadala
    Legal name
    Aldar Properties PJSC
    Type
    Master developer and property investor/manager
    Home market
    Abu Dhabi
    Business lines
    Aldar Development and Aldar Investment (including Aldar Education, Aldar Estates and Aldar Hospitality and Leisure)
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Yas Island
    • Saadiyat Island
    • Al Raha Beach
    • Reem Island

    Read fromAldar: About AldarMubadala: Aldar Properties PJSCAbu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC): FAQs

  6. 6

    Modon

    Abu Dhabi Publicly listed

    Modon is an Abu Dhabi-headquartered holding company listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, whose businesses run from real estate and urban infrastructure to hospitality, asset and investment management, events, catering and tourism.

    Listing
    Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX)
    Type
    Holding company: real estate and urban infrastructure, hospitality, asset and investment management, events, catering, tourism
    Headquarters
    Abu Dhabi
    On RealtyReview.ae
    No project pages here yet
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Hudayriyat Island
    • Surf Abu Dhabi
    • Velodrome Abu Dhabi
    • Marsana
    • Mugheirah Bay
    • Mamsha Al Mugheirah
    • Bab Al Nojoum Al Mugheirah Resort

    Read fromModon: Investor relations (Abu Dhabi headquarters, ADX listing, the business lines)Modon: About us (the named destinations)Modon: Projects (Hudayriyat Island, Surf Abu Dhabi, Velodrome)Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC): FAQs

  7. 7

    Kleindienst Group

    DubaiFounded 1985

    Kleindienst Group is a diversified, Dubai-based company whose businesses include property development, construction, marine engineering and hospitality.

    Type
    Diversified group; developer of The Heart of Europe (property development, construction, marine engineering, hospitality)
    Home market
    Dubai (European origin)
    On RealtyReview.ae
    No project pages here yet
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • The Heart of Europe (The World Islands, Dubai)
    • The Floating Venice
    • Sweden Beach Palace
    • Germany Villas
    • The Floating Villas
    • Côte d'Azur
    • Marbella Resort Hotel
    • InterContinental Dubai — The Heart of Europe

    Read fromKleindienst Group: Businesses (diversified, Dubai-based; property development)The Heart of Europe: About (Kleindienst Group as developer; formed 1985; European origin)The Heart of Europe: PropertiesDubai Land Department: Register a project (escrow for off-plan sales)

  8. 8

    DAMAC Properties

    DubaiDevelopment arm formed 2002, as part of the DAMAC Group

    DAMAC Properties is the property development arm of the DAMAC Group, formed in 2002 and founded by Hussain Sajwani.

    Type
    Property developer (master communities and residential towers)
    Founder
    Hussain Sajwani
    Home market
    Dubai
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • DAMAC Hills
    • DAMAC Hills 2
    • DAMAC Lagoons
    • DAMAC Sun City
    • DAMAC Riverside
    • DAMAC Islands
    • DAMAC Islands 2

    Read fromDAMAC: About DAMAC (formation year and founder)DAMAC: Our communities (the master communities and their launch years)Dubai Land Department: Register a project (escrow for off-plan sales)

  9. 9

    Fakhruddin Properties

    DubaiFormed 2002, out of Fakhruddin Trading

    Fakhruddin Properties was formed in 2002 out of Fakhruddin Trading, a family business its own history dates to 1963, and is led by Yousuf Fakhruddin as chief executive and managing partner.

    Type
    Residential developer (the group also covers trading and hospitality)
    Family business dates to
    1963
    Chief executive and managing partner
    Yousuf Fakhruddin
    Home market
    Dubai (its timeline also records Uganda and the UK)
    On RealtyReview.ae
    No project pages here yet
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Trafalgar Tower
    • Trafalgar Executive
    • Trafalgar Central
    • Oasis High Park
    • Lake Central Tower
    • Tréppan Hotel and Suites
    • Maimoon Garden
    • Tréppan Living
    • Hatimi Residences
    • Tréppan Serenique Residences
    • Tréppan Living Privé

    Read fromFakhruddin Properties: About us (the 1963 and 2002 dates, the leadership, and the dated project timeline)Dubai Land Department: Register a project (escrow for off-plan sales)

  10. 10

    Select Group

    DubaiEstablished 2002

    Select Group is a Dubai-headquartered developer of premium residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings, established in 2002.

    Type
    Developer of premium residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings
    Headquarters
    Dubai
    Markets
    United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Europe
    Buyer reviews
    No reviews yet

    Developments it names as its own

    • Six Senses Residences The Palm
    • Six Senses Residences Dubai Marina
    • Jumeirah Living Marina Gate
    • The Residences at Marina Gate
    • Jumeirah Living Business Bay
    • Peninsula, Business Bay
    • Studio One
    • 15 Northside, London
    • 98 Baker Street, London
    • 52 Avenue Road, London

    Read fromSelect Group: Corporate overview (establishment year, markets, and the completed and in-development project lists)Dubai Land Department: Register a project (escrow for off-plan sales)

Every other developer in Dubai & UAE

52more, in the same order. Low on this page does not mean small: several of Dubai's largest master developers publish no founding date on their own sites, which puts them here.

