Abu Dhabi apartment prices fell as much as 15% since May, according to a report from Landmark Advisory.

But the completion of the first properties available to expatriate buyers could help to stabilise the market and may even lead to a rise in selling prices.

'It is still a completely off-plan market,' said Jesse Downs, the director of research and advisory services at Landmark Advisory, a unit of Landmark Property in Dubai.

'Once product is actually delivered, sale prices for those projects will stabilise and may even improve. During the next year, Abu Dhabi will witness the handover of its first freehold units. This will effectively mark the first time expatriates can purchase completed residential units in the capital.'

The National