If you have been wondering whether Dubai property still offers compelling opportunities, the latest market data provides a more nuanced picture. Transaction activity remains substantial, while new regulations, borrowing costs, upcoming housing supply, and differences between ready and off-plan properties are becoming increasingly important. Together, these developments show a market that remains active but requires buyers to be more selective.
DUBAI RECORDED AED 523.44 BILLION IN REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS THROUGH AUGUST
From January through the end of August 2026, Dubai recorded AED 523.44 billion across 148,564 real estate transactions, according to figures reported from Dubai Land Department records.
in Dubai real estate transactions across 148,564 transactions from January through August 2026.
This represented approximately 57% of the more than AED 917 billion recorded during the whole of 2025. However, the figures should not be interpreted as Dubai completing a full year’s activity in eight months. If the average monthly pace recorded through August continued unchanged, the full-year total would reach approximately AED 785 billion.
The AED 523.44 billion total also includes more than property sales. Sales accounted for AED 349.83 billion across 112,020 transactions, while mortgage activity contributed AED 134.34 billion across 30,645 transactions. The remaining value included gift transactions.
Within the sales category, ready properties generated AED 180.05 billion, while off-plan sales reached AED 169.77 billion.
Earlier in the year, Dubai recorded AED 252 billion in total real estate transactions during Q1 2026, representing a 31% increase in value and a 6% increase in transaction volume year on year, according to Dubai Land Department.
WHAT THE READY-VERSUS-OFF-PLAN SPLIT ACTUALLY TELLS US
Ready and off-plan properties were relatively close in total sales value, at AED 180.05 billion and AED 169.77 billion respectively. However, their transaction counts tell a different story.
Around 76,650 off-plan sales were recorded, compared with approximately 35,370 ready-property sales.
Ready properties accounted for approximately 35,370 sales, while off-plan properties recorded around 76,650 sales. Therefore, the figures do not show that more buyers are moving towards ready properties. Instead, they indicate that ready-property transactions carried a significantly higher average value, while off-plan continued to dominate by number of sales.
For investors, the comparison should extend beyond the total sales figures. A ready property may offer immediate rental income, physical inspection and greater certainty, while an off-plan property may provide a lower initial payment and a longer payment plan but also carries construction, handover and future-supply risks.
THE UAE BASE RATE REMAINS AT 3.65%
The Central Bank of the UAE’s latest rate decision was announced on July 29, 2026, when it maintained the Base Rate for the Overnight Deposit Facility at 3.65%, following the US Federal Reserve’s decision to keep its Interest Rate on Reserve Balances unchanged.
The CBUAE maintained the Base Rate at 3.65% on July 29, 2026.
There was no new Federal Reserve or CBUAE rate decision on September 3. The Federal Reserve’s next scheduled meeting is due to take place on September 15–16, 2026.
For mortgage buyers, an unchanged base rate provides some short-term stability, but it does not guarantee that every mortgage offer will remain identical. Final borrowing costs also depend on EIBOR, the lender’s margin, the fixed or variable period, the loan-to-value ratio and the applicant’s financial profile.
Buyers should therefore compare current mortgage offers and request a complete repayment illustration rather than relying only on the headline base rate.
DUBAI LAND DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED A NEW PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPERS
On September 3, 2026, Dubai Land Department launched its Initial Registration platform, integrating project registration, real estate transaction registration and escrow-account management into one connected digital workflow for developers.
The platform uses artificial intelligence to read documents, extract information and automate eligible standard transactions. It also includes Project 360, which provides a consolidated view of project records, unit status, escrow accounts and financial information.
The platform is expected to improve coordination between developers, DLD and banks managing escrow accounts. However, it should not be interpreted as creating a new public verification service for buyers.
Before purchasing an off-plan property, buyers should continue verifying the project’s registration, escrow-account information and construction status through official DLD channels and should request the relevant documentation from the developer or broker.
IPS 2026 OPENED IN DUBAI THIS WEEK
The 22nd edition of the International Property Show opened on September 7 and runs until September 9, 2026, at Dubai World Trade Centre, in strategic partnership with Dubai Land Department.