  1. 11
    Sobha Realty

    Dubai· Established in Dubai 2003

    Sobha Realty is the Dubai property developer PNC Menon established in 2003 as a privately held company, after the Sobha business he began in Oman in 1976.

    70 projects on this site (50 ready, 20 still building)Profile
  2. 12
    Seven Tides

    Dubai· Founded 2004

    Seven Tides is a privately owned, Dubai-based property development and holding company established in 2004 by Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  3. 13
    Al Barari

    Dubai· Founded 2005

    Al Barari is a Dubai developer of the low-density, greenery-led Al Barari residential community, which its own pages say was founded by Zaal Mohamed Zaal in 2005.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  4. 14
    Omniyat

    Dubai· Founded 2005

    Omniyat is a Dubai developer of luxury residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings, founded in 2005.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  5. 15
    Azizi Developments

    Dubai· Entered real estate 2007

    Azizi Developments is a Dubai property developer whose chairman, Mirwais Azizi, dates the company's entry into real estate to 2007.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  6. 16
    H&H Development

    Dubai· Established 2007

    H&H Development LLC was established in 2007 by Shahab Lutfi and Mohamed Al Hussaini, and works as developer, investor and asset manager rather than as a house builder alone.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  7. 17
    Binghatti

    Dubai· Founded 2008

    Binghatti is a Dubai residential developer founded in 2008 by Dr. Hussain Binghatti, who named it after his late father, Ghatti Bin Ghaeb.

    25 projects on this site (18 ready, 7 still building)Profile
  8. 18
    Wasl

    Dubai· Founded 25 May 2008

    Wasl was founded on 25 May 2008 out of the merger of the Dubai Development Board and the Real Estate Department, and manages a portfolio of Dubai property entrusted to it by the Dubai Real Estate Corporation.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  9. 19
    Vincitore Realty

    Dubai· Inception 2013

    Vincitore Real Estate is a Dubai residential developer that dates its start to 2013 and was founded by Vijay C. Doshi.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  10. 20
    Danube Properties

    Dubai· Founded 2014

    Danube Properties is the property development arm of Dubai's Danube Group.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  11. 21
    Nshama

    Dubai· Founded 2014

    Nshama is a Dubai developer founded in 2014, built almost entirely around one master-planned community: Town Square, which it launched in 2015.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  12. 22
    Reportage Group

    Abu Dhabi· Founded 2014

    Reportage Group is an Abu Dhabi-headquartered developer of residences and integrated communities, founded in 2014.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  13. 23
    Empire Developments

    Dubai· Real estate company established 2016, as Plazzo Development Real Estate LLC

    Empire Developments is the Dubai residential arm of Ghani Holdings, a group its own account dates to 1995 in the UAE and which is chaired by its founder, Kamran Ghani.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  14. 24
    Iman Developers

    Dubai· Founded 2016

    Iman Developers is a Dubai residential property developer founded in 2016.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  15. 25
    Arada

    Sharjah· Launched 2017

    Arada is a UAE property developer launched in 2017, with HH Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi as Chairman and HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal as Executive Vice Chairman.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  16. 26
    TownX

    Dubai· Founded 2017

    TownX (TownX Real Estate Development) is a Dubai-based residential real estate developer founded in 2017.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  17. 27
    Siadah International Real Estate

    Abu Dhabi· Founded 2018

    Siadah International Real Estate Development is an Abu Dhabi property developer that its own site says was established in early 2018.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  18. 28
    Expo City Dubai

    Dubai· Established 2022, under Law No. (14) of 2022 issued by the Ruler of Dubai

    Expo City Dubai is the master developer of the Expo City Dubai district on the Expo 2020 site, and also a free-zone authority.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  19. 29
    Imtiaz Developments

    Dubai· Began as a construction business 1993

    Imtiaz Developments is a Dubai residential developer that, by its own account, began as a construction business in 1993 before moving into development.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  20. 30
    Bloom Holding

    Abu Dhabi· Own timeline begins 2007

    Bloom Holding is a master developer working across both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, whose own timeline of its work begins in 2007.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  21. 31
    Durar Group

    Dubai· In Dubai since 2007

    Durar Group is a real estate development group headquartered in Business Bay, Dubai, that says it has been active in Dubai since 2007, with a family real-estate heritage that began in Saudi Arabia.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  22. 32
    SAMANA Developers

    Dubai· First project launched September 2018 — SAMANA Greens, Arjan

    SAMANA Developers is a Dubai residential developer headquartered in Business Bay.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  23. 33
    Aark Developers

