UAE Property Market September 2026: Dubai and Abu Dhabi in Numbers
Dubai recorded 215,583 property sales worth AED 686.2 billion in 2025, the latest published full year, on the Dubai Land Department sales basis.
Abu Dhabi recorded AED 117 billion in transactions in the first half of 2026, its strongest first half on record. The two are not on the same counting basis and are not comparable to each other. Data as of September 2026.
Methodology: every figure below comes from Dubai Land Department sales-basis 2025 data, the ADREC first-half 2026 report, the Government of Dubai Legislation Portal, and rate announcements from the Federal Reserve, Bank of England, ECB and Central Bank of the UAE, with Dubai figures for full-year 2025, Abu Dhabi figures for the first half of 2026 and rates for the September 2026 decisions.
Unpublished detail is left out rather than estimated.
| 215,583 sales | AED 686.2bn | AED 117bn |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai property sales, full year 2025 (DLD sales basis) | Dubai sales value, full year 2025 (DLD sales basis) | Abu Dhabi total transaction value, first half 2026 (ADREC) |
What you need to know
✓ Dubai recorded 215,583 property sales in 2025, worth AED 686.2 billion, DLD sales basis.
✓ Dubai sales volume was up 18.6% on 2024 and sales value up 30.8% (DLD sales basis).
✓ Abu Dhabi recorded AED 117 billion in H1 2026 transactions, the strongest first half on record (ADREC, total transaction value).
✓ Abu Dhabi residential unit sales reached AED 70.4 billion in H1 2026, close to three times H1 2025 (ADREC).
✓ Non-resident investment into Abu Dhabi reached AED 13.8 billion in H1 2026, four times last year (ADREC).
✓ A temporary freeze has capped Abu Dhabi rent increases on renewals at 0% since 2 June 2026, no published end date.
How to read these numbers
Dubai figures use the DLD sales basis: direct sale transactions plus DIFC sale transactions, excluding mortgage registrations and gift transfers. Abu Dhabi figures come from ADREC, and each is labelled with what it measures: total transaction value, residential unit sales, or non-resident investment.
Dubai's figure is a full calendar year; Abu Dhabi's is six months. Neither can be added to, or divided by, the other to produce a combined UAE figure.
Dubai 2025: primary and resale
| Segment | Sales count | Sales value |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | 149,153 | AED 447.4bn |
| Resale | 66,430 | AED 238.8bn |
| All 2025 | 215,583 | AED 686.2bn |
Primary and resale sum exactly to the full-year total on both count and value.
Dubai 2025 by property type
| Property type | Sales count | Sales value |
|---|---|---|
| Apartments | 170,308 | AED 332.7bn |
| Villas | 34,728 | AED 209.1bn |
| Commercial | 6,095 | AED 18.3bn |
| Plots | 4,387 | AED 125.9bn |
| Buildings | 65 | AED 211.9m |
Apartments were the largest segment by both count and value. Plots, with 4,387 sales, carried AED 125.9 billion, far more value than commercial property at AED 18.3 billion from 6,095 sales.
Message us on WhatsApp with your budget and emirate, and an Early Bird advisor will reply with current stock that fits. Early Bird Properties is registered with the Dubai Land Department, ORN 37167.
Saadiyat Lagoons, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, indicative listing, subject to developer confirmation.
Abu Dhabi, first half 2026
| Measure | H1 2026 | vs H1 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total transaction value | AED 117bn | +112% by value, +61.7% by volume |
| Residential unit sales | AED 70.4bn | close to three times H1 2025 |
| Non-resident investment (FDI) | AED 13.8bn | four times last year |
| Emirati buyer commitment | AED 21.0bn | more than double H1 2025 |
| Off-plan share of residential sales | 89% of residential sales, 82% of deals | segment more than tripled year on year |
Foreign buyers accounted for 70% of residential unit sales value. Non-resident investors came from 116 nationalities.
Off-plan apartment sales grew 220% year on year, concentrated in Al Saadiyat Island, ADGM's Al Reem and Al Maryah Islands, Yas Island and Fahid Island. Off-plan villa and townhouse sales value grew 289%.
Seven projects accounted for 65% of that off-plan villa and townhouse value, including Al Naseem on Hudayriyat Island. Ten developers accounted for around 90% of off-plan primary sales.
Al Naseem, Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, indicative listing, subject to developer confirmation.
The Abu Dhabi rent freeze
A temporary freeze has applied across Abu Dhabi since 2 June 2026, capping rent increases on renewals at 0% and holding re-let contracts at their preceding value. ADGM communities, including Al Reem Island and Al Maryah Island, are excluded.
No end date has been published, and the regulator states it will review the measure against the data.
This limits rental income growth on an Abu Dhabi tenancy outside ADGM for as long as it runs, and applies to renewals and re-lets rather than new leases.
