Oman

Official price momentum strengthened in 2025: NCSI's Real Estate Price Index rose 10.8% YoY in Q2 2025 (residential +11.8% YoY; villas +17.6% YoY; apartments +9.7% YoY). However, supply growth remains a counterweight: residential inventory is estimated at ~1.1m units in 2024 (+3.6% YoY; +38,400 units) with further near-term deliveries (~5,500 by end2025), which typically widens dispersion (prime/ITC holds firmer while older secondary stock faces pressure). In Muscat rentals, Savills data shows a clear flight-to-quality: premium communities (e.g., Al Mouj) remain elevated while some mid-market apartment areas adjusted downward QoQ; office rents were stable in CBD and Qurum with premium strength in Shatti Al Qurum.

Proptech/AI adoption is emerging but uneven. The most visible 'AI-like' value today is in (1) automated valuation and pricing guidance, (2) ranking/personalisation in search, and (3) conversational lead capture (chat/WhatsApp routing). A notable pattern is valuation-led apps positioning around mortgage/bank workflows and faster price discovery rather than end-to-end digital closings. Expect 2025 product roadmaps to focus on listing enrichment (auto-descriptions, image enhancement, floorplan extraction), fraud flags, and 'verified' inventory layers, as new compliance obligations rise and users demand higher trust.

Two integrity forces are rising: regulation and consumer enforcement. Royal Decree 79/2025 consolidates real estate governance and, per legal analysis, strengthens MHUP oversight, broker/developer licensing, escrow discipline, and penalties-raising the bar for compliant marketing and off-plan practices (effective 10 March 2026, so 2025 is a transition year for implementation planning). Separately, Oman's Consumer Protection Authority provides formal complaint channels that can be used against misleading advertising and unfair practices-supporting stronger consumer recourse expectations for digital listings and brokerage conduct. Privacy compliance is also a growing integrity factor under the Personal Data Protection Law (Royal Decree 6/2022), impacting portals' lead handling, consent, and data retention.

No major, Oman-specific portal M&A was prominently visible in public reporting reviewed; the more material 'deal' signal is foreign developer entry and project-scale capital commitments. A standout example is the May 2025 ~OMR 1.5bn agreement with an estimated ~13,000 residential/hotel units west of Muscat-this type of pipeline often drives partnership demand across portals, CRM/lead platforms, valuation tools, and digital marketing agencies. Macro credibility also improved with Moody's investment-grade upgrade in July 2025, which can lower perceived risk premiums and support institutional engagement over time.

2025-26 is a 'rules-reset' period. The Real Estate Regulation Law (Royal Decree 79/2025) consolidates frameworks for registration, development, brokerage and ownership; legal commentary indicates increased ministry supervision, licensing requirements and escrow-linked project controls, with the law taking effect on 10 March 2026 (driving 2025 compliance preparation). Separately, Oman issued Royal Decree 56/2025 introducing a 5% personal income tax on individuals earning above OMR 42,000, effective 1 January 2028-near-term behavioural impact is likely limited to a narrow high-earner slice, but it matters for long-horizon expat/wealth planning. A parallel opportunity signal is long-term residency pathways: Oman's 10-year Golden Residency has been positioned around sizable investment thresholds, including real-estate-linked routes, potentially widening the foreign buyer funnel for compliant product.