Analysis of Apartment, Villa and Office Transactions

Report period: August 2026

Month-on-month comparison: July 2026

Year-on-year comparison: August 2025

Author: Hamed Ghelichkhani, Founder and CEO of Homeland Realty

Prepared and published by: Homeland Realty

About This Report

Dubai's real estate market recorded lower activity in August 2026 than under both comparison periods, but price behaviour andperformance across market segments were not uniform. To distinguish these differences, this report examines apartment, villa andoffice transactions through transaction count and value, price levels, the Primary and Secondary Markets, the most active areasand projects, and a set of decision-context indicators.

When reading monthly statistics, it is important to distinguish between the time a client actually makes a decision and the date onwhich the transaction is finally registered with the Dubai Land Department. This lag can be significant, particularly in the PrimaryMarket; a transaction registered in a given month therefore does not necessarily reflect a decision made in that same month. Thislimitation matters when interpreting short-term market behaviour.

Five Key Takeaways

1. In August 2026, the number of qualifying transactions reached 11,688, around 14% below July and around 36% below Augustlast year.

2. Transaction value was AED 25.8 billion, around 9% below the previous month and around 40% below the previous year.

3. Price behaviour differed by asset type: the median apartment price per square foot was around 4% lower year on year, the villamedian around 4% higher, and the office median around 24% higher.

4. Monthly analysis, particularly in the Primary Market, must account for the lag between the purchase decision and finaltransaction registration. A change in transactions registered in a month therefore does not necessarily equal a change in decisionsmade during that month.

5. Area and project rankings, together with indicators such as occupancy, financing and supply, help provide decision context.They are not standalone measures of quality, buy or sell recommendations, or definitive forecasts of future performance.

What This Report Says — and What It Does Not

This report shows the level of registered activity, central price levels, transaction concentration and selected contextual indicatorsrelevant to property decisions, allowing structured comparisons across periods and market segments.

It does not provide a professional valuation for a specific property, a guaranteed return, a universally best area or project, or ageneral answer to whether one should "buy, sell or wait". Land and plots, whole buildings, commercial units, showrooms,industrial properties, warehouses and all other asset types outside apartments, villas and offices are also excluded from thetransaction calculations in this report.

Important Note

This report is prepared for general market analysis and is not personalised advice to buy, sell or invest. Any decision about aspecific asset should be supplemented by an assessment of the individual's circumstances, comparable transactions, the contract,costs, financing, the asset's condition and other factors relevant to that decision.

Key Terms

Primary Market: the first purchase of a property directly from the developer. This often relates to off-plan or under-constructionproperties, but may also include the first sale of a ready property by the developer.

Secondary Market: the resale of a property, or of contractual rights relating to it, after the initial purchase. The property may beready or still under construction.

Dubai Land Department (DLD): the official authority responsible for property registration and regulation in Dubai.

Median: the middle value after observations are ordered, with half of the observations above it and half below it.

Recorded Financing Amount (Finance Value): the financing or loan amount recorded in the transaction data.

Occupancy Rate: the number of occupied units in an area as a share of the total number of units in that area.

Contents

• Chapter 0 — Scope, Methodology and Limitations

• Chapter 1 — Author's Note

• Chapter 2 — Executive Summary

• Chapter 3 — Overall Transaction Market Performance

• Chapter 4 — Median Price per Square Foot and Median Transaction Value

• Chapter 5 — Primary Market

• Chapter 6 — Secondary Market: Transaction Activity and Reference Price Levels

• Chapter 7 — Year-on-Year Change in Median Prices Across Secondary Market Areas

• Decision-Context Indicators

• Chapter 8 — Occupancy Rate

• Chapter 9 — Mortgage Rates and Financing Share

• Chapter 10 — Residential Supply

• Chapter 11 — News and Market Context

• Chapter 12 — Final Interpretation and Decision Guide

• The Homeland Realty Approach

• Discussing a Real Property Decision

• Frequently Asked Questions

• References

Chapter 0 — Scope, Methodology and Limitations

Reporting Period and Comparison Basis

This report reviews registered Dubai real estate market transactions in August 2026. July 2026 is used as the directly comparableprevious period for the month-on-month comparison, while August 2025 is used as the corresponding period a year earlier for theyear-on-year comparison. All three periods cover a full month and do not overlap. Month-on-month change is therefore calculatedonly by comparing August 2026 with July 2026, and year-on-year change only by comparing August 2026 with August 2025.These two comparison bases should be read separately, as short-term direction may differ from the annual trend.

Report Scope and Transaction Filters

The scope of this report is limited to apartment, villa and office transactions. Land and plots, whole buildings, commercial units,showrooms, industrial properties, warehouses and, more generally, any asset type outside apartments, villas and offices areexcluded.

Within the three covered categories, transactions with a recorded value below AED 200,000 or a recorded price below AED 200per square foot are also excluded from the calculations. The same filter is applied consistently across all three periods. Everytransaction figure, percentage, calculation and table in this report is based on this scope and these filtering rules.

Primary and Secondary Markets

The Primary Market refers to the first purchase of a property directly from the developer. These transactions often involve off-planor under-construction properties, but may also include a ready property being purchased directly from the developer for the firsttime.

The Secondary Market refers to a second-hand transaction or resale, meaning the property or the contractual rights relating to ithave already been purchased and are now being traded again. A Secondary Market property may therefore be ready or still underconstruction.

Transaction Registration Date and the Timing of Demand Formation

When interpreting monthly statistics, the actual timing of the purchase decision should be distinguished from the date on whichthe transaction is finally registered in the Dubai Land Department system.

In the Primary Market, there may be a gap of around two months or even longer between the buyer deciding to purchase andreserving a unit, and completion of the down payment, signature of the sale and purchase agreement by the buyer and developer,completion of the documentation, submission of documents to the Dubai Land Department and final registration of thetransaction. Primary Market transactions registered in a given month therefore do not necessarily reflect purchase decisions madeduring that month; some may relate to decisions formed in earlier months.

In the Secondary Market, this time lag is usually shorter. From agreement between buyer and seller and signature of the sale andpurchase agreement to transfer of title, the process typically takes from a few days to a few weeks. From the standpoint of howclosely registered data aligns in time with the client's actual decision, Secondary Market statistics therefore tend to provide acloser short-term picture than Primary Market data. This does not mean one dataset is generally superior to the other; it is a timinglimitation that matters when interpreting monthly market behaviour.

Important: an increase or decrease in Primary Market transactions registered in a month should not, without accounting for thislag, be interpreted directly as an increase or decrease in purchase decisions made by clients in that same month.

Why This Report Uses the Median

This report uses the median rather than the average to assess price levels. Dubai's real estate market is highly diverse in location,project type, building quality, unit size and price point. A small number of exceptionally large, small, luxury or otherwise unusualtransactions can materially shift an average and create a misleading impression of the typical price level.

The median is the middle transaction after the data are ordered: half of the transactions are above it and half below it. It istherefore more resistant to exceptional transactions and generally provides a more stable and reliable measure for establishing areference price level, observing broad market direction and comparing different periods.

The median should nevertheless not be treated as the definitive price or professional valuation of a property. Changes intransaction mix, active areas, project types, and the size and quality of transacted units can move the median. Decisions about aspecific property still require examination of genuinely similar and comparable transactions.

Price per square foot is calculated by dividing the transaction value by the property's registered built-up area in square feet.Rankings are based on exact figures; rounding is used only for the public presentation of numbers.

Classification and Ranking Rules

For the classifications used in this report, Apartments and Serviced/Hotel Apartments are included in the apartment category. Thevilla category includes Villas and Townhouses, both of which are presented as villas throughout the report's analysis and tables.Villa Plots are excluded from the villa calculations. Offices are calculated only where the property is labelled Office.

Project names are grouped only where multiple numbered versions exist in exactly the same area and the only difference in thename is a standalone number at the end of the project title. This grouping does not change the number of transactions.

In the transaction rankings in this edition, rows based on fewer than three transactions are not shown. Rankings indicate whereregistered activity or recorded price levels are concentrated and should not, on their own, be interpreted as measures of quality,suitability of an asset or future performance.

