As of 16 September 2026, Dubai has totalled AED 523.44 billion in real estate transactions over the year's first eight months — roughly 57% of the value recorded across all of 2025.
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On 16 September 2026, a review of the year's first eight months confirms the strength of Dubai's property market. Between January and August 2026, the emirate recorded AED 523.44 billion in real estate transactions across 148,564 deals. That figure already represents roughly 56.96% of the total value recorded across the whole of 2025, which stood at AED 919 billion. The momentum rests on an off-plan market that remains largely dominant by volume, alongside a solid resale segment.
The essentials
- Over January–August 2026, Dubai recorded AED 523.44 billion in real estate transactions across 148,564 deals.
- That total represents around 56.96% of the value recorded across the whole of 2025, which stood at AED 919 billion.
- Sales proper account for AED 349.83 billion across 112,020 transactions during the first eight months of 2026.
- Off-plan makes up AED 169.77 billion of those sales, confirming its dominance by volume in Dubai's market.
- At the pace of the first eight months, 2026 is on track to rival the record set in 2025.
A pace that puts 2026 in the wake of 2025's record
With AED 523.44 billion over eight months, Dubai sits at roughly 57% of the 2025 annual performance with a third of the year still to run. Extrapolated, that pace points to a 2026 capable of rivalling the record of AED 919 billion reached in 2025. The volume of activity, 148,564 deals in eight months, reflects a deep, liquid market rather than a spike concentrated on a handful of exceptional transactions.
For an investor, that depth matters as much as the headline value: it makes both entry and exit easier and supports price formation. We track these indicators closely on our Investing in Dubai page, because an active, transparent market is the first condition for a sound allocation.
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Off-plan remains the engine of volume
Within the AED 349.83 billion of sales recorded over eight months, off-plan accounts for AED 169.77 billion. New-build off-plan thus remains a central component of activity, driven by launches from the major developers and by staged payment terms that lower the barrier to entry. This structural weight of off-plan is one of the features that sets Dubai apart from markets where existing stock dominates.
Understanding how this segment works is decisive before committing funds. We walk through every stage in our guide Buying off-plan in Dubai, and how the payment schedules work in Payment plans in Dubai.
What it changes for the investor
This eight-month review reinforces a reading we share with our clients: Dubai offers a market that is both vast and liquid, where off-plan and ready-to-live property serve distinct objectives. The weight of off-plan by volume, AED 169.77 billion of sales, is explained by often accessible entry tickets and payments spread over time; conversely, completed stock generates immediate rental income and allows a resale without waiting for handover.
In Dubai, let's remember, individuals pay no tax on rental income or on property capital gains, and freehold ownership is open to foreign investors in designated zones. This framework underpins the appeal these figures reflect. We promise no future return: a dynamic market never removes the need for rigorous selection of the property, the district and the developer.
The choice between off-plan and completed property depends above all on your horizon and your cash-flow needs. We help every investor calibrate that split in our guide Off-plan or ready-to-live in Dubai, then through tailored support, from strategy to handover.
Source: edwardsandtowers.com — 2026-09-16
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Dubai Property Investment Guide for Foreign Buyers
About the author
Belen ALBA
Real Estate Consultant
With experience in Dubai's real estate market and an international background between Brussels and Dubai, Belen brings a 360° vision of the sector. After working for more than a year within a well-known developer, she supported both investor clients and partner agents, giving her a unique inside view of the sales process and off-plan projects. Multilingual (French, Spanish, Portuguese and English), Belen knows how to naturally connect with clients from all over the world. Her approach: direct, transparent and results-oriented — with a genuine passion for helping each client make the right investment at the right time.
