Abu Dhabi has improved its position in the global real estate transparency rankings, moving from 41st place in 2024 to 33rd in the 2026 Global Real Estate Transparency Index published by JLL. The results highlight the emirate’s progress in making property market information more accessible and reliable for investors.

According to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), Abu Dhabi was the most improved market in this year’s assessment. The index evaluated 88 countries and 146 city markets using 260 factors, with the emirate achieving a composite score of 2.42.

Digital Property Data Supports Market Transparency

Abu Dhabi’s improved ranking reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen access to real estate information. Initiatives include publicly available property dashboards, interactive maps displaying transaction-level details and service charges, and open application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow property data to be integrated into different digital platforms.

These developments can help investors and other market participants make better-informed decisions by improving access to relevant property information.

ADREC has also set a target for Abu Dhabi to enter the world’s 25 most transparent real estate markets by 2030. Achieving this ambition will require further investment in digital infrastructure, data accessibility and market reporting.

AI and Sustainability to Shape Future Progress

The next stage of development is expected to focus on artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics and more comprehensive property data. Greater coverage of alternative real estate sectors, including data centres, life sciences facilities and student accommodation, is also becoming important as investors explore a wider range of property assets.

Sustainability is another priority. Improving building performance standards and energy-related disclosures could help Abu Dhabi align more closely with leading transparent markets, where environmental performance and resilience planning play an increasingly important role.

Transparency Remains Important for Global Investors

JLL has highlighted the growing importance of reliable data and digital infrastructure in attracting international real estate investment. Its 2026 index found that two-thirds of the markets assessed had improved their transparency scores.

Markets classified as highly transparent also recorded a 64% increase in transaction volumes over the previous two years, accounting for more than 80% of global direct real estate investment, according to the report.

The findings further indicate that AI is becoming an important tool for property investors and occupiers, particularly in portfolio analysis, investment planning and asset optimisation.

Published every two years by JLL and LaSalle Investment Management, the Global Real Estate Transparency Index has tracked developments in the sector since 1999. It evaluates areas such as market data, governance, regulatory frameworks, transaction processes and sustainability.

Abu Dhabi’s latest ranking represents progress towards a more transparent and data-driven property market, supporting its long-term ambition to attract international investment and strengthen its position in the global real estate sector.

Source: Gulf Business
Original article: Abu Dhabi rises eight places in JLL global real estate transparency ranking
Original author: Neesha Salian