Buyer protection laws and current policy rates
| Year | Instrument | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Law No. 7 of 2006 | Concerning real property registration in the Emirate of Dubai |
| 2007 | Law No. 8 of 2007 | Concerning escrow accounts for real estate development in the Emirate of Dubai |
| 2008 | Law No. 13 of 2008 | Regulates the interim property register in Dubai; amended since enactment |
| 2020 | Decree No. 33 of 2020 | Governs the special tribunal for stalled projects; supersedes Decree No. 21 of 2013 |
Each instrument was checked against the Government of Dubai Legislation Portal on 22 September 2026; titles match what is published there. Legislation is stated as at that date and may change.
| Central bank | Policy rate, September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Central Bank of the UAE | 3.90%, announced 16 September |
| European Central Bank (deposit rate) | 2.50%, announced 10 September |
| US Federal Reserve | 3.75 to 4.00%, raised 25 basis points on 16 September |
| Bank of England | 3.75%, held on 16 September, vote 6 to 3 |
The dirham is pegged to the US dollar, so UAE monetary policy follows the Federal Reserve.
A higher base rate is a direct cost for a financed buyer, and works through other buyers in the market even for a cash buyer. A euro-funded buyer faces a 2.50% ECB deposit rate against a 3.90% UAE base; the effect depends on that buyer's own funding and hedging, which we do not advise on.
The derived read
Three figures here are our own arithmetic on the Dubai data above. Dividing 2025 sales value by count gives the average sale: AED 686.2bn over 215,583 sales is AED 3.18 million. Primary was AED 447.4bn over 149,153 sales, AED 3.00 million; resale was AED 238.8bn over 66,430 sales, AED 3.59 million. Primary was 69% of count and 65% of value, so the average resale deal was larger despite primary sales being more numerous.
What the data shows for buyers
Primary sales were 69% of Dubai's 2025 sales by count.
The average 2025 resale in Dubai, AED 3.59 million, was larger than the average primary sale of AED 3.00 million.
In Abu Dhabi, 89% of first-half 2026 residential sales were off-plan, and foreign buyers accounted for 70% of residential unit sales value.
Abu Dhabi's rent freeze applies to renewals and re-lets outside ADGM, with no published end date.
The UAE base rate stood at 3.90% after the 16 September decision.
Moor at Creek Beach, Dubai Creek Harbour, indicative listing, subject to developer confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
How many properties sold in Dubai in 2025?
Dubai recorded 215,583 property sales in 2025, worth AED 686.2 billion combined, on the Dubai Land Department sales basis: direct sale transactions plus DIFC sale transactions, excluding mortgage registrations and gift transfers. Sales volume rose 18.6% and sales value rose 30.8% on 2024.
What is the difference between Dubai's sales basis and Abu Dhabi's transaction basis?
Dubai's DLD sales basis counts direct sale transactions and DIFC sale transactions, excluding mortgages and gifts. Abu Dhabi's headline AED 117 billion is ADREC's total transaction value for six months rather than a full year, and its residential figures are a separate measure. The two cannot be added together or compared as a single figure.
How much did Abu Dhabi property transact for in H1 2026?
Abu Dhabi recorded AED 117 billion in total transactions in the first half of 2026, its strongest first half on record, according to ADREC. Residential unit sales alone reached AED 70.4 billion, close to three times the same period in 2025, with foreign buyers accounting for 70% of that residential value.
Is there a rent freeze in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. A temporary freeze has applied across Abu Dhabi since 2 June 2026, capping increases on lease renewals at 0% and holding re-let contracts at their preceding value, with ADGM communities excluded. No end date has been published, and the regulator says it will review the measure against incoming data.
What buyer protections exist in Dubai property law?
Named, dated Dubai legislation includes Law No. 7 of 2006 on property registration, Law No. 8 of 2007 on developer escrow accounts, Law No. 13 of 2008 on the interim property register, and Decree No. 33 of 2020, which governs the special tribunal for stalled projects, superseding Decree No. 21 of 2013.
Where can I read the full September 2026 UAE Capital Brief?
The full report is a longer PDF covering the same figures with additional detail and context: download the UAE Capital Brief, September 2026. For a specific emirate or budget, message us on WhatsApp and an advisor will reply with current stock that fits.
Methodology and sources
Dubai figures: Dubai Land Department full-year 2025 data, sales basis. Abu Dhabi figures: ADREC first-half 2026 report, published 17 July 2026, total transaction basis. Policy rates: Central Bank of the UAE, ECB, Federal Reserve and Bank of England, dated to their September 2026 announcements.
Law titles checked against the Government of Dubai Legislation Portal on 22 September 2026. Average-sale and share figures are our own calculations, shown in the derived read. Data as of September 2026.
Related reading: August 2026 Dubai market report · capital rotation into Abu Dhabi · UAE interest rate moves and Dubai property.
This article is general market information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not an offer or solicitation to buy, sell or subscribe for any property or interest. Property values can fall as well as rise. Earlybird Real Estate LLC · DLD ORN 37167.
Muhammad Zohaib Saleem — Founder, Early Bird Properties (RERA / DLD ORN 37167). In Dubai real estate since 2013.
Zohaib publishes Early Bird's market briefings from Dubai Land Department, ADREC and central bank records, with counting basis stated in full so readers can check every figure against the source.
No developer marketing fees; recommendations based solely on investor interest alignment. We are paid by commission on completed transactions, from the developer on primary sales, and charge no fee for research.
Download the full UAE Capital Brief, September 2026 (PDF)
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