< PreviousHOMESCAPE HORIZONS 30OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 H1 2025 was around $2.42 billion (AED8.9 billion), about one-third below H1 2024 levels. This drop refl ects fewer deals (especially off -plan), more than cheaper prices. In fact, the average price per ready-unit deal has risen. Cavendish Maxwell reports the typical price of a completed-home sale climbed from roughly $571,800 (AED 2.1 million) in late 2024 to about $680,900 (AED2.5 million) by mid- 2025. Thus, buyers were paying more per transaction even as the market pivoted toward completed stock. Price growth was broad-based. Citywide apartment prices were about 14.4% higher year-on-year. The biggest gains were in prime, well- located communities: as the report notes, buyers have been “increasingly focusing on high-quality, well-located apartments,” keeping prime apartment values buoyant. Villa prices also climbed roughly 11.1% above a year earlier refl ecting ongoing demand for spacious, family-oriented homes. Apartment rents jumped nearly 13.9% year-on-year (villa rents grew more moderately), underscoring the same supply constraints in the rental sector. In sum, even though overall sales volumes eased, the strongest price and rent increases have DID YOU KNOW? 1) Price growth: Completed apartments up 14%, villas up 11% year-on-year. 2) Rental surge: Apartment rents jumped nearly 14% in H1 2025. 3) Buyer preference: 2,300 completed homes sold, compared to just 1,000 off -plan units, indicating strong demand. 4) Transaction value: Total H1 2025 sales hit AED8.9 billion, with average completed-home prices rising to AED2.5 million. CWPME_Oct2025_28-31_Homescape Horizons_13720957.indd 3003/10/2025 07:26HOMESCAPE HORIZONS 31OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 come in scarce, in-demand stock, especially completed homes. LOOKING AHEAD: H2 2025 AND BEYOND Cavendish Maxwell expects Abu Dhabi’s housing market to carry momentum into the second half of 2025. The report’s outlook highlights that continued infrastructure rollouts and a business-friendly climate will keep attracting skilled professionals and investment to the emirate. These infl ows, coupled with ongoing economic diversifi cation trends, should sustain buyer demand through late 2025. New supply is set to rise, but likely not enough to balance the market. Around 10,400 additional units are expected by year-end, with roughly 11,000 more in the pipeline for 2026. However, experts caution that on- the-ground deliveries have been slow. As a result, supply may remain tight, keeping demand ahead of new listings. The UAE’s Vision 2030 economic strategy, sustained population growth—largely driven by migration— and investor-friendly policies continue to fuel strong demand for family- oriented, quality homes. Overall, the report indicates that unless a surge of new project launches occurs, the current dynamic of high demand meeting limited supply is likely to persist. This suggests that prices and rents will continue trending upward into H2 2025 and beyond, supported by the market’s proven resilience. Investors and developers are therefore expected to remain highly active, seeking opportunities in this robust and competitive market, which will only grow. Left: Apartment rents jumped nearly 13.9% year-on-year Right: Space- seeking families and yield-driven investors fuel the market surge New supply will rise, but likely not enough to equalise the market. Roughly 10,400 additional units are due by year-end 2025” CWPME_Oct2025_28-31_Homescape Horizons_13720957.indd 3103/10/2025 07:26COVER STORY 32OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 COVER STORY 32OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3207/10/2025 20:30PARTNER CONTENT 33OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 GUIDED BY VISION Murad Saleh is steering AMWAJ Development with a philosophy rooted in conviction and craft. The result: a new benchmark for community-centric living in Dubai Words by Shehzin Shaikh Photography by Ajith Narendra Creative direction by Angitha Pradeep PARTNER CONTENT 33OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3307/10/2025 20:30COVER STORY 34OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 PEOPLE, NOT BUILDING COUNTS From the outset, AMWAJ set a single aim: to create neighbourhoods that feel like homes rather than commodity assets. “We are not trying to be the largest developer; our aim is to create long-term appreciation, and where residents feel a true sense of belonging,” Saleh explains. That philosophy guides product mix, amenity choices and delivery timetables. It is a deliberate rejection of a “bigger is better” mindset and an embrace of human scale and sustained value. In less than two years, AMWAJ has launched three projects— Starlight Park, The Cube and Gate When Murad Saleh, Co-founder and CEO of AMWAJ Development, walked into the show apartment at his Dubai Hills offi ce for our cover shoot, he brought with him the composure of a man who is tall, calm