Contextual Indicators and Interpretation Limits

Occupancy rates, mortgage rates, recorded financing amounts, supply and news serve as decision-context indicators in this reportand do not replace transaction data. Occupancy is based on the latest common defensible period, the first half of 2026, andtherefore does not align exactly with August. Financing indicators cover the past year of ready-property Secondary Markettransactions. Supply data provide a view of existing and under-construction units, but without delivery timing, location, producttype and the extent of demand absorption, they are not sufficient on their own to establish whether supply is excessive orinsufficient.

In general, transaction count and value indicate the level of registered activity; medians describe the central level of transactions;and rankings identify where activity or recorded price levels are concentrated. None of these indicators on its own determinesquality, suitability for a buyer or investor, professional value, or an asset's future performance. Professional interpretation shouldbegin with what the data actually measure and then account for transaction mix, the relevant period and the decision-maker'sobjective.

Chapter 1 — Author's Note

In my experience, one of the most important mistakes in property decisions is to equate successful execution of a transaction withthe quality of the decision itself. A purchase, sale or investment may be executed smoothly, but if it does not fit the individual'sobjective, time horizon, financial capacity, liquidity needs or actual circumstances, successful execution cannot compensate for aweak initial decision.

For that reason, market analysis should begin before property selection with a simpler question: what problem is this decisionintended to solve? Residence, capital preservation, income generation, a change in asset allocation, a sale, or a review of anexisting asset each calls for different criteria. Once the objective is clear, the budget, time horizon, ability to use financing, needfor flexibility and the decision-maker's constraints should be established. Only then can unsuitable options be removed and thecomparison narrowed to options that are genuinely comparable.

Market data are not the final answer in this process; they are tools for testing and filtering. Transaction count and value indicatethe level of registered activity, medians help establish reference price levels, and concentration of transactions in particular areasor projects can show where market activity is occurring. Indicators such as occupancy, financing and supply add further context.Yet no ranking, historical growth rate or single indicator can, on its own, determine whether an asset is suitable or what its futureoutcome will be.

In my view, analysis improves when the boundary between "data", "interpretation" and the "decision conclusion" remains clear. Ifthe evidence does not support an interpretation, it is better to keep it as a hypothesis. If indicators point in different directions, thatdivergence should be explained rather than compressed into a single simple narrative.

This report follows that approach: first establish what the data actually show, then recognise their limitations, and finally assesseach conclusion against the decision-maker's objective and real circumstances. The aim is not to produce a general verdict that themarket is "good" or "bad". It is to provide a basis for a more precise, better-fitted assessment of each decision, grounded in therelevant circumstances, so that the path towards a more considered, informed and defensible decision becomes clearer.

Chapter 2 — Executive Summary

The overall August 2026 market picture shows weaker registered activity than under both comparison periods. The number ofqualifying transactions fell to 11,688, compared with 13,660 in July and 18,150 in August last year. Transaction count wastherefore around 14% lower month on month and around 36% lower year on year. Transaction value also declined to AED 25.8billion, around 9% below July and around 40% below August 2025. The alignment of lower count and value clearly indicatesreduced registered activity, but does not on its own prove anything about the price of a specific asset.

Price behaviour was not uniform across asset types. Across the overall market, the median apartment price per square foot wasAED 1,704, broadly unchanged from July and around 4% below August last year. The villa median rose to AED 1,428, around5% higher month on month and around 4% higher year on year. Offices recorded a median of AED 2,100 per square foot, around2% lower than the previous month but around 24% higher than a year earlier. No single aggregate indicator can therefore explainthe behaviour of every category.

In the Primary Market, apartments recorded lower transaction count and value than under both comparison periods. By contrast,Primary Market villas increased in both count and value from July, although both remained below last year's levels. These figuresshould be interpreted with the lag between the client's actual decision and final transaction registration in mind: Primary Markettransactions registered in August were not necessarily all the result of purchase decisions made during August itself.

In the Secondary Market, apartment and villa transaction counts were lower than both the previous month and year, while themedian price per square foot for both was higher than a year earlier. This combination shows that "lower activity" does notnecessarily mean "lower prices everywhere", and that changes in transaction mix must be considered.

Geographic concentration is also notable. In Primary Market apartments, Azizi Venice recorded the highest transaction count at1,415, while Sobha Sanctuary led villas with 169 transactions. In the Secondary Market, Jumeirah Village Circle ranked first forapartments with 286 transactions and Damac Lagoons for villas with 100. These rankings show where activity was concentrated,not that one area or project is definitively superior.

Among the contextual indicators, around 44% of qualifying ready-property Secondary Market transactions over the past year hada positive recorded financing amount, and the value of properties in this group represented around 42% of total transaction value.The recorded financing amount itself, however, represented only around 29% of total transaction value. In other words, over thepast year in the ready-property Secondary Market, around 29% of aggregate transaction value was financed through bank loans,while around 71% of transaction value was registered without the use of bank financing. On the supply side, around 56% ofreported units are existing and around 44% are under construction. These indicators add decision context but do not, on their own,establish a definitive conclusion.

Overall, August 2026 cannot be described with a single label. Total activity was lower, but prices and market subgroups moveddifferently. Professional use of this report requires moving from the overall market to the asset type, market type, area, project orbuilding, and ultimately to the specific asset.

Chapter 3 — Overall Transaction Market Performance

This chapter reviews the level of registered market activity across three comparable periods. Transaction count and transactionvalue are shown separately so that a change in the number of transactions is not conflated with a change in transaction value.

Key Transaction Market Indicators

Metric / Category	Aug 2026	Jul 2026	MoM change	Aug 2025	YoY change
Overall Market Transaction Count	11,688	13,660	-14.4%	18,150	-35.6%
Overall Market Transaction Value	AED 25.8bn	AED 28.4bn	-9.2%	AED 43.0bn	-39.9%
Primary Market Transaction Count	8,092	9,467	-14.5%	13,353	-39.4%
Primary Market Transaction Value	AED 15.1bn	AED 16.6bn	-8.9%	AED 29.1bn	-47.9%
Secondary Market Transaction Count	3,596	4,193	-14.2%	4,797	-25.0%
Secondary Market Transaction Value	AED 10.7bn	AED 11.8bn	-9.7%	AED 13.9bn	-23.2%

In August 2026, there were 11,688 qualifying transactions with a combined value of AED 25.8 billion. Transaction count wasaround 14% lower than in July and value around 9% lower. On a year-on-year basis, the declines were around 36% and 40%,respectively. Registered activity was therefore lower, but this result still does not determine the direction of prices for comparableunits.

The Primary Market recorded 8,092 transactions worth AED 15.1 billion in August, while the Secondary Market recorded 3,596transactions worth AED 10.7 billion. The year-on-year decline in Primary Market value was greater than the decline in SecondaryMarket value, showing that the change in activity was not distributed in the same way across the two markets.

The decision implication of this chapter is that any decline should be described by naming the exact indicator. Transaction count,transaction value and price are three different concepts. Price analysis should move to category-level medians and then togenuinely comparable transactions; for liquidity, registered transaction count is only one input.

Chapter 4 — Median Price per Square Foot and Median Transaction Value

This chapter places two different indicators side by side: median price per square foot and median transaction value. The firstshows the recorded price level relative to built-up area; the second better reflects the typical amount of capital involved in atransaction. The two do not necessarily move in the same direction because the mix and size of transacted units can change.

