Al Marjan Island draws 46.8% of its property searches from abroad, Property Finder data shows

Dubai, 12 November 2026: Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah draws nearly half of its property searches from abroad, the highest share of the four locations analysed, according to Property Finder’s September 2026 platform data. Cherif Sleiman, the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, presented the findings on 11 November at the fourth edition of OBG Connect, hosted by One Broker Group.

The data shows the share of searches coming from outside the UAE at 46.8% for Al Marjan Island, 32.9% for Ras Al Khaimah, 32.7% for Dubai and 21.3% for Abu Dhabi. For residential sales on Al Marjan Island, the figure rises to 52.1%.

Sleiman shared the findings during the panel discussion “Three Markets, One UAE: Real Estate Opportunities and the Road to 2035”, alongside Ben Bandari, Founder and CEO of BenCo Real Estate, and Umar Bin Farooq, Founder and CEO of One Broker Group. The session was moderated by Coco Mignon of Strada.

Ras Al Khaimah keeps pace with Dubai

Ras Al Khaimah attracts around one in three of its property searches from abroad, broadly in line with Dubai, while Abu Dhabi draws around one in five. Property Finder notes that search location reflects where interest is coming from, not a buyer’s nationality or the source of investment.

“International interest in the UAE is not just a Dubai story,” said Sleiman. “Al Marjan Island draws a larger share of its searches from abroad than any market we analyzed, and that should shape who developers and agents are speaking to.”

“International interest in the UAE is not just a Dubai story. Al Marjan Island draws a larger share of its searches from abroad than any market we analyzed, and that should shape who developers and agents are speaking to.” – Cherif Sleiman, Chief Revenue Officer, Property Finder

Villas and entry-level rentals draw demand beyond their share of stock

Demand is concentrated in specific segments. Villas account for 23% of buyer interest in Ras Al Khaimah from just 10% of listings, 28% from 18% of listings in Abu Dhabi, and 19% from 13% in Dubai.

Price preferences vary by market. The AED 2 million to AED 5 million band leads in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, at 33% and 39% of buyer leads respectively, while the AED 1 million to AED 2 million band leads in Ras Al Khaimah and on Al Marjan Island. In Ras Al Khaimah’s rental market, homes priced up to AED 40,000 a year generate 42% of demand from 16% of available stock.

In Dubai, the focus is the right stock

Dubai rental listings on Property Finder grew 57% year on year in September, while rental leads from tenants rose 11%. Property Finder says this highlights the value of matching what is available to what people are looking for.

“This is not a question of how much stock there is. It is a question of whether it matches what people are looking for,” said Sleiman. “The opportunity now is putting the right homes in front of the people actually searching for them.”

One UAE, many buyers

Panellists agreed that resilience is not confined to one emirate, and that the demand behind it is not only international. Residents already living in the UAE are moving between emirates, upgrading and investing, alongside the interest coming from abroad. Each market has shown the same ability to hold that demand, converging on a single national picture of strength while continuing to draw a different buyer, at a different price point, for different reasons.

The discussion also turned to what residential growth brings with it. As more people settle in the UAE, they need somewhere to work as well as somewhere to live, and panellists pointed to strong appetite on the commercial side as a result.

Closing on the outlook, Sleiman said: “International demand will only increase from here. Each emirate will have the opportunity to attract different demographics, locally and internationally, by catering to their preferences. The road to 2035 will be built market by market.”