and deliberate. He did not off er bravado; he off ered a clear thesis. “Our entry is a direct refl ection of this transformation,” he said, referring to a market he believes has shifted from speculative volume to considered, community-centric development. That conviction is the scaff olding of AMWAJ’s approach, and it shows in everything from site selection to fi nishes, and from amenity programming to handover discipline. Project images supplied by: AMW AJ Development CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3407/10/2025 20:30PARTNER CONTENT 35OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 Left: Gate Eleven by AMWAJ stands out with its striking design Centre: Gate Eleven’s living room: a blend of luxury and elegance Eleven Residences, and the market has responded. “The market’s response has been exceptional,” Saleh notes. Starlight Park and The Cube together were valued at over $109 million (AED400 million) at launch and achieved rapid sell-outs; Gate Eleven hit 65% of the sales milestone in less than three months. For a newcomer, those numbers are proof that a people-fi rst proposition can outcompete volume-driven strategies. DESIGN WITH INTENT AMWAJ’s leadership blends international design rigour with regional hospitality. “We bring a unique blend of European design sensibilities and Middle Eastern hospitality values,” he says, and the result is visible in materiality, proportion and amenity programming. Finishes are chosen to age well; layouts prioritise natural light, cross-ventilation and practical living. Amenities are treated as essential, not ornamental. Infi nity pools and yoga studios sit beside children’s art rooms and community gardens; intimate social spaces are woven into the plan so chance encounters become a feature, not an afterthought. “These projects taught us a clear lesson: the Dubai market is leaning towards human-centric, low-rise projects,” Saleh says. That lesson forms the product DNA: homes conceived for how people actually live. CREDIBILITY BUILT ON DELIVERY Beneath the curated aesthetic lies an operational backbone centred on discipline. Saleh emphasises “strict fi nancial controls and transparent, We bring a unique blend of European design sensibilities and Middle Eastern hospitality values” justifi ed payment plans” as core to its model. In an environment of rising construction costs and cyclical pressures, the fi rm argues that credibility is earned by doing what one promises, on time and to standard. Early handovers and topping-up ceremonies are presented not as PR moments but as concrete proof points. “Delivering what we promise is the most powerful currency in this market,” Saleh says. For buyers who once defaulted to established names, AMWAJ posits that trust can now be earned through transparency and proven execution. This is not rhetoric; it is an operating posture that governs procurement, contractor selection, and customer communication. MEASURED GROWTH, NOT HASTE AMWAJ’s fi nancial strategy has been cautious and targeted. The company has invested over $136 million (AED500 million) in the past two years and is targeting $272 million (AED1 billion) by 2026. Its pipeline is expected to deliver more than 2.5 million square feet of residential space by the end of next year. Yet growth is framed as deliberate rather than indiscriminate. “We at AMWAJ Development aim to broaden our portfolio with more diverse developments, ranging from luxury residential to mixed-use communities,” the company says, stressing that expansion must preserve the brand’s boutique identity. Planned launches in Dubai Islands and Meydan Avenues illustrate methodical expansion: surgical land acquisition, careful fi nancing and product selection aligned with AMWAJ’s premium, community-fi rst CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3507/10/2025 20:30COVER STORY 36OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 Our buyers and investors are gravitating toward projects that off er meticulous attention to detail and high-quality fi nishes” CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3607/10/2025 20:30PARTNER CONTENT 37OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 promise. The company’s posture is clear — footprint without dilution. BEYOND THE BROCHURE AMWAJ treats the buyer journey as part of the product. From transparent payment plans to proactive communication at every stage, operational rigour becomes customer care. “Our buyers and investors are gravitating toward projects that off er meticulous attention to detail and high- quality fi nishes,” Saleh notes. The fi rm frames handover as the beginning of the journey, not the end of a transaction. Community programming, responsive facilities management and long-term maintenance are all part of the delivery promise. This human-centred commitment is refl ected in AMWAJ’s engagement with purchasers: listening to feedback, adjusting amenity programming and ensuring the community that is sold on paper becomes the community