Luxury

Emaar Properties: Dubai Master Communities and Projects

Emaar Properties PJSC is a Dubai Financial Market-listed company established in 1997 by Mohamed Alabbar. It is one of Dubai's largest master developers by delivered homes — over 82,700 residential units since 2002 — known for master communities such as Downtown Dubai, Dubai Hills Estate and Dubai Creek Harbour, among many others.

Last verified: 17 August 2026

Active in Downtown DubaiDubai Hills EstateDubai Creek HarbourEmaar SouthThe ValleyDubai

Emaar Properties company profile

Emaar Properties PJSC is a Dubai Financial Market-listed company established in 1997 by Mohamed Alabbar. Its activities span property development, malls, hospitality, and related businesses. Emaar Development PJSC separately reports the UAE build-to-sell property business.

Dubai master communities

Emaar is known for many master communities across Dubai — among the best known are Downtown Dubai, Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Creek Harbour, Emaar South, Emaar Beachfront, Rashid Yachts & Marina, The Valley, The Oasis, The Heights, and Grand Polo Club & Resort. Buyers comparing villa communities across the district can see how Emaar South stacks up in our Dubai South villas guide.

In February 2024, Emaar announced Dubai Square at Dubai Creek Harbour as a future retail, entertainment, and technology destination. The company's FY2025 release also highlighted new masterplan activity, including Grand Polo Club & Resort, alongside its broader Dubai project pipeline.

Within The Heights master plan, Faro at The Heights is the newer, lower-priced villa cluster — 3–4 bedroom villas from AED 2.4M on an 80/20 plan, registered with DLD and targeted for 2030.

Listed master developer of major Dubai destinations and communities

Master developerListed companyCommunitiesVillasApartments

Who owns Emaar?

Emaar Properties PJSC is a public company listed on the Dubai Financial Market under the ticker EMAAR, so its shares are held by many owners rather than one. The largest shareholder is Dubai Holding, with 29.73% of the company. That position was reached in May 2026, when Emirates Power Investment, a Dubai Holding subsidiary, acquired 22.2723% of the issued shares from Investment Corporation of Dubai. Investment Corporation of Dubai no longer holds any Emaar Properties shares. The remainder trades on the Dubai Financial Market. Mohamed Alabbar founded the company in 1997 and sits on its board; Forbes ranks him among the Middle East's richest Arabs, built substantially on his stake since Emaar's 2000 listing.

Source: Dubai Holding — completion of strategic transaction in Emaar Properties, 12 May 2026 · UAE Government Media Office, 12 May 2026 · Dubai Financial Market — EMAAR company profile

Track record

Buildings that made the name

01 Burj Khalifa Completed 4 January 2010 in Downtown Dubai: 828 metres over 163 floors, the world's tallest building and the anchor of the entire Downtown Dubai masterplan. 2010 completed
02 The Dubai Mall Opened 4 November 2008 beside Burj Khalifa — one of the world's largest shopping and leisure destinations, still operated by Emaar. 2008 completed
03 Dubai Opera Opened 31 August 2016 in Downtown Dubai, a 2,000-seat performing-arts venue shaped like a dhow. 2016 completed
04 Dubai Hills Mall Opened 17 February 2022 at the centre of Dubai Hills Estate, about 2 million sq ft of gross leasable area. 2022 completed
05 Grand Polo Club & Resort Unveiled 25 April 2025 in Dubai Investments Park 2 — a 5.54 million sq m villa masterplan built around a working polo club. Unveiled 2025
06 Dubai Square Announced 7 February 2024 at Dubai Creek Harbour as a retail, entertainment and technology destination, still at the announcement stage. Announced 2024

Emaar track record

Residential units delivered since 2002

Over 82,700

Emaar Development, as at 31 March 2026

Residential units under development

About 53,000

Emaar Development, as at 31 March 2026

New residential projects launched in 2025

Emaar group, FY2025

Residential launches in H1 2026

Emaar group, H1 2026

Unit counts are Emaar Development PJSC, the UAE build-to-sell business, as at 31 March 2026 — a scope narrower than group totals.Delivered and under-development units are counted separately, each at its own stage.

What Emaar is known for

Residential units delivered since 2002

Over 82,700 (Emaar Development, 31 March 2026)

Residential units under development

About 53,000, counted separately from delivered homes

New residential projects launched in 2025

48 across the group, plus 11 more in H1 2026

Revenue backlog

AED 164.9bn at 30 June 2026 — money already contracted on homes still to be handed over

One of seven developers on DLD's direct-registration system

Dubai Land Department authorised Emaar on 20 August 2024 to register and audit its own transactions

Emaar Properties group reporting and Emaar Development reporting are treated as separate disclosures.

