Amid the booming real estate market in Dubai, more major developers are taking full control of the construction process by creating their own contracting divisions. This step allows them to manage timelines, expenses, and project quality, while also increasing profit margins, Reuters reports.
One of the latest examples is Emaar Properties, known for the Burj Khalifa project, which has launched a new contracting unit called Rukn Mirage. Following Emaar, companies such as Samana Developers, Ellington, and Azizi have introduced similar structures. Meanwhile, developer Arada, co-founded by Saudi Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, acquired a stake in an Australian contractor in 2025 with the aim of integrating it into its UAE operations by 2027.
The trend comes against the backdrop of record real estate price growth: over the past four years, prices have surged by 70%, while the UAE government has set a goal to double Dubai’s population to 7.8 million by 2040.
According to industry data, in 2024 the number of delivered units increased by 83%, yet the number of completed projects fell by 23%. The market is experiencing a shortage of external contractors: while previously 25–30 companies competed for a tender, today there are no more than three.
For instance, Samana Developers initially planned to hand over only 20% of its projects to its new in-house division, but now 80–90% of construction is managed internally. Emaar, in turn, follows a hybrid approach, combining its own resources with the services of external contractors.
Project financing also remains a sensitive issue. Billions of dirhams paid by buyers are stored in escrow accounts and become available only after project completion and handover. This motivates developers to deliver projects on time in order to free up funds for reinvestment and dividend payments.
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