Median Price and Transaction Value

Metric / Category	Aug 2026	Jul 2026	MoM change	Aug 2025	YoY change
Apartment Median AED/sq ft	AED 1,704/sq ft	AED 1,711/sq ft	-0.4%	AED 1,781/sq ft	-4.3%
Apartment Median Transaction Value	AED 1,080,000	AED 1,009,000	7.0%	AED 1,298,533	-16.8%
Villa Median AED/sq ft	AED 1,428/sq ft	AED 1,357/sq ft	5.3%	AED 1,371/sq ft	4.1%
Villa Median Transaction Value	AED 4,100,000	AED 3,518,829	16.5%	AED 3,675,888	11.5%
Office Median AED/sq ft	AED 2,100/sq ft	AED 2,142/sq ft	-2.0%	AED 1,700/sq ft	23.5%
Office Median Transaction Value	AED 1,991,696	AED 2,138,000	-6.8%	AED 1,914,829	4.0%

Across the overall market, apartments recorded a median price per square foot of AED 1,704, broadly unchanged from July andaround 4% below a year earlier. The median transaction value, by contrast, was AED 1,080,000, around 7% higher than theprevious month but around 17% lower year on year. The different direction of these two indicators shows how unit mix and sizecan affect the typical transaction value.

For villas, both indicators were above both comparison periods in August. The median price per square foot was AED 1,428 andthe median transaction value AED 4,100,000. This alignment should not be generalised to all villas in Dubai.

Offices recorded a median price per square foot of AED 2,100 and a median transaction value of AED 1,991,696. Price per squarefoot was lower than the previous month but higher than a year earlier. In this category, building- and unit-level analysis isparticularly important.

Medians are reference tools, not asking prices or valuations. A decision about a unit should be supplemented with genuinelycomparable transactions by area, project or building, size, condition and transaction date.

Chapter 5 — Primary Market

The Primary Market is examined from three angles: performance by asset type, concentration of transactions among developers,and concentration of activity across areas and projects. Rankings show where activity was registered; they do not, on their own,determine the quality or suitability of an asset.

Monthly changes in this chapter should be interpreted with the lag between the actual purchase decision and final registration withthe Dubai Land Department in mind. Primary Market transactions registered in August were therefore not necessarily all the resultof purchase decisions made during August itself.

Primary Market Performance

Metric / Category	Aug 2026	Jul 2026	MoM change	Aug 2025	YoY change
Apartment Transaction Count	7,272	8,737	-16.8%	12,222	-40.5%
Apartment Transaction Value	AED 11.0bn	AED 12.8bn	-14.4%	AED 23.0bn	-52.3%
Apartment Median AED/sq ft	AED 1,720/sq ft	AED 1,724/sq ft	-0.2%	AED 1,864/sq ft	-7.7%
Villa Transaction Count	615	464	32.5%	1,000	-38.5%
Villa Transaction Value	AED 3.3bn	AED 2.8bn	19.1%	AED 5.6bn	-41.4%
Villa Median AED/sq ft	AED 1,386/sq ft	AED 1,300/sq ft	6.6%	AED 1,330/sq ft	4.2%
Office Transaction Count	199	251	-20.7%	113	76.1%
Office Transaction Value	AED 857.0m	AED 942.6m	-9.1%	AED 361.4m	137.1%
Office Median AED/sq ft	AED 2,240/sq ft	AED 2,150/sq ft	4.2%	AED 1,880/sq ft	19.1%

Primary Market apartments recorded lower transaction count and value in August than under both comparison periods. Themedian price per square foot was broadly unchanged from the previous month but around 8% lower than a year earlier.

For villas, the short-term picture was different. Transaction count was around 33% higher than in July, value around 19% higher,and the median price per square foot rose by around 7% month on month. Count and value nevertheless remained below theirlevels a year earlier.

Primary Market offices recorded fewer transactions than in July but more than a year earlier. This behaviour should not becombined with the Secondary Market office segment.

Developers with the Highest Primary Market Transaction Value

Rank	Developer	Transaction Count	Transaction Value	Median Transaction Value	Median AED/sq ft
1	Azizi	2,398	AED 1.9bn	AED 655,000	AED 1,717/sq ft
2	Sobha	337	AED 1.3bn	AED 4,010,419	AED 1,850/sq ft
3	Emaar	447	AED 1.3bn	AED 2,026,888	AED 1,942/sq ft
4	Damac	468	AED 970.8m	AED 1,435,940	AED 1,597/sq ft
5	Binghatti	464	AED 905.2m	AED 1,150,000	AED 1,867/sq ft
6	Imtiaz	554	AED 664.8m	AED 797,891	AED 1,785/sq ft
7	Nakheel	147	AED 637.9m	AED 2,845,000	AED 3,376/sq ft
8	Wasl	150	AED 636.7m	AED 2,158,500	AED 1,719/sq ft
9	Omniyat	30	AED 628.9m	AED 14,396,775	AED 5,978/sq ft
10	Dubai South	93	AED 456.0m	AED 5,050,000	AED 1,282/sq ft

Azizi ranked first by registered transaction value, followed by Sobha and Emaar. A high transaction value or count may reflect thevolume of inventory sold and the product mix; it does not directly establish build quality or future performance.

Primary Market Apartment Areas with the Highest Transaction Count

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Highest-Activity Projects
1	Azizi Venice	1,415	Azizi Venice
2	City of Arabia	794	Azizi Milan, Arancia Yards
3	Jebel Ali Downtown	708	Raw District by Imtiaz, Azizi Abraham, Azizi Wares
4	Jumeirah Village Circle	403	Oxford Cove, Serenz Tower, Stax Tower Luma Park Views, Tresora by Wadan
5	Dubailand Residence Complex	295	IZEL BY ZOYA, Samana Boulevard Heights, Celesto Tower, Nuve by Zoya, Peace Lagoons 2
6	Emaar South	261	Golf Fields, Golf Trails, Golf Vale, Grove Ridge, Golf Hills 2
7	Majan	210	Binghatti Skyflame, Binghatti Titania, Samana Barari Heights, Vincitore Wellness Estate
8	Damac Lagoons	168	Valencia, Lagoon Views
9	Wasl Gate	138	Boulevard Park, Omya Residences
10	Business Park Motor City	136	Binghatti Sky Terraces, Sierra by Iman, Mirdad One, Takaya, Rabdan Building

Primary Market Villa Areas with the Highest Transaction Count

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Highest-Activity Projects
1	Sobha Sanctuary	169	The Greens, The Brooks
2	Damac Island City	146	Antigua, Cuba, Bahamas, Bermuda
3	Dubai Investment Park First	80	Verdana Townhouses
4	Commercial District	76	Hayat Dubai South
5	Dubai Academic & Outsource City	31	Greenz by Danube
6	Jumeirah Golf Estates	21	The Next Chapter (Cedarwood, Ashwood Estates, Pinewood Village)
7	Jebel Ali Village	16	Lunaya by Zaya
8	Dubai Investment Park Second	13	Selvara, Damac Riverside Olive, Grand Polo Club and Resort Chevalia 2
9	The Heights	10	Serro 1, Serro 2, Salva
10	Athlon by Aldar	6	Athlon by Aldar

For Primary Market apartments, Azizi Venice, City of Arabia and Jebel Ali Downtown recorded the highest transaction counts.For villas, Sobha Sanctuary, Damac Island City and Dubai Investment Park First ranked highest. Activity in an area may beconcentrated in only a small number of specific projects.

For a Primary Market buyer, a high ranking should be the starting point for review, not the conclusion. Contract terms, paymentplan, timing, total cost, expected quality and the unit's fit with the decision-maker's objective still need to be assessed separately.

Chapter 6 — Secondary Market: Transaction Activity and Reference Price Levels

The Secondary Market comprises second-hand transactions or resales, and the property being traded may be ready or still underconstruction. This chapter first reviews performance by asset type and the areas with the highest transaction counts, then presentsthe upper and lower ranges of median price per square foot as reference points for comparison.

The gap between buyer-seller agreement and final registration is usually shorter in the Secondary Market than in the PrimaryMarket. Registered Secondary Market data therefore tend to sit closer in time to when the client's decision was made, although theregistration date should still not be treated as identical to the decision date.