Where Emaar builds

Dubai South Dubailand Emaar South The Valley The Oasis

Current projects via GRAF

The Heights Country Club

Al Yelayiss 5, Dubai

From AED 6.76M

View project →

Faro at The Heights

Al Yelayiss 5, Dubai

From AED 2.4M

View project →

Grand Polo Club & Resort

Dubai Investments Park 2

From AED 3.5M

View project →

Emaar South

Dubai South

From AED 3.2M

View project →

Arabian Ranches III

Wadi Al Safa, Dubailand

Resale from AED 2.71M

View project →

The Oasis

Me'Aisem Second, Dubai

From AED 9.18M

View project →

The Valley

Al Yufrah 1, Dubai–Al Ain Road

From AED 2.39M

View project →

Golf Fields

Emaar South, Dubai

From AED 1.26M

View project →

Valia

Dubai Creek Harbour

From AED 1.96M

View project →

How Emaar differs from other Dubai developers

What separates Emaar operationally is scale and reach — the same company that built the world's tallest building also runs the malls and the opera house beside it, and sells homes across a dozen different masterplans. See the ownership answer above for how the group is structured and who its largest shareholder is.

Keeps what it builds: The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Opera and Dubai Hills Mall stay under Emaar operation after completion, rather than being sold on.
One developer, a dozen masterplans: The same company sells Downtown Dubai apartments and Dubai South villas, so a single sales relationship covers very different products and price points.
New launches every few months: 48 new residential projects launched across the group in 2025 alone, with 11 more in the first half of 2026.
Delivery is a published figure: Over 82,700 homes since 2002, restated every quarter, not a marketing claim.
Registers inside DLD systems: Dubai Land Department authorised Emaar on 20 August 2024 to register and audit transactions directly — a privilege held by only a handful of developers.
Contracted revenue is disclosed ahead of handover: AED 164.9 billion of revenue backlog at 30 June 2026 — money already contracted on homes still to be built.

Why GRAF recommends Emaar

Emaar publishes numbers on a fixed calendar, so a buyer can check the developer's own claims against the next quarterly release instead of taking a brochure's word.

What the record shows

The counter moves and is restatedDelivered homes went from about 79,000 at 30 September 2025 to over 82,700 at 31 March 2026; under development, from 47,200 to about 53,000 over the same two quarters.
Contracted work is disclosedAED 164.9 billion of revenue backlog at 30 June 2026 — money already contracted on homes still to be handed over.
One developer, twelve masterplansThe same company sells Downtown Dubai apartments and Dubai South villas, so a single sales relationship covers very different products.

GRAF editorial team

Emaar — frequently asked questions

What is Emaar Properties?

Emaar Properties PJSC is a Dubai Financial Market-listed company established in 1997. The group operates across property development, malls, hospitality, and related businesses, while Emaar Development separately reports the UAE build-to-sell property business.

Source: Dubai Financial Market — EMAAR profile

Who founded Emaar?

Mohamed Alabbar founded Emaar. The company is publicly listed, so the founder's role and the company's current shareholding structure are distinct and are reported through corporate and exchange disclosures.

Source: Emaar FY2025 results

Which Dubai communities are associated with Emaar?

Emaar is known for many communities across Dubai — among them Downtown Dubai, Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Creek Harbour, Emaar South, Emaar Beachfront, Rashid Yachts & Marina, The Valley, The Oasis, The Heights, and Grand Polo Club & Resort.

Source: Emaar FY2025 corporate materials

New from Emaar

Early announcement 13 Sep

Valia at Dubai Creek Harbour

Dubai Creek Harbour, opposite the Dubai Square retail and entertainment hub, Dubai · Apartments

Emaar's new 1–4BR waterfront tower launches from AED 1.96 million.

View project

Early announcement 11 Sep

Alva at The Valley

The Valley, Dubai · Townhouses

Emaar townhouses selling in The Valley, absent from emaar.com.

View project

Emaar in the news

Off-plan launches Jul 29, 2026

Emaar homebuyers can secure up to 50% financing before handover

Read →

Dubai Real Estate Jul 28, 2026

Six top property picks at the Emaar Private Showcase this Thursday

Read →

Off-plan launches Jul 22, 2026

ECC Contracting wins contracts worth $1.3bn from Emaar, Arada, and Majid Al Futtaim

Read →

Dubai Property Jun 11, 2026

Emaar set to unveil new masterplan worth AED200 bn

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Guides that cover this developer

Investment Guide 10 min read

Dubai South Villas 2026: The Pulse, South Bay, Emaar South, Expo Valley

Dubai's fastest-appreciating villa corridor has one livable community today. Launch vs 2026 prices: The Pulse, South Bay, Emaar South, Expo Valley, Hayat.

Read

Investment Guide 8 min read

Top 5 Areas to Buy a Family Villa in Dubai in 2026

Finding a family villa in Dubai is harder than it looks — schools, community, commute all have to align. My five favourite areas for 2026, with real prices.

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Investment Guide 12 min read

The Dubai Villa Map 2026: Every District Worth Knowing, Zone by Zone

Every Dubai villa district beyond the headline belts, zone by zone — real launch-to-2026 numbers, growth leaders and the ownership traps brokers skip.

Read

Official sources

Official website Dubai Financial Market — EMAAR profile Dubai Financial Market — EMAAR shareholders Emaar FY2025 results

About this profile

Maintained by the GRAF editorial team from public sources and our own project data. Updated 17 August 2026. Contact us