In 2024, a whopping AED 118 billion in Dubai real estate transactions was driven by women, who accounted for 34% of all investors and over 50,979 deals, shattering records and redefining the market. No longer are women simply passive players; they now actively participate as one vibrant force in the UAE property market. In the last two years, female investors have moved beyond buying properties; they are developing properties, brokering deals, and actively engaging in policy conversations.
That now alters demand patterns, project shapes, and the ways developers and regulators relate to their buyers or tenants. The scale and magnitude of participation don’t signify; rather, they substantiate change so entrenched over time that today ownership, rental, and investment in Emirati real estate are no longer even remotely the preserve of men.
What’s behind the surge?
A handful of converging factors are driving this phenomenon, among them rising household income, greater representation of women in leadership positions, and the growing body of financially liberated, professional, independent women that the UAE has managed to amass. Simultaneously, policies of inclusion and industry-linked initiatives are opening doors that were previously much harder to navigate.
Therefore, public institutions like the Dubai Land Department, together with private partners, have now organised courses, networking events, and campaigns to ensure women’s accessibility to purchasing, investing, and financing real estate.
Societal shifts are also at play. An emerging segment of single professional women, expatriate executives, and entrepreneurial investors now sees property as a way to secure wealth. For instance, industry brokers note a consistent increase in the number of single-woman investors buying compact apartments in areas like JVC, Business Bay, and Dubai Marina, which offer high rental yields and access to urban conveniences.
The SHE Pioneers Initiative: Structured Support for Women
Catalyst number one is SHE Pioneers, arguably the largest and most significant of the government-backed initiatives promoting women’s participation in property and business leadership.
Components of the SHE Pioneers Program
- Mentorship: A one-on-one mentorship with senior women leaders in the areas of real estate and related industries.
- Training Modules: Workshops in skill building in terms of investment in property, negotiation, valuation, and market due diligence.
- Community Networks: Innovations in current events, forums, and professional circles will connect women with brokers, developers, and financial institutions.
- Industry-Linked Opportunities: Establishment pathways, project involvement, and exposure to ecosystem partners stimulate growth.
By virtue of its clarity, structure, and accessibility, the program is both a strong tide pushing women into the property ecosystem of the UAE and a means of building their confidence and capability to engage effectively.
How female investors change demand
Overall, the market is being shaped by the specific preferences female buyers have brought in. Demand has moved toward:
- Smaller, strategically located units, complete flats as per single professionals or investors aiming for superyield rentals.
- Family-oriented end units with safety features and amenities (e.g., play areas, female-friendly security, and wellness services).
- Flexibility in serviced living and co-living concepts that ring true within the scope of value-added, convenient lifestyling, as well as strong community appeal among professionals.
On demand, developers are coming up with built-in storage, improved security, concierge services, and amenity design, now more often by newer launches, for the very fact that women’s buying power is affecting what’s being sold. This has nudged product mixes away from purely luxury trophy homes toward diversified portfolios that serve younger professionals and dual-income households.
Investment Strategies: What Tenants Want
Female investors in the UAE reveal a mixture of quite conservative approaches and fairly strategic behaviours. The majority of buy-to-let targets are in already well-established neighbourhoods and at off-plan spaces by credible developers to realise value appreciation. Compared with more traditional investor profiles, women are usually research-intensive, focusing on developer reputation, proximity to transport and schools, and long-term rental demand. Data points to increased numbers of single women buyers and professional women property owners for residential and investment properties, changing occupancy and leasing patterns, and shifting amenity demand.
Market and policy implications
By gradually expanding the investor base in real estate markets, the growing influence of women is making these markets more resilient. Thus, in fact, women’s contributions through transactions in the first half of 2025 would enhance liquidity and smooth fluctuations across buying cycles.
In recognition of this, policymakers and industry bodies are introducing:
- Simplified regulatory processes
- Specialised mentorship programs
- Targeted awareness campaigns
- Easier access to financing and property services
WA5DA inclusion would broaden resilience across the sector. Markets must reflect movements influenced by various perspectives: not just traditional ones, but also those probabilistically considered modern.
Challenges and Opportunities ahead
There are still some barriers: access to credit may remain more restrictive for some expatriate women, while cultural or information gaps may inhibit participation in specific segments. But the gap is swiftly closing. And, of course, that means, as far as developers, brokers, and service companies are concerned, simply: develop products and communications along the lines of what women would want – simpler fee transparency, flexible payment plans, viewings comfortable for women, and amenities that target community-oriented development. Diversification into shorter-stay rentals, smaller units, and mixed-use precincts will offer excellent yields for investors.
Conclusion
Women are not merely buyers in the UAE property market; they are change-makers. Their increasing share in property transactions has a transformative impact not only on product development but also on rental markets and policy priorities. As the sector matures, developers and regulators who understand and serve the specific needs of female investors will further open new demand channels and help build a more inclusive, stable real estate ecosystem in the Emirates. The message is clear: when women invest, markets adapt, for the better.