    Dubai

    Aark Developers is a Dubai-based developer whose two headline schemes are both on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah rather than in Dubai: Sora Beach Residences and Karl Lagerfeld Beach Residences, the latter carrying the fashion house's name under licence.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  24. 34
    Al Hamra

    Ras Al Khaimah

    Al Hamra is a Ras Al Khaimah developer and operator whose work is concentrated entirely in that emirate.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  25. 35
    Alef Group

    Sharjah

    Alef Group is a Sharjah developer, which its own About page says was founded on the legacy of the late HH Sheikh Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  26. 36
    ANAX Developments

    Dubai

    ANAX Developments is the real estate arm of ANAX Holding, building in Business Bay, Al Furjan and Dubai Islands.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  27. 37
    BEYOND Developments

    Dubai

    BEYOND Developments is a premium real estate brand of the Omniyat Group, positioned by the group's founder and executive chairman, Mahdi Amjad, as making its kind of living "more accessible" than Omniyat's own line.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  28. 38
    Dubai Properties

    Dubai

    Dubai Properties is a UAE master developer and, per the copyright line on its own site, part of Dubai Holding Real Estate; Dubai Holding's real estate sector page lists it among its master developers.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  29. 39
    Dugasta Properties

    Dubai

    Dugasta Properties is a Dubai residential developer with a portfolio of around fifteen buildings, most of them apartment projects released in numbered series — Al Haseen Residences runs to five and Moonsa Residences to two.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  30. 40
    Ellington Properties

    Dubai

    Ellington Properties Development LLC is a Dubai residential developer that describes its work as design-led.

    22 projects on this site (15 ready, 7 still building)Profile
  31. 41
    Esnaad

    Dubai

    Esnaad (ESNAAD Real Estate Development) is a Dubai real estate developer founded by its CEO, Ashraf Elbendari, and described on its own site as a subsidiary of Aura Holdings.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  32. 42Gro
    Grovy Developers

    Dubai

    GROVY Real Estate Development LLC is a Dubai developer working from Jumeirah Lake Towers, with a short portfolio of apartment buildings.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  33. 43
    IMKAN

    Abu Dhabi

    IMKAN is an Abu Dhabi property developer working from Pixel Tower on Al Reem Island.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  34. 44
    IRTH

    Dubai

    IRTH is a privately held Dubai real estate investment and development platform, part of what it describes as a local family conglomerate, and led by chief executive Osman Çeliker.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  35. 45
    LEOS Developments

    Dubai

    LEOS Developments is a residential developer running two portfolios side by side, from an office at Bay Square in Business Bay and a second in central London.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  36. 46
    London Gate

    Dubai

    London Gate is a Dubai residential developer whose name, by its own account, is a tribute to the city of London rather than a statement about where it operates — its published projects are all in the UAE. Its portfolio runs to around eight buildings, among them Mi Casa, Yachting, Lilian, Vanguard, Golf Vista Heights and the Aeternitas tower.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  37. 47
    MAG

    Dubai

    MAG is the property development arm of the MAG group, trading as MAG Lifestyle Development from Dubai.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  38. 48
    Meraas

    Dubai

    Meraas is a Dubai master developer and part of Dubai Holding Real Estate, which its own About page states and which Dubai Holding's real estate sector page confirms from the other side.

    45 projects on this site (30 ready, 15 still building)Profile
  39. 49
    Meteora Developers

    Dubai

    Meteora Real Estate Development LLC is a Dubai developer working out of Arenco Tower in Dubai Media City.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  40. 50
    Mira Developments

    Dubai

    MIRA Developments L.L.C is a Dubai developer working from Umm Suqeim Street, and it is the rare UAE developer that prints its trade licence number and tax registration number on its own website.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  41. 51
    Nabni Developments

    Dubai

    Nabni Developments is an Emirati real estate developer based in Dubai, co-founded by Abdulrahman Alhelo Alsuwaidi and Badr Alhelo Alsuwaidi.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  42. 52
    Nakheel

    Dubai

    Nakheel PJSC is a Dubai master developer and a member of Dubai Holding, which lists it among the master developers in its real estate sector.

