Dubai Real Estate Sees Strong February Momentum as First Sales and Cash Buyers Lead Activity

Thursday, 5 March 2026

Dubai’s property market maintained a powerful start to 2026, with developer first sales and cash buyers driving strong transaction activity and reinforcing the emirate’s position as a global real estate investment hub.

Key Highlights:

• The primary market led activity in February with 11,351 sales transactions worth Dh42.1 billion, reflecting strong investor demand for new developments.
• The secondary market recorded 5,628 resale deals valued at Dh18.6 billion, highlighting sustained interest across ready properties.
• Cash buyers dominated the resale segment, accounting for over 69% of secondary market transactions, showcasing strong investor confidence and liquidity.
• Overall Dubai property sales reached Dh60.8 billion from 16,979 transactions in February, marking an 18.4% annual increase in value and 5.1% growth in volume.
• In the first two months of 2026, total real estate transactions climbed to Dh133.3 billion across 34,452 deals, representing 38.8% growth in value year-on-year.
• The commercial property segment performed strongly, with 804 office and retail deals worth Dh4.1 billion, an 81.5% increase in volume year-on-year.
• Apartment sales remained the market’s largest segment, reaching 12,916 transactions valued at Dh26.6 billion.
• Plot sales increased by 25.3% year-on-year, totaling 446 transactions worth Dh11.2 billion, highlighting growing development opportunities.
• The average property price rose to Dh1,740 per square foot, reflecting a 12.2% annual increase supported by strong demand and premium developments.
• Luxury property transactions continued to attract attention, including a Dh350 million villa sale at La Mer and a Dh226 million apartment at The Alba Residences on Palm Jumeirah.
• The majority of transactions occurred in the mid-market price range, with 32.41% of sales between Dh1–2 million, reflecting strong demand from both investors and end-users.