Dubai property market report Q3 2026 | betterhomes

The Dubai property market moved into a new phase in Q3 2026 (July to September 2026). Sales held close to Q2 2026 (April to June 2026) levels despite regional uncertainty, but the mix changed: buyers turned to ready homes, and secondary sales rose 16% in the quarter.

Leasing told an even stronger story, with betterhomes leasing enquiries reaching their highest quarterly level since our records began in January 2024. Prices also held above last year's levels in most of the communities we track. Here are the key findings from our Dubai property market report for 2026’s third quarter.

Key highlights

Residential transactions holding close to Q2 2026 levels
Secondary sales up 16% quarter-on-quarter, lifting their share of sales value from 30% to 37%
Median apartment prices at AED 1,404 per sq.ft. in September 2026, 2.2% higher year-on-year
betterhomes leasing enquiries up 45% quarter-on-quarter and 15% year-on-year, a record quarter
betterhomes sales enquiries up 27% in September 2026 compared with August 2026
404 transactions above AED 15 million, with off-plan accounting for 58%
136,815 homes scheduled for delivery in 2027

Dubai property sales: ready homes lead as secondary sales rise 16%

The biggest change in the Dubai real estate market in Q3 2026 was the rise in secondary sales, as more buyers turned to ready homes. Secondary transactions rose 16% to 10,055, increasing their share of all sales from 24% to 29%. Their share of sales value rose from 30% to 37%, at AED 27.1 billion.

Apartments drove the growth, with secondary apartment sales up 22% to 7,879. Off-plan remained the larger segment, with 24,560 transactions.

Dubai property prices remain above last year's

In September 2026, median Dubai property prices stood at AED 1,404 per sq.ft. for apartments and AED 1,638 per sq.ft. for villas and townhouses, 2.2% and 4.1% higher than a year earlier. Around two thirds of the communities we report on are above their level of a year ago.

Villas in Jumeirah Golf Estates and Jumeirah Village Triangle stood out, rising 15.7% and 10.2% on the quarter. Among apartments, Living Legends, Meydan, and Dubai Marina recorded quarterly gains of 6.5%, 5.2%, and 3.7%.

Buyer interest picks up into September 2026

Buyer interest picked up as the quarter closed. betterhomes sales enquiries rose 27% in September 2026 compared with August 2026, well above the 5% increase recorded in each of the previous two years.

For sellers, recent sales of comparable homes are the clearest guide to pricing. Our real estate agents in Dubai can talk you through recent sales in your community.

Dubai prime property market: off-plan leads as secondary picks up in September 2026

Dubai recorded 404 residential transactions above AED 15 million in Q3 2026. Off-plan accounted for 233 of them, or 58% of activity, and held close to last year's level, just 5% below the third quarter of 2025 (July to September 2025). Off-plan has now led prime sales for two consecutive quarters.

Secondary prime sales gained momentum towards quarter-end. September 2026 transactions rose 51% from August 2026 to 65, making it the only month of the third quarter of the year in which secondary sales outpaced off-plan.

Palm Jumeirah led secondary prime sales, followed by Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Hills Estate. In off-plan, Jumeirah Golf Estates 2 ranked first, ahead of Palm Jebel Ali and Business Bay.

Dubai rental market: leasing enquiries reach a record as tenants gain more choice

Leasing was the standout story in the Dubai rental market in Q3 2026. betterhomes leasing enquiries rose 45% quarter-on-quarter and 15% year-on-year, beating the previous record set in Q3 2025. September 2026 was our busiest leasing month since records began, with enquiries 31% above September 2025.

Demand is backed by a growing city. Dubai's population reached 4,807,185 on 29 September 2026, an increase of 226,885 since the start of the year.

Rents have also become more competitive, which gives tenants more choice. Median apartment rents eased 3.8% between June 2026 and September 2026, and villa and townhouse rents eased 2.3%.

Some communities went against the trend however. Jumeirah Islands rents rose 29.1% year-on-year, and Dubai Festival City apartment rents rose over both the quarter and the year. Dubai Marina and Tilal Al Ghaf were the most popular betterhomes leasing communities for apartments and villas. If you are signing a new lease, here is our guide to Ejari registration in Dubai.

"Q3 2026 showed that strong leasing interest and more competitive rents can sit alongside each other. September 2026 was our busiest month for leasing enquiries since January 2024, while completed lettings reached their highest monthly level in the available series. For landlords, that is encouraging, but rental performance varies between communities and property types."

- Jacob Bramley, Leasing Manager, betterhomes

Landlords can speak to our property management team about pricing and tenant demand in their community.

Download the full Dubai property market report

The complete Q3 2026 Dubai property market report covers community-level prices and rents, the supply pipeline to 2030, buyer funding trends, and more.

Looking for more insights? Explore the latest Dubai real estate news on our blog.

Thinking of buying, selling, renting, or investing? Speak to one of our real estate agents in Dubai.