Dubai property market update: follow-up webinar

In our second Dubai property market update webinar, betterhomes brought together on-the-ground insight from across sales, leasing and off-plan to answer the questions clients are asking most right now. The session focused on three things: current market conditions, practical next steps, and responses to the questions raised in our previous webinar, before moving into a live Q&A with our experts.

While uncertainty remains, the message from the session was clear: the real estate market is not back to where it was before recent disruption, but it is showing signs of gradual stabilisation. Activity is improving, sentiment is becoming more measured, and decision-making is becoming more selective across buying, selling, leasing and investing.

What we are seeing in the market now

Since the first webinar, the market has started to show more encouraging week-on-week movement. betterhomes noted improving enquiry trends, especially from tenants, alongside a sharp increase in inbound contact from sellers and landlords seeking advice on pricing, timing and next steps.

That does not mean the market has fully rebounded. It has not. But the direction of travel is becoming more positive. The webinar also highlighted a growing sense of normality returning across Dubai, with busier daily activity across the city helping to support overall market sentiment.

The panel also pointed to the long-term fundamentals that continue to support Dubai’s property market, particularly for those considering a longer-term move or investment.

Key takeaways:

• Week-on-week market movement has become more encouraging
• Tenant enquiry trends have improved
• Sellers and landlords are increasingly seeking advice on pricing and timing
• The market has not fully rebounded, but sentiment is improving
• Daily life in Dubai is starting to feel busier and more normal again
• Long-term fundamentals remain in place, including residency reforms, global appeal, a tax-efficient environment, and infrastructure-led growth

A more selective market, not a stalled one

One of the strongest themes from the discussion was that this is now a more selective market.

That applies across the board. Buyers are more price-sensitive. Sellers need to be realistic. Investors are looking more closely at quality, location and downside protection. And landlords are having to think more carefully about pricing strategy and tenant retention.

The panel described this as a market where opportunity still exists, but where outcomes depend much more on judgment than momentum alone. In other words, it is no longer enough to rely on broad market uplift. Asset choice, pricing discipline and timing matter more. That is especially true for anyone assessing Dubai property for sale in today’s environment.

What this means for off-plan buyers and investors

Off-plan remained a major focus in the webinar, with betterhomes noting that there is still value in the market, but buyers need to be more selective than they have been in recent years. The opportunity is still there, though it now depends more on developer credibility, deal structure and long-term fundamentals.

Rather than broad price cuts, much of the value is coming through incentives. More favourable payment plans and post-handover structures, particularly from developers with strong balance sheets, are creating opportunities for buyers without appearing as headline discounts.

The webinar also addressed project delivery, with betterhomes noting that supply chains remain stable, timelines are broadly holding, and there is no notable evidence at this stage of widespread delays or paused projects.

• There is still value in the off-plan market
• Buyers need to be more selective
• Value is coming more through incentives than price cuts
• Stronger developers are offering better payment structures
• Supply chains remain stable and timelines are broadly holding
• There is no notable evidence of widespread delays or paused projects

Leasing is softening, but context matters

The leasing market was another major part of the discussion. The webinar noted that rental prices have softened, with average rental values down compared with March 2025 levels. At the same time, the number of tenant enquiries per listing has fallen, showing that supply-demand dynamics have shifted from where they were a year ago.

Even so, the message to landlords was not alarmist. The panel encouraged owners to look at today’s conditions in the context of the significant rental growth seen over the past few years. For many landlords, even after adjustment, rents remain well above where they were before the recent cycle of sharp increases.

This matters for both landlords and tenants evaluating villas or apartments for rent in Dubai, whether that means a family home or an apartment for rent in Dubai in a well-connected community. The discussion also touched on strategy. For some landlords, long-term rent may now offer greater stability than short-term rental, especially where occupancy assumptions in the short-term market have become harder to justify. For others, holding a good tenant and approaching renewals commercially may be the smarter move than chasing an outdated peak.

The webinar also acknowledged that similar questions are being asked elsewhere in the UAE, particularly by those comparing an apartment for rent in Abu Dhabi with leasing options in Dubai, as tenants weigh pricing, lifestyle, and commute considerations more carefully than before.

• Rents have softened and leasing conditions are becoming more balanced
• Demand per listing has eased compared with last year
• Landlords were advised to stay commercial, not reactive
• Long-term leasing may now offer more stability in some cases

Practical next steps for buyers, sellers, and owners

A key part of this webinar was moving beyond commentary and into action.

For property buyers, the guidance was to define what value means to them and work closely with trusted professionals who understand local pricing, seller behaviour and where genuine opportunity sits. The panel made the point that “distressed” is an overused term and means different things to different buyers. Accessing the right deal usually comes down to local knowledge, not headlines, whether someone is exploring property for sale in Dubai for personal use or looking to buy property in Dubai as an investment.

For sellers, the advice was to stay close to the market and price against evidence, not expectation. In a more price-sensitive environment, property buyers have more choice and are comparing more carefully. Sellers who want to move property may need to show more value than they would have a few months ago.

For owners with off-plan units approaching handover, the message was to plan ahead. Those intending to sell in the near term were encouraged not to leave decisions too late, while those able to hold may benefit from remaining focused on the longer-term trajectory of both the project and the wider market.

The outlook from here

The webinar did not pretend the market would snap back overnight. The panel was clear that the market is unlikely to return immediately to the conditions seen six weeks earlier. But it is also clear that this is not a property market in freefall. It is a market adjusting, filtering, and gradually finding its footing again.

For some property buyers and investors, the current period may represent a window to act before seller expectations rise again. For others, it is a moment to reassess strategy, hold quality assets, and make decisions from a more informed, long-term position. Across every segment, the value of clear advice and property market intelligence has increased.

As always, our focus is to help clients cut through noise and make confident decisions based on what we are seeing on the ground.