The good news from Dubai's property market, each item dated and linked to its source. Updated October 2026.
Dubai reached 4,807,185 residents in late September 2026, adding 226,885 people since January. More residents means more tenants and more buyers.
Source: Gulf News, citing the Dubai Data and Statistics EstablishmentDubai Land Department recorded AED 252 billion of real estate transactions in Q1 2026, up 31% on Q1 2025, including 29,312 new investors (up 14%).
Source: Dubai Land DepartmentIn H1 2026, 104 projects worth over AED 111 billion were completed, adding more than 24,500 new homes, up 36% year on year. Delivery is what off-plan buyers care about most.
Source: ARN News, citing Dubai Land Department figuresA six-phase expansion of the Dubai International Financial Centre, planned for a workforce of more than 125,000 and opening to the public from 2030. Jobs drive housing demand.
Source: Dubai Media OfficeSome developers now cover the 4% Dubai Land Department fee on selected launches. After a sellers' market in 2025, buyers have more room to negotiate.
Source: Luxora Real Estate, Q3 2026 market reviewAverage gross yield on Dubai apartments in Q1 2026, according to Cavendish Maxwell. That is well above most Western cities. Net returns are lower after service charges and fees.
Source: Cavendish Maxwell, via Luxora Real EstateS&P Global Ratings expects “a gradual price correction rather than a rapid price decline”, and Cavendish Maxwell says the fundamentals driving demand remain.
Source: The NationalNot every number is up. Cavendish Maxwell reports Q3 2026 home sales down 38% year on year, and analysts estimate prices are 5% to 15% below their end-2025 level after the regional conflict that began in February 2026.
For buyers that has an upside: more choice, developer incentives and better negotiating power, in a city whose population, jobs and infrastructure keep growing. We give you both sides before you commit.
General information, not financial advice. Figures are from the sources linked and can change. Property prices and rents can go down as well as up.
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