UAE Real Estate Puzzle: Scoping Review of the Critical Factors Influencing the Emirati Real Estate Investment

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This review article investigates the factors influencing Real Estate Investment (REI) in the UAE within global and regional GCC contexts. It examines the existing body of research and government data through a scoping review, providing an overview of the current state of the real estate (RE) sector at global, regional, and local levels. It analyzes governmental policies and regulatory frameworks governing REI in the UAE, with particular emphasis on a comparative analysis of regulations across the country’s three largest Emirates. The review identifies multiple factors shaping REI and influencing the growth of the UAE’s RE sector, including market characteristics, government policies on foreign investment, socio-demographic and cultural influences, investor behaviour, environmental considerations, and technological advancements. Although the UAE RE sector is well-positioned in the global market, it faces critical risks and challenges that must be addressed to shift the sector from speculative growth toward sustainable resilience, including market volatility, environmental vulnerabilities, potential bubble formation, and constraints within the construction industry. By synthesizing existing evidence, the article supports decision-making among policymakers and investors while identifying key insights, emerging trends, and research gaps in this relatively understudied field. It further situates the UAE RE market within broader global and regional developments.