Secondary Market Performance

Metric / Category	Aug 2026	Jul 2026	MoM change	Aug 2025	YoY change
Apartment Transaction Count	2,698	3,154	-14.5%	3,530	-23.6%
Apartment Transaction Value	AED 5.1bn	AED 5.9bn	-14.0%	AED 6.8bn	-25.1%
Apartment Median AED/sq ft	AED 1,572/sq ft	AED 1,584/sq ft	-0.7%	AED 1,515/sq ft	3.8%
Villa Transaction Count	773	902	-14.3%	1,039	-25.6%
Villa Transaction Value	AED 5.3bn	AED 5.5bn	-2.8%	AED 6.5bn	-18.7%
Villa Median AED/sq ft	AED 1,449/sq ft	AED 1,395/sq ft	3.9%	AED 1,412/sq ft	2.6%
Office Transaction Count	122	130	-6.2%	213	-42.7%
Office Transaction Value	AED 279.3m	AED 438.6m	-36.3%	AED 544.3m	-48.7%
Office Median AED/sq ft	AED 1,718/sq ft	AED 1,926/sq ft	-10.8%	AED 1,600/sq ft	7.4%

Secondary Market apartments recorded 2,698 transactions worth AED 5.1 billion. Transaction count was lower than both theprevious month and year, while the median price per square foot was broadly in line with the previous month and around 4%higher year on year.

Villas also recorded fewer transactions than under both comparison periods, while the median price per square foot was higherthan under both.

Office activity was weaker: transaction value was lower than both the previous month and year. The median price per square foot,however, remained higher than a year earlier. This divergence reinforces the need for building-level analysis.

Secondary Market Apartment Areas with the Highest Transaction Count

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Highest-Activity Projects
1	Jumeirah Village Circle	286	Binghatti Apex, Dune Residency, Neva Residences, Luma Park Views, Binghatti Phantom
2	Business Bay	244	Peninsula, Regalia Residences, The Edge
3	Downtown Dubai	136	Burj Khalifa, Imperial Avenue, Downtown Views 2, The Address Residences Dubai Opera, Forte Tower
4	Dubai Marina	129	Ciel Vignette Collection, Marina Diamond Tower, Torch Tower, Al Majara Tower, Beauport
5	Dubai Hills Estate	113	Golf Grand, Golf Residences by Fortimo, Lime Gardens, Parkside Views
6	Dubai Creek Harbour	94	Dubai Creek Residences, Creek Rise, Harbour Gate, Creek Waters, Address Harbour Point
7	Arjan	92	Elevate by Prescott, Parkside 48, Torino, Miraclz Tower by Danube
8	International City	92	CBD 15 HDS Sunstar 2, Prime Residency, Rufi Gardens View, Spain Cluster, Morocco Cluster
9	Dubai Sports City	87	The First Collection, Vista by Prestige One, Sportz By Danube, Elite 10 Sports Residence
10	Dubai Production City (IMPZ)	84	Qasr Sabah, Jannat, Binghatti Elite, Lakeside Towers, Centrium Towers

Secondary Market Villa Areas with the Highest Transaction Count

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Highest-Activity Projects
1	Damac Lagoons	100	Costa Brava, Malta, Portofino, Santorini, Nice
2	Damac Hills 2	71	Camelia, Vardon, Akoya Selfie –Hawthorn, Primrose, Violet
3	Mudon	54	Mudon Al Ranim, Arabella, Al Salam, Naseem, Rahat
4	The Valley	47	Elora, Venera, Orania, Lillia, Rivana
5	The Springs	28	The Springs
6	Tilal Al Ghaf	27	Harmony, Elan, Alaya, Elysian Mansions, Amara
7	Villanova	27	La Tilia Phase 2, La Violeta, Amaranta, La Rosa, La Quinta
8	Arabian Ranches Phase 3	24	Raya Townhouses, Bliss Townhouses II, Anya, June 1, Elie Saab
9	District Eleven	22	Elie Saab Vie at the Fields, Opal Gardens, Sobha Reserve, The Fields Villas, The Lakeshore Villas By Ellington
10	Dubai Hills Estate	22	Maple Townhouses, Sidra Villas, Address Hillcrest, Eden Hills, Golf Place

Most Active Secondary Market Office Areas by Transaction Count

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Transaction Value	Median AED/sq ft	Median Transaction Value
1	Business Bay	65	AED 132.1m	AED 1,909/sq ft	AED 1,750,000
2	Jumeirah Lake Towers	34	AED 105.6m	AED 1,560/sq ft	AED 1,775,614
3	Dubai Silicon Oasis	6	AED 12.1m	AED 1,146/sq ft	AED 1,175,000
4	International City	5	AED 4.3m	AED 649/sq ft	AED 824,000

Secondary Market Apartment Projects with the Highest Median Price per Square Foot

Rank	Project	Transaction Count	Median AED/sq ft	Median Transaction Value
1	Ciel Vignette Collection	8	AED 7,199/sq ft	AED 785,650
2	Liv Maritime	7	AED 4,475/sq ft	AED 4,200,000
3	The Residences DIFC Zabeel	46	AED 3,835/sq ft	AED 3,462,500
4	The First Collection Dubai Sports City	8	AED 3,491/sq ft	AED 1,075,000
5	The First Collection Studio City	8	AED 3,327/sq ft	AED 1,051,650
6	The Address Residences Dubai Opera	6	AED 3,144/sq ft	AED 3,800,000
7	Forte Tower	5	AED 2,997/sq ft	AED 4,600,000
8	Burj Khalifa	11	AED 2,883/sq ft	AED 5,350,000
9	Erin	6	AED 2,724/sq ft	AED 2,750,000
10	Downtown Views 2	7	AED 2,723/sq ft	AED 2,600,000

This table specifically includes projects with at least five qualifying transactions. The threshold reduces reliance on a singleobservation, but it does not mean the transacted units are identical.

Secondary Market Apartment Areas with the Highest Median Price per Square Foot

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Median AED/sq ft	Median Transaction Value
1	DIFC 2.0	46	AED 3,835/sq ft	AED 3,462,500
2	Palm Jebel Ali	3	AED 3,814/sq ft	AED 5,651,000
3	Bluewaters Island	7	AED 3,395/sq ft	AED 5,508,000
4	Dubai Harbour	21	AED 3,375/sq ft	AED 4,000,000
5	Al Wasl	10	AED 2,951/sq ft	AED 3,115,000
6	La Mer	3	AED 2,940/sq ft	AED 3,100,000
7	Zaabeel First	5	AED 2,835/sq ft	AED 5,564,684
8	City Walk	14	AED 2,718/sq ft	AED 3,078,000
9	Downtown Dubai	136	AED 2,709/sq ft	AED 3,130,015
10	Umm Suqeim Third	12	AED 2,652/sq ft	AED 2,850,000

Secondary Market Apartment Areas with the Lowest Median Price per Square Foot

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Median AED/sq ft	Median Transaction Value
1	International City	92	AED 659/sq ft	AED 420,000
2	Rigga Al Butten	3	AED 702/sq ft	AED 1,175,000
3	Dubai Investment Park Second	9	AED 776/sq ft	AED 610,000
4	Liwan	18	AED 787/sq ft	AED 622,500
5	Remraam	9	AED 907/sq ft	AED 900,000
6	Rukan	3	AED 937/sq ft	AED 735,000
7	International City Phase 2 & 3	8	AED 946/sq ft	AED 730,000
8	Discovery Gardens	36	AED 961/sq ft	AED 742,500
9	Dubailand Residence Complex	56	AED 965/sq ft	AED 750,000
10	Al Quoz Fourth	6	AED 967/sq ft	AED 900,000

Secondary Market Villa Areas with the Highest Median Price per Square Foot

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Median AED/sq ft	Median Transaction Value
1	Palm Jumeirah	6	AED 13,214/sq ft	AED 92,500,000
2	Emirates Hills	4	AED 3,889/sq ft	AED 75,000,000
3	The Meadows	4	AED 3,631/sq ft	AED 13,875,000
4	Discovery Dunes	3	AED 3,155/sq ft	AED 32,670,162
5	Jumeirah Islands	4	AED 2,780/sq ft	AED 13,000,000
6	Palm Jebel Ali	7	AED 2,633/sq ft	AED 21,601,000
7	The Lakes	6	AED 2,403/sq ft	AED 6,925,000
8	Jumeirah Golf Estates	7	AED 2,372/sq ft	AED 13,680,000
9	Dubai Hills Estate	22	AED 2,318/sq ft	AED 5,750,000
10	Jumeirah Village Triangle	5	AED 2,193/sq ft	AED 5,900,000

