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Home›The Journal›Dubai Property Market and Abu Dhabi: Gulf Luxury Real Estate in Numbers

The Journal · Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Dubai Property Market and Abu Dhabi: Gulf Luxury Real Estate in Numbers

New figures show the Dubai property market recording AED 92.9 billion in third-quarter sales, led by developers, while Abu Dhabi passed last year's entire transaction total in just eight months, with buyers arriving from more countries than ever.

At a glance

Dubai Property Market and Abu Dhabi: Gulf Luxury Real Estate in Numbers at a glance

Dubai, Q3 2026
37,429 sales worth AED 92.9 billion (about $25.3 billion)
Dubai rentals
298,984 freehold contracts in nine months, up 6.8%
Abu Dhabi, Jan–Aug 2026
AED 155 billion (about $42.2 billion), above 2025's AED 142 billion
Abu Dhabi buyers
116 nationalities in H1 2026, up from 82
Conversion
AED 3.67 to US$1

Dubai property market

The Dubai property market in the third quarter

The latest figures on the Dubai property market, drawn from fäm Properties' analysis of DXBinteract data and published on October 6, describe a city that kept its pace through the summer. Between July and September, Dubai registered 37,429 sales worth AED 92.9 billion, about $25.3 billion. Two emirates, two very different rhythms, and one shared story of steady demand: this is the quarter in numbers for anyone weighing Dubai Luxury Real Estate investment or a home in the capital.

Developers remained the driving force. Primary sales, which in Dubai largely means off-plan homes bought directly from the builder, accounted for 25,441 transactions worth AED 52.6 billion (about $14.3 billion). Resales added 11,988 transactions worth AED 40.3 billion (about $11 billion), and just over 67 percent of those resale purchases were made in cash. Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties, described a market that stays active, with its different segments moving at different speeds.

Beach grasses on the dunes above the white sands of Saadiyat Beach, Abu Dhabi, in soft evening light.
Photo: Adman Payne · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Villas, landmark sales

Villas, landmark sales and Dubai off-plan property

September alone saw 1,428 villa sales worth AED 8.6 billion, about $2.3 billion. The month's most expensive villa changed hands for AED 260 million, and the top apartment sale, AED 71 million, was at Como Residences on Palm Jumeirah. Dubai South led Dubai off-plan property sales by volume for a seventh consecutive month, with 737 transactions.

For buyers drawn to the city's prime addresses, such as Palm Jumeirah, Downtown and Dubai Hills Estate, our guide to Dubai Luxury Real Estate explains freehold areas, fees and indicative prices, and our page on branded residences covers homes run to luxury hotel standards.

Rentals on course

Rentals on course for a new record

Dubai's rental market is moving just as steadily. In the first nine months of 2026, 298,984 rental contracts were registered in the city's freehold areas, 6.8 percent more than a year earlier, which puts the year on track to pass 2025's record of 377,926. September was especially busy, with 48,639 contracts, and one-bedroom homes made up 42 percent of tenancies so far this year.

Strong tenant demand is what underpins rental yield in Dubai. Our Dubai guide sets out indicative gross yields by neighborhood, and the figures are worth reading alongside service charges and holiday-home rules before choosing a unit.

Steady climb

Abu Dhabi Luxury Real Estate investment: a steady climb

In the capital, the story is one of consistency. According to figures discussed by betterhomes Abu Dhabi and reported on October 8, property transactions reached AED 155 billion, about $42.2 billion, between January and August 2026, already above the AED 142 billion recorded for the whole of 2025. The first quarter was the busiest, at about AED 66 billion, and monthly activity has held at a healthy level since.

The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre recorded AED 70.4 billion in residential unit sales in the first half of the year. Foreign buyers accounted for 70 percent of that value, and investors came from 116 nationalities, up from 82 a year earlier. Nada Osman, Director of betterhomes Abu Dhabi, noted that the even monthly pattern lets buyers decide without feeling rushed. Our Abu Dhabi Luxury Real Estate guide covers Saadiyat, Yas and the other freehold zones.

What it means

What it means for international buyers

For anyone considering Middle East property investment, the two cities offer complementary choices: Dubai's depth, liquidity and new launches, and Abu Dhabi's measured growth and cultural momentum. Both sit among the leading markets for Luxury Real Estate in the Middle East, both price in a dirham pegged to the dollar, and in both a qualifying purchase of AED 2 million or more can open the door to the UAE's 10-year golden visa. For the rules on foreign ownership across the region, see Invest in the Middle East.

These figures are reported market data, not investment advice. Speak to a licensed adviser before you buy.

Questions readers ask

How much property was sold in Dubai in the third quarter of 2026?

According to fäm Properties and DXBinteract, 37,429 sales worth AED 92.9 billion, about $25.3 billion, were registered between July and September.

Can Americans buy property in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?

Yes. Foreign nationals can buy freehold in designated areas of both cities, including Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island.

Has Abu Dhabi already passed its 2025 total?

Yes. Transactions reached AED 155 billion between January and August 2026, compared with AED 142 billion for all of 2025.

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Sources

Checked on 10/17/2026. Prices and dates are approximate and can change. See our standard.

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