The latest on Talay and Saadiyat Island

Aldar reports a 25% rise in third-quarter profit

Aldar reported net profit of AED 1.9 billion for the third quarter of 2026, up 25% on the same period last year, with revenue and rental income of AED 9.3 billion, up 16.4%. Its development backlog, the value of sold homes still to be delivered, stood at AED 71.6 billion at the end of September, including AED 59.3 billion in the UAE.

Aldar launched seven projects in the quarter and 12 so far in 2026, among them Talay. Group development sales for the quarter were AED 6.8 billion, lower than the same quarter last year.

Source: The National

Abu Dhabi records AED 21.5 billion of residential sales in Q3, with Saadiyat pricing up

Savills data shows Abu Dhabi residential sales worth AED 21.5 billion across 6,085 transactions in the third quarter of 2026. Total sales value was up 32% year on year, and off-plan homes made up 81% of transactions. The average off-plan sale reached about AED 5 million, up 40% on a year earlier.

On Saadiyat Island, villas averaged AED 26,500 per sqm, while apartments averaged AED 43,100 per sqm, up 21% over the year.

Transaction numbers were down 19% on the previous quarter and 7% on a year earlier, so the higher total reflects a higher average price per sale.

Source: Gulf News, citing Savills Middle East

Aldar reports more than AED 5 billion in sales after Talay and Yas Riva Reserve launches

Aldar said sales from its two newest villa launches, Talay at Marsa Al Saadiyat and Yas Riva Reserve on Yas Island, together passed AED 5 billion (about US$1.36 billion).

UAE nationals made up 31% of buyers across the two projects, with buyers from the UK, Russia, Jordan and India among the largest international groups. Aldar Development's chief executive, Jonathan Emery, described the demand from Emiratis, residents and overseas buyers as a reflection of confidence in the emirate.

Aldar has not published a Talay-only sales figure or said how many villas remain, so the AED 5 billion covers both projects combined.

Sources: The National · Emirates 24|7

Talay launches as the first homes at Marsa Al Saadiyat

Aldar launched Talay in September 2026: 351 stand-alone villas with four, five and six bedrooms, and the first residential community within the wider Marsa Al Saadiyat district. Coverage of the launch puts the long-term value of the Marsa Al Saadiyat masterplan at roughly US$27 billion (about Dh100 billion).

The villas are split across two collections: Talay, a landscaped community of villas, and Talay Beach, a smaller frontline collection directly on the sand.

Sources: Arabian Business · Saadiyat Keys weekly digest

Abu Dhabi's new off-plan mortgage framework: first loan completed by Aldar and ADCB

Abu Dhabi's real estate regulator (ADREC) has introduced a framework that lets banks finance off-plan purchases before handover. Once a buyer has paid 50% of the purchase price, a participating bank can fund the remaining instalments. Aldar and ADCB completed the first mortgage under the new framework.

In practical terms, it opens a route to financing during the construction period rather than only at handover.

The framework applies to eligible units at participating banks. Whether a particular villa qualifies depends on the bank's own criteria, so check eligibility with the lender.

Sources: Khaleej Times · Gulf News · The National

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi set to open on Saadiyat Island

The long-awaited Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open on 11 December 2026, with tickets released in September. It will sit alongside the Louvre Abu Dhabi in Saadiyat's cultural district.

Sources: The National · Gulf News

Saadiyat Grove and the Mid-Island Parkway

Two island projects are reported to be on the way. Saadiyat Grove, a retail and dining destination with more than 100 brands, is due to open in Q4 2026. Phase one of the AED 2.85 billion Mid-Island Parkway is scheduled for completion in 2027, and is expected to cut journey times between Saadiyat and Reem Island from about 25 minutes to around 10.

These timelines are as reported by the source below and may change.

Source: Saadiyat Keys weekly digest