Secondary Market Villa Areas with the Lowest Median Price per Square Foot

Rank	Area	Transaction Count	Median AED/sq ft	Median Transaction Value
1	Damac Hills 2	71	AED 829/sq ft	AED 1,730,000
2	Jumeirah Village Circle	9	AED 931/sq ft	AED 2,650,000
3	Damac Island City	16	AED 1,092/sq ft	AED 2,662,000
4	Falcon City of Wonders	3	AED 1,130/sq ft	AED 7,000,000
5	Damac Lagoons	100	AED 1,165/sq ft	AED 2,687,500
6	Dubai South Residential District	16	AED 1,194/sq ft	AED 3,872,500
7	The Valley	47	AED 1,200/sq ft	AED 3,250,000
8	Emaar South	14	AED 1,211/sq ft	AED 3,050,000
9	Nad Al Shiba Third	3	AED 1,279/sq ft	AED 4,900,000
10	City of Arabia	8	AED 1,304/sq ft	AED 3,950,000

The professional use of these reference maps is to narrow the field for subsequent comparisons. An area's price level mustultimately be tested against genuinely similar transactions in the relevant project, building and unit before a conclusion can bereached about a specific asset.

Chapter 7 — Year-on-Year Change in Median Prices Across Secondary Market Areas

This chapter shows the year-on-year change in median price per square foot only for areas with at least five qualifying pricetransactions in both August 2026 and August 2025. This condition prevents changes based on only one or two transactions fromentering the ranking, but it does not eliminate the effect of changes in transaction mix.

Apartment Areas with the Highest Year-on-Year Growth in Median Price

Rank	Area	Aug 2026 Count	Aug 2025 Count	Aug 2026 Median AED/sq ft	Aug 2025 Median AED/sq ft	YoY change
1	Jebel Ali Downtown	10	8	AED 1,630/sq ft	AED 1,205/sq ft	35.3%
2	Living Legends	32	11	AED 1,406/sq ft	AED 1,054/sq ft	33.4%
3	Dubai Studio City	24	25	AED 1,612/sq ft	AED 1,288/sq ft	25.2%
4	Al Quoz Fourth	6	7	AED 967/sq ft	AED 774/sq ft	24.9%
5	Dubai Maritime City	24	20	AED 2,633/sq ft	AED 2,157/sq ft	22.0%
6	Jumeirah Village Triangle	42	52	AED 1,432/sq ft	AED 1,230/sq ft	16.5%
7	Discovery Gardens	36	44	AED 961/sq ft	AED 826/sq ft	16.4%
8	Dubai Silicon Oasis	75	87	AED 1,002/sq ft	AED 885/sq ft	13.1%
9	Meydan City	5	15	AED 1,760/sq ft	AED 1,596/sq ft	10.3%
10	Uptown Motorcity	24	48	AED 1,101/sq ft	AED 1,003/sq ft	9.8%

Jebel Ali Downtown ranked first at around 35%, followed by Living Legends at around 33% and Dubai Studio City at around25%. These growth rates relate to the median of registered transactions and do not mean every unit in the area increased by thesame amount.

Villa Areas with the Highest Year-on-Year Growth in Median Price

Rank	Area	Aug 2026 Count	Aug 2025 Count	Aug 2026 Median AED/sq ft	Aug 2025 Median AED/sq ft	YoY change
1	Palm Jumeirah	6	8	AED 13,214/sq ft	AED 6,421/sq ft	105.8%
2	Jumeirah Village Triangle	5	34	AED 2,193/sq ft	AED 1,672/sq ft	31.1%
3	City of Arabia	8	6	AED 1,304/sq ft	AED 1,090/sq ft	19.6%
4	Haven by Aldar	8	9	AED 1,444/sq ft	AED 1,323/sq ft	9.1%
5	Reem Mira	17	15	AED 1,388/sq ft	AED 1,275/sq ft	8.9%
6	District Eleven	22	17	AED 1,483/sq ft	AED 1,384/sq ft	7.2%
7	Mudon	54	45	AED 1,486/sq ft	AED 1,401/sq ft	6.0%
8	Town Square	17	50	AED 1,396/sq ft	AED 1,322/sq ft	5.6%
9	The Springs	28	32	AED 2,173/sq ft	AED 2,069/sq ft	5.0%
10	Rukan	6	24	AED 1,340/sq ft	AED 1,288/sq ft	4.0%

Palm Jumeirah recorded a very large change, but the percentage is based on six transactions in August 2026 and eight in August2025. Price level, sample size and asset mix should be read together with the percentage.

Apartment Areas with the Lowest Growth or Largest Year-on-Year Decline in Median Price

Rank	Area	Aug 2026 Count	Aug 2025 Count	Aug 2026 Median AED/sq ft	Aug 2025 Median AED/sq ft	YoY change
1	Dubai Investment Park Second	9	33	AED 776/sq ft	AED 1,369/sq ft	-43.3%
2	DIFC	17	84	AED 2,271/sq ft	AED 3,991/sq ft	-43.1%
3	Bluewaters Island	7	9	AED 3,395/sq ft	AED 4,998/sq ft	-32.1%
4	Emaar South	10	7	AED 1,313/sq ft	AED 1,691/sq ft	-22.4%
5	Jumeirah Beach Residence	33	67	AED 1,594/sq ft	AED 1,906/sq ft	-16.4%
6	District One	26	23	AED 1,853/sq ft	AED 2,155/sq ft	-14.0%
7	Liwan	18	28	AED 787/sq ft	AED 906/sq ft	-13.2%
8	Palm Jumeirah	48	62	AED 2,327/sq ft	AED 2,663/sq ft	-12.6%
9	Dubai Hills Estate	113	87	AED 2,197/sq ft	AED 2,452/sq ft	-10.4%
10	Downtown Dubai	136	195	AED 2,709/sq ft	AED 2,995/sq ft	-9.5%

Dubai Investment Park Second, DIFC and Bluewaters Island sit at the lower end of the year-on-year change ranking. Thesefigures are not sufficient to conclude that the value of a specific asset has fallen; comparable transactions at the same level stillneed to be examined.

Villa Areas with the Lowest Growth or Largest Year-on-Year Decline in Median Price

Rank	Area	Aug 2026 Count	Aug 2025 Count	Aug 2026 Median AED/sq ft	Aug 2025 Median AED/sq ft	YoY change
1	The Lakes	6	5	AED 2,403/sq ft	AED 3,193/sq ft	-24.8%
2	Dubai Hills Estate	22	31	AED 2,318/sq ft	AED 2,845/sq ft	-18.5%
3	Nad Al Shiba First	12	15	AED 1,741/sq ft	AED 2,082/sq ft	-16.4%
4	District One	7	11	AED 1,996/sq ft	AED 2,305/sq ft	-13.4%
5	Villanova	27	23	AED 1,435/sq ft	AED 1,566/sq ft	-8.4%
6	Jumeirah Park	12	17	AED 1,948/sq ft	AED 2,123/sq ft	-8.2%
7	Damac Island City	16	13	AED 1,092/sq ft	AED 1,164/sq ft	-6.2%
8	The Villa	10	6	AED 1,559/sq ft	AED 1,629/sq ft	-4.3%
9	Dubai South Residential District	16	36	AED 1,194/sq ft	AED 1,246/sq ft	-4.2%
10	Victory Heights	6	7	AED 2,042/sq ft	AED 2,124/sq ft	-3.9%

The Lakes, Dubai Hills Estate and Nad Al Shiba First sit at the lower end of the year-on-year change ranking. Historical growth ordecline in the median should not be converted into a forecast. The percentage change should be read alongside the price level,transaction count and characteristics of the assets transacted.

