Over 5,300 young Emiratis trade 7,052 Sharjah properties
Young Emirati women now represent 40.5 percent of Sharjah’s youth real estate investor base, highlighting their growing role in the emirate’s property market. Overall investment by Emiratis aged 18 to 35 has reached AED4.3 billion ($1.17 billion), reflecting growing confidence in real estate as a route to long-term financial security. Thousands of young nationals are building property portfolios, supported by broad participation from men and women and confidence in Sharjah’s economic and regulatory environment.
Youth investment deepens
As of August 2026, 5,314 Emiratis between the ages of 18 and 35 had traded 7,052 properties in Sharjah, according to figures released by the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department.
The cumulative investment value of AED4.3 billion reflects the growing position of Emirati youth as strategic participants in the property market. The department released the figures to coincide with International Youth Day on August 12, highlighting young nationals’ increasing investment awareness and their interest in building sustainable capital assets aligned with Sharjah’s wider development vision.
Youth participation broadens
Young men accounted for 4,325 traded properties, representing 61.3 percent of the total, while young women accounted for 2,727 properties, or 38.7 percent. The number of male investors reached 3,162, equivalent to 59.5 percent of the investor base. Female participation totaled 2,152 investors, representing over 40 percent.
Investment values followed a similar distribution. Young Emirati men invested AED2.8 billion, accounting for 64.6 percent of the total value. Young Emirati women invested AED1.5 billion, representing the remaining 35.4 percent. The figures indicate substantial participation by both groups in an asset class traditionally associated with longer-term wealth accumulation and financial planning.
Assets build stability
Saud Al-Khayyal, Chairman of the Youth Council at the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department, said the results demonstrated the success of Sharjah’s development approach and the continuing expansion of its national investor base.
Al-Khayyal said the figures represented more than completed property transactions. They also reflected stronger investment knowledge among younger generations and greater recognition of the importance of building assets. This awareness supports Sharjah’s objective of making its real estate sector a preferred and sustainable option for individuals and families seeking to accumulate wealth and achieve financial stability.
Wider market momentum
The youth figures have emerged within a property market that recorded AED29.5 billion in transactions during the first half of 2026, up 9.3 percent annually. The Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department completed 59,460 transactions, representing growth of 23.7 percent. The H1 results show that young national investors are participating in a market with expanding activity and liquidity.
Sales, usufruct sales and initial sales contracts totaled 16,426 across 202 areas, covering 85 million square feet. This represented a 4.7 percent increase from 15,686 transactions during the first half of 2025. Residential properties dominated with 13,501 transactions,or 82.2 percent, followed by 1,969 industrial transactions, representing 12 percent of the total.
Commercial properties accounted for 937 transactions, or 5.7 percent, while agricultural assets contributed 19 deals, representing 0.1 percent. Mortgage activity reached 2,590 transactions valued at AED7.6 billion. Eleven new projects were registered during the period across Um Fanain, Muwaileh Commercial, Al-Raqeeba, Hay Al-Hoshe and Al Sajaa Industrial, according to the market data.
Ownership options expand
The new developments included residential complexes, towers and mixed-use projects with residential, commercial and industrial components. The number of projects approved for ownership by non-UAE and GCC nationals under Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2022 reached 50. Six received approval during the first half of 2026, widening the range of eligible investment opportunities.
Sharjah attracted investors from 121 nationalities during the six-month period. UAE nationals invested approximately AED14.9 billion across 22,599 properties, while other GCC nationals invested AED1.36 billion through 924 properties. Arab investors contributed about AED5 billion across 4,449 properties, and investors from other nationalities deployed approximately AED8.2 billion through 4,264 properties.
By property count, Emiratis ranked first, followed by investors from India with 1,657 properties and Syria with 1,163. Jordanian investors traded 670 properties, followed by Iraqis with 668 and Egyptians with 662. The investor breakdown illustrates how strong national participation, including youth investment, operates alongside an increasingly international buyer base.
Locations attract demand
Muwaileh Commercial led Sharjah’s areas with 2,385 transactions valued at AED2.8 billion. Al-Belaida followed with 2,171 transactions worth AED1.4 billion, while Al-Khan recorded 1,077 transactions valued at approximately AED1.3 billion. This spread shows demand across established residential districts, expanding communities and locations connected to commercial and industrial activity. This gives younger investors several potential property entry points.
Record year precedes
Sharjah entered 2026 after recording its highest annual real estate trading value in 2025. Transactions reached AED65.6 billion, rising 64.3 percent from AED40 billion in 2024. The total transaction count increased 26.3 percent to 132,659, while sales rose 38.4 percent to 33,580, according to the annual results.
Mortgage value reached AED15.5 billion across 6,300 transactions, representing annual growth of 45.1 percent. Investors from 129 nationalities participated, compared with 120 in 2024, and the number of properties traded by investors of different nationalities increased from 45,676 to 60,322. UAE nationals contributed approximately AED33.8 billion across 41,066 properties.
Other GCC investors deployed AED3.4 billion through 2,055 properties, while Arab nationals invested AED9.8 billion across 8,663 assets. Investors from other nationalities contributed AED18.5 billion through 8,538 properties. The department said its digital transformation framework and smart services had streamlined procedures, increased accuracy and reinforced market transparency.
Early momentum continues
January 2026 extended that momentum with AED9.3 billion in transactions, 34.8 percent above the AED7 billion recorded a year earlier. The department completed 10,333 transactions, while sales covered approximately 23.8 million square feet. The January report linked the performance to government policy, legislation, urban planning, infrastructure and major developments.
ACRES contributed AED5 billion in sales during January. The exhibition helped lift transaction volumes as Sharjah registered 4,868 sales across 129 areas, reinforcing the breadth of opportunities available to young and established investors alike.
Source: economymiddleeast