that is lived in reality. The result is a product experienced as coherent rather than fragmented. THE DETAILS MATTER Across our lengthy conversation, Saleh repeatedly returned to craft. He described why a particular marble, a specifi c timber fi nish or bespoke joinery mattered, and how small decisions ripple through the life of a neighbourhood. “Small details compound into perceived value,” he said, explaining why AMWAJ insists on supplier partnerships that prioritise craft over cost-cutting. Senior managers conduct regular site Left: Murad Saleh, Co-founder and CEO of AMWAJ Development Right: Rooftop infi nity pool with panoramic views at Gate Eleven CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3707/10/2025 20:31COVER STORY 38OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 visits and remain involved through snagging and handover—a hands-on discipline that underpins quality. COMMUNITY AT THE CORE Community clubhouses, curated events, and amenity-led workshops form what the company calls “neighbourhood engineering”, initiatives designed to seed neighbourliness and social capital. From children’s art classes to wellness sessions by the pool, programming activates spaces and turns facilities into meeting points, ensuring the community remains vibrant long after launch. ON CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP For Saleh, leadership is practical and present. “We insist on hands- on leadership,” he said, noting that senior managers are expected to be on site and solve problems directly. That culture, he believes, is essential to maintain the precise blend of design quality, timely delivery and genuine customer care that defi nes the brand. LEGACY, SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL PURPOSE For AMWAJ, legacy is measured in human terms. “We want AMWAJ Development to be remembered as the developer that reintroduced purpose-driven community living to Dubai,” Saleh says. That vision informs procurement, amenity choices and the company’s broader approach to sustainability and social impact. Conscious buyers and investors increasingly favour developments that demonstrate social intent and responsible planning; AMWAJ sees this as both an ethical duty and a mechanism for long-term value preservation. By placing people and community at the heart, AMWAJ aims to set a new benchmark for meaningful living. FACING THE MARKET WITH PRAGMATISM Saleh is candid about the challenges ahead: Dubai’s market is cyclical, costs fl uctuate, and buyer sentiment can be mercurial. The company’s response is pragmatic: maintain cash discipline, prioritise quality and execute handovers without compromise. “Every market experiences cycles, and while Dubai’s market is highly resilient, it is subject to global headwinds such as interest rate fl uctuations and rising construction costs,” he acknowledges. AMWAJ’s recipe for resilience is conservative fi nancing, careful site selection, and a relentless focus on delivery. If AMWAJ continues this We want AMWAJ Development to be remembered as the developer that reintroduced purpose-driven community living to Dubai” CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3807/10/2025 20:31PARTNER CONTENT 39OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2025 discipline—meticulous procurement, rigorous delivery and community programming—its reputation will translate into asset appreciation and long-term resident trust. A QUIET CHALLENGE TO THE SKYLINE There is a subtle, contrarian argument at the heart of AMWAJ’s approach: scale is not the only path to value. In a city where headline-grabbing towers often defi ne success, AMWAJ advances an alternative, specialising in human-scaled, experience-led communities that prioritise long-term value over short- term headlines. The company’s early results suggest a disciplined model— surgical land acquisition, meticulous build quality, and clear lifestyle programming can be commercially viable and culturally resonant. For Saleh, the proof of AMWAJ’s thesis will be lived, not marketed. “We want communities where families build memories, investors see long- term value, and residents feel a true sense of belonging,” he says. That human metric, children playing in courtyards, neighbours who know one another and residents confi dent in their developer’s word, is the company’s true benchmark. If Starlight Park, The Cube and Gate Eleven become those places, AMWAJ’s success will be measured in continuity and trust rather than transient launch-week fanfare. IN CONCLUSION AMWAJ’s ambition is modest but signifi cant in consequence, a bet that neighbourhoods built for people, not the press, will outlast cycles and fashions. In a city that reinvents itself every few years, that may be precisely the kind of reinvention Dubai needs. Left: Clean lines and modern design defi ne the exterior of Starlight Park Right: Murad Saleh, the embodiment of style, character, and eff ortless comfort CWPME_Oct2025_32-39_CoverStory_13713528.indd 3907/10/2025 20:31Next >