Decision-Context Indicators

The preceding chapters focused directly on registered transactions, prices and the distribution of market activity. The next threechapters examine a set of contextual indicators that can help clarify the environment surrounding a property decision: occupancy,financing conditions and supply.

These indicators complement transaction data and should not be used in place of them.

Chapter 8 — Occupancy Rate

The occupancy rate is the number of occupied units in an area as a share of the area's total units. The data in this chapter relate tothe first half of 2026 and therefore do not exactly match the report's main period, August 2026.

Areas with the Highest Occupancy Rates

Rank	Area	Occupancy Rate
1	Al Qusais Industrial Fourth	100.0%
2	Al Qusais Industrial Second	100.0%
3	Dubai Waterfront	95.3%
4	Rigga Al Butten	95.0%
5	Discovery Gardens	94.8%
6	Al Muteena	94.5%
7	International City	94.3%
8	Al Mamzer	94.0%
9	Al Quoz Industrial Second	94.0%
10	Dubai Investment Park First	93.7%

The first two areas recorded occupancy rates of 100%, followed by Dubai Waterfront, Rigga Al Butten and Discovery Gardens.Where rates are tied, table order is based on the area name and is not a quality score.

A high occupancy rate does not, on its own, mean higher returns, stronger price growth or greater liquidity. Analysis of rentalincome also requires achievable rent, costs, contracts and asset-specific characteristics.

Chapter 9 — Mortgage Rates and Financing Share

This chapter examines two related but distinct topics: advertised rates for selected mortgage products and the extent to whichfinancing has been used in ready-property Secondary Market transactions over the past year.

Advertised Mortgage Rates

Bank / Institution	Mortgage Rate
FAB	3.94%
Dubai Islamic Bank	3.95%
ADIB	3.99%
Ajman Bank	3.99%
Emirates Islamic Bank	4.20%
Mashreq Bank	4.25%
HSBC	4.39%
Standard Chartered Bank	4.49%
ADCB	4.50%
RAK Bank	4.50%
Aafaq Finance	5.99%
Amlak Finance	7.25%

The rates in the table range from 3.94% to 7.25%, with a median of 4.32%. Product type, rate period, applicant profile, loanamount, associated fees and other contract terms can all affect the final outcome; the table is therefore only an initial reference.

Financing in Ready-Property Secondary Market Transactions — Past Year

Metric	Value
Total Qualifying Transactions	42,460
Transactions with Positive Recorded Financing Amount	18,656
Transactions without Positive Recorded Financing Amount	23,804
Total Value of Qualifying Transactions	AED 121.3bn
Property Value of Transactions with Positive Recorded Financing	AED 50.7bn
Total Recorded Financing Amount	AED 35.5bn
Share of Transactions with Financing	43.9%
Share of Property Value in Financed Transactions	41.8%
Recorded Financing Amount as Share of Total Transaction Value	29.3%

Over the past year, 42,460 qualifying ready-property Secondary Market transactions were included in this calculation. Around44% of transactions had a positive recorded financing amount.

The value of properties associated with transactions that had positive recorded financing represented around 42% of totaltransaction value, while the aggregate amount of financing actually recorded represented only around 29% of total transactionvalue.

In other words, over the past year in the ready-property Secondary Market, around 29% of aggregate transaction value wasfinanced through bank loans, while around 71% of transaction value was registered without the use of bank financing.

Some financing-amount fields in the underlying data are blank, zero or invalid. If some loan information was not recorded, theactual share of financing use could therefore be higher than the calculated figure.

Chapter 10 — Residential Supply

This chapter divides reported residential supply into two categories: existing and under construction.

Total Residential Supply

Status	Number of Units	Share of Total
Existing	664,836	55.7%
Under Construction	528,449	44.3%
Total	1,193,285

Of the 1,193,285 reported units, around 56% are existing and around 44% are under construction.

The substantial share of units under construction shows that the supply pipeline is significant in numerical terms. This figurealone, however, cannot establish that Dubai as a whole, or any specific area, will face oversupply or undersupply. Delivery timing,location, product type, competing supply and the market's capacity to absorb demand must be considered together.

Chapter 11 — News and Market Context

This chapter presents a selection of 14 news stories published by established UAE media outlets that, in the author's view, wereamong the most important or potentially consequential for Dubai's real estate market during the period reviewed. Their inclusiondoes not establish a direct effect on prices or transactions; the purpose is to identify developments that may form part of thecontext surrounding property decisions.

The news is organised under four themes: market activity and demand capacity; financing and payment mechanisms; access andinfrastructure; and the economy, employment and capital flows.

Market Activity and Demand Capacity

Dubai Real Estate Transactions Approach Half a Trillion Dirhams in Seven Months

From January to the end of July 2026, Dubai real estate transactions reached AED 475.9 billion across 131.98 thousandtransactions. Of this amount, AED 321.18 billion related to property sales, AED 119.62 billion to mortgage transactions and AED35.1 billion to gifts. In July alone, total transactions exceeded AED 56.1 billion across 19.16 thousand transactions.

This news item shows the scale of registered activity across the overall market, but its scope is not the same as the filtered datasetused in this report. Short-term direction should be assessed using data that match the report in both period and scope.

Source: Emarat Al Youm | Publication date: 1 August 2026

Dubai Population Growth Outpaces Additions to Residential Stock

Dubai's population increased by 332,000, or 8.0%, in 2025 to reach 4.58 million, while the number of resident households rose to858,000. The number of residential units, buildings and villas also increased by 138,000 to 1.438 million.

Population and household growth are important variables for residential demand capacity, but a simple comparison betweenpeople and units is not sufficient to prove a supply shortage. Household type, location, unit type, existing stock and the deliverytiming of future supply also matter.

Source: Al Khaleej | Publication date: 5 August 2026

Conference and Events Season Supports Demand for Dubai Hotels

Dubai hotel executives expect accommodation demand to increase with the start of the business tourism and events season.Expected occupancy rates were stated at between 75.0% and 85.0%.

This news relates to tourism and hospitality demand, and hotel occupancy should not be treated as equivalent to the residentialoccupancy rate used in this report. The article does not measure a direct effect on apartment or villa prices or transactions.

Source: Emarat Al Youm | Publication date: 31 August 2026

Financing and Payment Mechanisms

Developers and Banks Expand Cooperation to Finance Buyers

During July and August 2026, cooperation between developers and banks expanded to provide preliminary financing approvalsand solutions tailored to buyers of ready and under-construction units.

The potential significance of this development lies in making the financing review process before purchase easier. Preliminaryapproval, however, is not the same as guaranteed financing, and the news does not measure the amount of new sales generated bythese collaborations.

Source: Emarat Al Youm | Publication date: 31 August 2026

New Flexible Rent Scheme in Dubai: "Rent Now and Pay in 12 Instalments"

The Dubai Land Department intends to implement, in cooperation with a local bank, a mechanism under which the bank pays thefull annual rent to the landlord and the tenant repays the amount over up to 12 months without interest.

If implemented at scale, the scheme could change how tenants manage cash flow and how landlords receive rent. Final eligibilitycriteria and actual take-up, however, are not yet known well enough to conclude what the market effect would be.

Source: Emarat Al Youm | Publication date: 13 August 2026

Access and Infrastructure

Damac Hills Junction Capacity to Increase with Al Qudra Road Upgrade

A 700-metre, four-lane bridge has opened at the intersection of Al Qudra Road and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Street.Once the ramps are completed, junction capacity is expected to rise from 7,800 to 19,400 vehicles per hour and waiting time tofall by 85.0%.

The property's relevance lies in the potential improvement in access and commuting experience. Any effect on prices should beassessed after completion using actual transaction data from the same area.

Source: The National | Publication date: 9 August 2026

AED 1.161 Billion in Contracts Awarded for Meydan Street Development

Two contracts worth a combined AED 1.161 billion have been awarded for the development of Meydan Street. The projectincludes 3,700 metres of bridges, 17 kilometres of roads and cycling tracks.

Any potential property effect can be examined through changes in access, but the news is still at the contract-award stage.Completion timing and the areas that will actually benefit should be established before drawing conclusions about propertyimpact.