The exhibition space increased by 38% compared with the previous edition, and organisers expected more than 30,000 participants. Reported exhibitors include Azizi Properties, Binghatti, Danube, Fakhruddin Properties, SanZen and Union Properties.
increase in exhibition space compared with the previous edition, with more than 30,000 participants expected.
The expanded exhibition demonstrates strong industry participation and marketing activity. However, exhibition size should not be treated as direct evidence of future buyer demand, sales performance or price growth. It is more useful as an indication of how actively developers and other industry participants are competing for investor attention.
THE SUPPLY QUESTION: HOW MUCH NEW STOCK IS COMING?
Current estimates indicate that approximately 96,585 homes are scheduled for completion in Dubai during 2026. This includes around 91,209 apartments and 5,376 villas.
scheduled for completion in Dubai during 2026; approximately 82.9% were reportedly already sold by August.
Of these scheduled homes, approximately 82.9% had reportedly already been sold by August 2026. Villa absorption was particularly strong, with approximately 95% of the villas scheduled for completion already sold.
Dubai Land Department data also showed that 24,537 new units were completed during the first half of 2026, an increase of more than 36% compared with the same period in 2025.
Scheduled completion figures should not be treated as guaranteed handovers, as construction delays and changes in project timelines can shift units into later periods. Buyers should examine actual and upcoming supply within the specific community and property segment they are considering rather than relying only on a citywide forecast.
Because most scheduled supply consists of apartments, apartment-heavy communities with several comparable projects approaching completion could experience greater competition between landlords and sellers. Villas and properties in land-constrained locations may face different supply conditions, but their performance will still depend on price, demand and location.
BUY NOW OR WAIT?
Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman of Danube Group, has publicly expressed the view that Dubai property prices could rise after September. This should be presented as the opinion of a developer with a commercial interest in the market, rather than as an independent market forecast.
Other organisations have published more cautious outlooks. Fitch Ratings previously forecast that Dubai residential prices could experience a correction of up to 15% during the second half of 2025 and 2026 as new supply enters the market.
These forecasts were produced at different times and using different methodologies, so they should not be combined into a single prediction range.
There is no universal answer for every buyer. A ready property in an established, supply-constrained community presents a different risk profile from an off-plan apartment in an area with thousands of similar units approaching completion. Buyers should assess recent transaction prices, competing supply, expected rental income, service charges, developer performance and their planned holding period before making a decision.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does the AED 523.44 billion figure mean 2026 is on track to beat 2025?
Not at the pace recorded through August. The first eight months averaged approximately AED 65.43 billion per month, which would produce a full-year total of around AED 785 billion if maintained. To exceed the more than AED 917 billion recorded in 2025, the market would need to generate approximately AED 393.56 billion during the final four months, or around AED 98.39 billion per month.
Are ready-property sales now overtaking off-plan sales?
It depends on the measurement. Ready properties led slightly by sales value, at AED 180.05 billion compared with AED 169.77 billion for off-plan. However, off-plan recorded approximately 76,650 transactions, more than twice the approximately 35,370 ready-property sales. Off-plan therefore remained dominant by transaction count.
What does the Initial Registration platform change for off-plan buyers?
The platform primarily improves project registration, transaction registration and escrow management for developers, DLD and participating banks. It may strengthen oversight and data accuracy, but buyers should continue verifying project and escrow details through official DLD channels. The announcement does not state that the platform provides buyers with a new direct verification function.
Will the UAE Central Bank change interest rates in September?
As of September 7, 2026, no September rate decision had been announced. The latest CBUAE decision was made on July 29, when the Base Rate remained at 3.65%. The next scheduled Federal Reserve meeting is September 15–16, and any subsequent CBUAE decision is likely to reflect changes in US monetary policy.
Does the larger IPS exhibition indicate that Dubai is facing oversupply?
Not directly. Exhibition size measures industry participation and marketing activity, not the number of completed homes or the market’s capacity to absorb them. Supply risk should be assessed using scheduled and completed units within each community and property segment.
Sources
CBUAE maintains Base Rate at 3.65% (Sharjah 24)
Dubai Property Supply Is Rising: Should Buyers Be Worried About Oversupply? (The Foundry Realty)
Official 2025 transaction total — Dubai Government
