From established markets to emerging destinations: the Middle East’s branded residence evolution

The Middle East now accounts for 20% of all live and pipeline branded residence schemes globally, with its share rising to 25% of the global pipeline. Yet the regional picture is far from uniform. Dubai has already established itself as the world’s largest city market for branded residences, while much of the next phase of growth is taking shape across newer markets and resort-led destinations.

Knight Frank’s The Residence Report 2026/27 examines how the global luxury residential market is evolving alongside changes in wealth, mobility, hospitality and lifestyle. In the Middle East, that evolution is particularly visible in the contrast between Dubai’s established position and the large volume of future development in Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.

Dubai remains the world’s largest city market for branded residences, with 175 schemes, including 68 live developments and 107 in the pipeline. Its scale is significant even against established international markets: Miami has 73 schemes and London has 30.

Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah have more supply still to come

Dubai may lead on overall scale, but two more UAE markets now feature among the world’s ten largest branded residence markets.

Abu Dhabi ranks eighth with 24 schemes, of which 19 remain in the pipeline. Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah follows in ninth place with 23 schemes, all of them yet to be delivered.

The numbers point to markets at very different stages of maturity. Dubai’s branded residence sector already has significant operational depth, while Abu Dhabi and Al Marjan Island are much more heavily weighted towards future delivery.

In Abu Dhabi, the branded residence pipeline is developing alongside broader growth in the emirate’s luxury residential market and an expanding financial-sector workforce. During summer 2026, Modon sold 1,700 homes at Hudayriyat Golf Estates within days, generating around AED13 billion in sales. Around 15% of buyers were non-UAE residents, while employment within Abu Dhabi Global Market rose by 51% to 44,339 in 2025.

Ras Al Khaimah is developing around a different set of drivers, with tourism, resort development and international connectivity playing a greater role. International flight volumes serving the emirate, the gateway for Al Marjan Island, increased by 44% between 2023 and 2026, the strongest increase among the ten largest branded residence markets examined in the report.

For buyers looking across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, the choice is therefore not simply between different developments. Each market offers a different setting and residential experience, while the amount of existing and future supply varies considerably.

Branded residences are moving beyond hospitality

Hotel operators still dominate branded residences, but the development pipeline points to a more diverse market. Around 70% of operational branded residence schemes globally are hotel-branded, falling to 60% when pipeline developments are included. Non-hotel brands are expected to account for almost 40% of supply by 2028, compared with around 30% in 2025.

Fashion houses including Elie Saab, Armani and Missoni are among the non-hotel names active in the market, while automotive brands such as Tonino Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Pininfarina are also expanding into residential development.

A recognisable brand remains part of the appeal, but location, the quality of the home, service and how well a property suits the way it will be used also influence how individual schemes stand apart. Those considerations can vary considerably between markets: what buyers expect from a city residence in Dubai may differ from a new development in Abu Dhabi or a resort-led project on Al Marjan Island.

The brand, services and residential experience therefore need to make sense for the market in which the development sits.

Wellness is becoming more prominent

The market is not only expanding geographically. The residential offer itself is also evolving as developers and brands respond to changing buyer expectations, particularly around health and wellbeing.

At Six Sense-The Palm in Dubai, due to open in late 2026, a 60,000 sq ft wellness club is planned to include a longevity clinic, IV lounge and biohacking room. Four Seasons is also planning a dedicated longevity centre at its Abu Dhabi residences on Saadiyat Beach.

These facilities go beyond the gyms, pools and spas that have traditionally formed part of luxury residential development, reflecting a greater focus on integrating health and wellbeing into the residential experience.

Branded residences are expanding into new destinations

Where branded residences are being built is changing too. More than half of schemes globally are now in coastal, island or mountain destinations, compared with fewer than four in ten in 2016.

That trend has particular relevance in the Middle East, where established city markets are expanding at the same time as new resort and leisure destinations. Al Marjan Island is one example, while Saudi Arabia is adding further projects to the regional pipeline.

In Jeddah, Four Seasons is due to deliver 64 branded residences at The Corniche, while Raffles Jeddah is set to include 120 branded homes. Mandarin Oriental and One&Only also have projects in the pipeline.

The size of the Middle East’s pipeline points to further expansion, but project numbers alone do not explain where the market is heading. Dubai brings the scale of an established market, Abu Dhabi is adding supply alongside broader changes in its luxury residential and financial sectors, Ras Al Khaimah is developing around resorts and tourism, and Saudi Arabia is bringing new locations into the regional picture.

As that pipeline is delivered, the Middle East’s branded residence market will become larger, but also more varied. Dubai’s established scale will increasingly sit alongside newer city, resort and destination-led markets, making location, quality, service and the way a brand translates into the residential experience increasingly important points of distinction.

Explore The Residence Report 2026/27 for the full analysis of branded residences, global development pipelines, wealth and mobility trends, wellness and the changing shape of luxury residential markets: Click here to view the report.