Source: WAM | Publication date: 30 August 2026

Capacity Increased on Part of Sheikh Zayed Road

A two-kilometre traffic improvement project on part of Sheikh Zayed Road has been completed. Road capacity has increased by17.0%, and peak-hour travel time is reported as potentially falling by up to 10.0%.

The change may improve accessibility, but the news does not measure any specific change in prices, rents or transactionsattributable to the project.

Source: Al Khaleej | Publication date: 11 August 2026

New Bridge from Dubai World Trade Centre towards Al Mustaqbal Street

A 500-metre, two-lane bridge from the Dubai World Trade Centre and One Central area towards Al Mustaqbal Street has beenannounced for opening. The bridge forms part of the AED 633 million Al Mustaqbal Street development project and is designedto increase route capacity from 6,600 to 8,800 vehicles per hour.

Greater capacity on a central route may improve access, but its economic value for property should be assessed using actual post-opening data and the conditions of the relevant submarket.

Source: Al Khaleej | Publication date: 13 August 2026

Economy, Employment and Capital Flows

UAE Employment Recovery and Growth in Real Estate Jobs

A report on the UAE labour market described a strong employment recovery during 2025, while preliminary June 2026 data alsoindicated improving hiring and talent inflows. Among the sectors reviewed, real estate recorded the strongest employment growthrelative to 2019 levels.

Employment can influence demand capacity through income, household formation and the use of workspace, but this news doesnot allow direct inference of rental growth or transaction growth in Dubai.

Source: Emarat Al Youm | Publication date: 11 August 2026

UAE Economy Grew 3% in the First Quarter of 2026

The UAE's real GDP rose by 3.0% in the first quarter of 2026 to AED 485 billion. The non-oil sector grew by 4.8%, increasing itsshare of the national economy to 79.4%.

Growth in non-oil activity can support the demand environment through employment, income and business activity, but thisnational data point should not be translated directly into changes in Dubai property prices or transactions.

Source: Emarat Al Youm | Publication date: 4 August 2026

UAE Economic Outlook for 2026

An economic study forecast real UAE economic growth of 3.1% in 2026, inflation of 2.5% and a current-account surplus ofaround 11.4% of GDP.

This news is forecast-based and is more useful for scenario-building in the property market. A national growth forecast neitherdetermines property returns nor the outcome of a specific transaction.

Source: Al Khaleej | Publication date: 12 August 2026

UAE Home to 52 Billionaires with Combined Wealth of US$201 Billion

According to the news item in the source file, the UAE was home to 52 billionaires with combined wealth of US$201 billion in2025.

The figure indicates capital capacity at the national level, but does not show how much of that wealth entered Dubai's real estatemarket. It therefore cannot be used directly to infer demand or pricing in the luxury market.

Source: Khaleej Times | Publication date: 31 August 2026

UAE Bank Transfers Reached AED 14.4 Trillion in the First Half of 2026

The value of transfers processed through the UAE Funds Transfer System reached AED 14.4 trillion in the first six months of2026, 25.5% above the same period a year earlier. AED 8.83 trillion related to interbank transfers and AED 5.54 trillion totransfers between bank customers.

This figure concerns the volume of financial flows through the banking system and should not be treated as equivalent tomortgages or financing of real estate transactions.

Source: Al Khaleej | Publication date: 17 August 2026

Connecting News Developments to the Real Estate Market

The news during this period shows several different forces operating around the property market at the same time: population andhousehold growth, changes in financing and payment tools, investment in urban accessibility, economic and employment growth,and continued financial flows. These factors may affect demand capacity or the conditions in which property is used, but none onits own explains the behaviour of transactions in a single month.

For analytical use, each news item is better converted into a question that can be tested. Population growth should be assessedagainst supply in the same area and product segment; infrastructure should be tested after delivery through accessibility andcomparable transactions; financial tools should be examined through actual take-up and eligibility conditions; and macroeconomicdata should be considered alongside observed market behaviour.

The news in this chapter is therefore most useful for identifying variables to monitor and for building decision context. Thecoincidence of positive or negative news with a market move does not, without independent evidence, establish causation.

Chapter 12 — Final Interpretation and Decision Guide

What the August Data Say

The most defensible message from the August 2026 data is that registered market activity was lower, while price behaviour andmarket subgroups did not move uniformly. There were 11,688 qualifying transactions, around 14% fewer than in July and around36% fewer than in August last year. Transaction value was AED 25.8 billion, around 9% lower than the previous month andaround 40% lower than the previous year.

This reduction in activity was not accompanied by the same price decline across every asset type. Across the overall market, themedian apartment price per square foot was around 4% lower year on year, while the villa median was around 4% higher and theoffice median around 24% higher.

The distinction between the Primary and Secondary Markets also matters. In the Primary Market, apartment activity was lower,while Primary Market villas recorded month-on-month increases in both count and value. In the Secondary Market, apartment andvilla transaction counts were lower, but the median price per square foot for both was higher than a year earlier.

The timing of transaction registration should also be considered when interpreting these differences. Particularly in the PrimaryMarket, a transaction registered in one month may reflect a purchase decision made several weeks or months earlier.

What These Data Do Not Say

This report does not say that one "should buy now" or "should sell now", or that one area or project is inherently better thananother. A higher ranking by transaction count, median price or historical growth also does not mean higher quality, greater returnor better future performance.

The data in this report are not sufficient on their own to support a decision about a specific asset. Such a decision should beginwith a deep and professional understanding of the decision-maker's objectives, priorities, needs, constraints, financial capacity,time horizon, liquidity requirements, tolerance for uncertainty, intended use of the property and alternative options — whether thedecision-maker is a buyer, seller, landlord, owner or investor. Only then should unsuitable options be filtered out and the analysisfocused on assets that genuinely fit the individual's circumstances.

Each option should then be assessed using genuinely similar transactions, the characteristics of the unit, building or project,contract terms, costs and financing structure, together with relevant and comparable data. Beyond today's position, the analysisshould also consider urban development, the volume and delivery timing of future supply, factors affecting supply and demand,the market's actual absorption capacity, the potential for supply pressure, changes in occupancy and other indicators within thedecision framework. Bringing these layers together helps move the conclusion beyond a general market impression towards amore appropriate, considered and defensible decision about the specific asset.

The proper use of this report is therefore to narrow the scope of review, identify the more important questions and create thecontext for a better-fitted analysis of a real decision.

What Do the Contextual Indicators Add?

Occupancy, financing, supply and news each illuminate a different part of the decision environment. Occupancy indicates theextent to which stock is being used; financing provides a view of the market's recorded reliance on borrowing; supply showsexisting stock and units under construction; and news adds environmental variables such as population, the economy andinfrastructure. None of these indicators provides the final answer on its own.

How to Use This Report

Analysis should begin with the overall market, but should not stop there. After establishing the broad picture, the review shouldmove to asset type, Primary or Secondary Market, area, project or building, and ultimately the specific asset. The closer theanalysis gets to the actual property, the more important genuinely comparable transactions, contract terms, costs, financing,property condition, competing supply and the decision-maker's personal circumstances become. The purpose is not to find areason to transact; it is to establish enough evidence to choose between acting, investigating further, waiting or not acting.

Buyer

For a buyer, the central question should not simply be whether "the market is going up or down". The first questions are what needthe property is intended to meet, how long it is expected to be held and how much of the buyer's financial resources it willcommit. The real budget should account not only for the purchase price, but also financing, transaction costs, ownership costs andthe capacity to meet future obligations. The final decision should be grounded in genuinely comparable transactions, the quality ofthe building or project, accessibility and the unit's fit with the buyer's needs.

Investor

For an investor, an asset merits consideration only when entry price, potential income, holding costs, competing supply, saleabilityand the exit scenario make sense together. Historical growth in an area or a high ranking can only be a starting point for review.Returns should be calculated using actual income and costs and conservative scenarios.

Seller

For a seller, market data help set expectations and select appropriate comparables. Lower overall market activity does notnecessarily mean a specific property must be sold quickly or its price reduced, just as a rising median does not justify an inflatedasking price. Pricing should begin with recent comparable transactions in the same project, building or area, taking the property'sactual characteristics into account.