    60 projects on this site (40 ready, 20 still building)Profile
  43. 53
    Object 1

    Dubai

    Object 1 is a Dubai developer building apartment projects concentrated in Jumeirah Village Circle, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Dubai Sports City and Dubai Land Residence Complex, with one scheme on Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  44. 54
    OCTA Properties

    Dubai

    OCTA Properties is a Dubai developer whose published portfolio is short — Capital One in Jumeirah Village Circle, ASAK 11, and Burj Capital in Business Bay, listed as coming soon.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  45. 55
    Ohana Development

    Abu Dhabi

    Ohana Development builds branded residences in Abu Dhabi and in Lebanon, and is led by chief executive Husein Salem.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  46. 56
    ORO24 Developments

    Dubai

    ORO24 is a Dubai-headquartered real estate developer founded by its chairman, Atif Rahman, who describes it as a real estate corporation spanning affordable housing, premium residences, business parks and hospitality rather than a single product line.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  47. 57
    Pantheon Development

    Dubai

    Pantheon Development is a privately held Dubai developer that started in Jumeirah Village Triangle and has since added Jumeirah Village Circle, Al Wasl Gate and Ras Al Khaimah to the places it builds.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  48. 58
    Peace Homes Development

    Dubai

    Peace Homes Development is a Dubai-based residential property developer and part of the Peace Homes Group.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  49. 59
    Prestige One Developments

    Dubai

    Prestige One Developments is a Dubai residential and commercial developer founded and led by Ajmal Saifi.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  50. 60
    Taraf

    Dubai

    Taraf is a UAE boutique developer working across both Dubai and Abu Dhabi from a corporate office at Marina Plaza in Dubai Marina.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  51. 61Tig
    Tiger Properties

    Dubai

    Tiger Properties is a Dubai developer of residential towers, working from a head office in Deira and selling almost entirely off-plan.

    No project pages here yetProfile
  52. 62
    Zimaya Properties

    Dubai

    Zimaya Properties describes itself as a Dubai boutique developer, and its portfolio matches that — four buildings, each in a different community: Lawncrest in Dubai Production City, Celeste Heights in Al Furjan, Belle Rêve in Jumeirah Village Circle and Belle Vie in Dubai Silicon Oasis.

    No project pages here yetProfile

Choosing a developer in the UAE

Each emirate sets its own rules for who can buy, where, and how off-plan sales are protected, so the same developer can operate under different rules in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Start with the emirate you're buying in.

In Dubai, foreigners can own freehold in designated areas under Law No. 7 of 2006, and off-plan payments must go into a project escrow account under Law No. 8 of 2007. Abu Dhabi allows foreign ownership in investment zones, and Sharjah in approved development projects.

Read the full guide

Before you pay a booking deposit

  • Read reviews of the developer's completed projects, not only its launches.
  • Confirm the project is registered with the emirate's land authority.
  • Check the ownership rules for the exact plot or building.
  • Read the payment plan against the construction timeline and the handover date.

Questions about this list

Which is the best real estate developer in the UAE?
This page will not name one, because there is no honest way to. A developer that suits a first-time buyer of a studio is not the one that suits a family buying a villa, and no published figure ranks UAE developers by build quality or by how well they handle a late handover. What the page does instead is put the checkable facts side by side — how long each company has existed, whether it answers to a stock exchange, what it has built and what it publishes about itself — and leave the judgement with you.
How is this list ordered?
Companies listed on the Dubai Financial Market or the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange come first, because a listed developer publishes audited accounts and has to disclose material events to the exchange, so there is far more you can verify about it. After those come the companies that publish a founding date for themselves, earliest first. Then the ones that publish only an inherited date — a parent group's year, a predecessor business, the year their first project launched — so that no company rises on its parent's history. Companies that publish no date at all come last, alphabetically, which is not a mark against them. The order is not a quality ranking and it is not based on reviews.
Can a developer pay to rank higher here?
No. Position on this page comes from the rule above and nothing else. Advertising on RealtyReview.ae is a single box that is labelled Sponsored wherever it appears, and buying it cannot move a company up or down any list.
How many projects has each developer completed?
This page does not claim to know. No UAE developer publishes an audited count of delivered projects, the figures on their own websites are marketing copy with no stated definition of a project, the property portals each count their own listings and disagree, and the Dubai Land Department's project register includes registered projects that were cancelled or merged. So instead of a number nobody can stand behind, each developer shows how many project pages this site holds for it, and how many of those are marked ready — a fact about our coverage, not about the company's record.
Why are there no ratings next to most developers?
Because nobody has reviewed them here yet. A rating appears once a developer has a published review, and until then the row says so rather than showing a placeholder score. Reviews are read before they are published, and a review is only badged Verified when the reviewer has shown a contract or a similar document tying them to the property.
What should I check before paying a deposit to a developer in the UAE?
Confirm the project is registered with the emirate's land authority and that it has its own escrow account, then pay only into that escrow account — never into a personal or a sales agent's account. Register your off-plan purchase with the land authority and keep the certificate. Read the Sale and Purchase Agreement for the completion date, what you are owed if handover is late, the payment schedule and the service charges. Each developer's profile lists the checks for the emirate it builds in.
What does “publicly listed” mean on this page?
It means the company's shares trade on the Dubai Financial Market or the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, which obliges it to file audited annual accounts and to disclose material events. 6 of the developers on this page are listed. It says nothing about build quality — it says that if you want to read a developer's real numbers before you buy, for these ones you can.