Existing Owner

For an owner, the question is not always simply whether to "sell or hold". Continued ownership, leasing, cost review, assetimprovement, refinancing or sale may each make sense under different circumstances. The asset's actual performance should bereviewed periodically against income, costs, liquidity needs, current value and alternative options.

Professional Adviser

For an adviser, the value of data is not in converting it into a definitive recommendation. Its value lies in creating a structure forasking better questions, removing unsuitable options and comparing evidence at the same level. Advice should begin with theclient's objective and constraints, and market data should then be used to test options — not the other way around.

A Five-Step Property Decision Framework

A considered property decision can be summarized in five steps. First, define the decision-maker's objective, time horizon,circumstances and constraints. Second, remove options that do not fit that framework. Third, compare options that are genuinelycomparable by asset type, market, area, project, stage and capital level. Fourth, examine comparable transactions, costs, financing,the asset's condition, competing supply and the implications of different scenarios. Fifth, decide whether to act, investigate further,wait or set the option aside.

The value of this process is that the decision shifts from "finding a property" to "solving a problem". Within such a framework,not acting can itself be a considered and defensible decision when it is consistent with the evidence and the decision-maker'scircumstances.

Final Summary

August 2026 does not present a uniform picture of Dubai's real estate market. Registered activity was lower than both the previousmonth and year, while price behaviour differed across asset types and subgroups. Drawing a conclusion from a single aggregatenumber, ranking, area or news item can therefore overlook part of the market reality.

The primary purpose of this report is not to provide a general answer to whether one should "buy, sell or wait". Its purpose is tocreate a more structured basis for examining each situation with greater precision and fit, comparing relevant options and reachinga more considered and defensible decision.

The Homeland Realty Approach

At Homeland Realty, the path to a property decision does not begin with presenting properties; it begins with understanding thedecision-maker in depth. Before options are seriously considered, the process examines objectives, needs, priorities, constraints,financial capacity, budget and payment plan, time horizon, liquidity requirements, intended use of the property, tolerance foruncertainty, alternative options, and the likely holding or exit path.

One objective at this stage is to narrow the field for the client: to reduce a broad universe of available options to a smaller set thatgenuinely merits consideration. Rather than continually adding listings and projects, Homeland Realty first filters out unsuitableoptions and then concentrates analytical resources and the client's time on those that align more closely with the client's decisionframework.

1. Decision fit: objective, needs and priorities, financial capacity, budget and payment plan, time horizon, liquidity requirements,intended use, tolerance for uncertainty, and the holding or exit plan.

2. Value and transaction evidence: genuinely similar or comparable transactions, asking price or entry price relative to defensiblemarket value, and transaction-market depth — including the number, recency and repetition of comparable transactions and thereliability of the available evidence.

3. Income and cost: achievable rental income, ownership and service costs, the cost and availability of financing, and the asset'sactual cash flow.

4. Supply and demand: occupancy and recent changes in it, actual demand, competing supply, the volume and delivery timing offuture supply, the market's actual capacity to absorb new supply, and the potential for supply pressure.

5. Future and exit: urban and infrastructure development, changes that may affect an area's attractiveness or demand, the liquidityof the asset itself, and different exit scenarios.

No single indicator is a basis for decision-making on its own. The aim is to bring together the client's circumstances, the reality ofthe asset, market evidence and future scenarios so that a more defensible path can be chosen among acting, negotiating further,changing the option, waiting or not acting.

Homeland Realty's relationship with the client does not end when a transaction is completed; it moves into a new phase ofsupport. Depending on the client and the asset, this may include support with resale, management of the leasing process andreview of lease terms, asset-performance reviews, maintenance and repairs, cost control, support with property-relatedadministrative matters, and review of the owner's subsequent decisions. Where a service requires external specialist expertise,Homeland Realty may continue to assist through the introduction of a trusted partner, coordination and controlled follow-up, withthe clear boundary that professional responsibility for that specialist service remains with the relevant provider.

In this approach, a transaction is not the end point; it is the beginning of the next stage in the asset cycle and the professionalclient relationship.

Discussing a Real Property Decision

If you are considering buying, selling, investing in, leasing, holding or reviewing a property in Dubai, the starting point can be thedecision itself: your objectives, circumstances, priorities and constraints, followed by the options that genuinely meritconsideration. Homeland Realty can help narrow the field, compare suitable options and work towards a more considered anddefensible decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does a decline in transaction count mean that now is a good time to buy?

No. Lower market activity on its own cannot determine whether it is a good time to buy. Transaction count fell in August, butprice behaviour was not uniform across asset types and market subgroups. Whether a purchase is appropriate depends on theobjective, budget and payment plan, time horizon, liquidity needs and the characteristics of the asset itself. In one set ofcircumstances, acting may be defensible; in another, waiting or continuing the review may be more appropriate.

2. What should be examined when assessing a specific property?

The analysis should begin with a deep understanding of the decision-maker's objectives, needs, priorities, constraints and actualcircumstances, and the market should then be narrowed to genuinely suitable options. Comparable transactions, price relative todefensible value, transaction-market depth, income and costs, financing, actual demand, occupancy and changes in occupancy,competing supply, the volume and delivery timing of future supply, absorption capacity, the potential for supply pressure, urbandevelopment, liquidity and the exit scenario should then be assessed together.

3. Is an area or project with more transactions necessarily a better option?

No. A higher number of transactions shows only that more registered activity occurred in that area or project. It does not, on itsown, prove property quality, value for money, future return or suitability for a particular client. Transaction count is one indicatorof market depth and should be assessed alongside price, supply, demand, asset characteristics and the client's objective.

4. If prices in an area have risen strongly over the past year, is it still a good investment option?

Not necessarily. Past growth neither guarantees continued growth nor, on its own, shows that today's price is attractive. Theanalysis should establish how many transactions the growth rate is based on, where today's price sits relative to defensible value,the scale of future supply, the state of actual demand and the likely exit scenario.

5. What does a high occupancy rate tell us about an area or property?

A high occupancy rate shows that a larger share of the area's stock was in use during the measured period. It does not, on its own,mean a high rental return, price growth or better liquidity. Alongside the occupancy level itself, recent changes in occupancy, assettype, achievable rent, costs and supply-demand conditions should also be reviewed.

6. How useful are economic news, population growth and infrastructure projects for property decisions?

These factors may affect supply, demand, accessibility or future economic conditions, but they should not be translated directlyinto price growth for a property. Better infrastructure, for example, may improve the attractiveness of an area, but its effect shouldbe assessed alongside completion timing, competing supply, demand behaviour and actual transactions in the same market.

7. Are the data in this report sufficient on their own for a buy, sell or investment decision?

No. This report is useful for understanding the market, identifying patterns and narrowing the scope of review, but a decisionabout a specific asset must also incorporate the client's circumstances and objectives, genuinely comparable transactions, thecondition of the asset, contract terms, costs, financing, supply and demand in the relevant submarket, and future scenarios.

References

Dubai Real Estate Transactions Approach Half a Trillion Dirhams in Seven Months

https://www.emaratalyoum.com/business/local/2026-08-01-1.2070202

Dubai Population Growth Outpaces Additions to Residential Stock

https://www.alkhaleej.ae/2026-08-05/اقتصاد/أسواق-الإمارات/النمو-السكاني-في-دبي-يتفوق-على-الوحدات

New Flexible Rent Scheme in Dubai: "Rent Now and Pay in 12 Instalments"

https://www.emaratalyoum.com/business/local/2026-08-13-1.2073460

Developers and Banks Expand Cooperation to Finance Buyers

https://www.emaratalyoum.com/business/local/2026-08-31-1.2078282

UAE Employment Recovery and Growth in Real Estate Jobs

https://www.emaratalyoum.com/business/local/2026-08-11-1.2072876

UAE Economy Grew 3% in the First Quarter of 2026

Dubai Real Estate Market Analysis — August 2026

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