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Dubai property market records growth in March despite regional conflict
Real estate market sees Dh176 billion transactions in first quarter, off-plan activity dominates, accounting for 70% of total sales volume and 71% of overall value
- PUBLISHED: Sun 5 Apr 2026, 2:24 PM
Dubai’s property market recorded Dh176.7 billion from 47,996 sales transactions in the first quarter of 2026, with the off-plan segment accounting for 70 per cent of sales transactions.
According to a report by fäm Properties, the real estate sector continued to grow in March, despite the regional conflict, with a 5.5 per cent year-on-year increase in volume and a 23.4 per cent increase in value.
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Off-plan activity dominated real estate transactions in the emirate in Q1, accounting for 70 per cent of total sales volume and 71 per cent of overall value.
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Data by DXB Interact, a company which gives real estate insights sourced from Dubai Land Department, showed that off-plan activity remained strong in March, rising 5.4 per cent in volume and 8.9 per cent in value. It recorded 10,303 sales transactions totalling Dh31.2 billion during that month, according to its data.
The highest transaction volumes in Q1 were concentrated in emerging communities, led by Al Barsha South Fourth, followed by Dubai South, Al Yelayiss 1, Wadi Al Safa 5 and Wadi Al Safa 3, where demand is centred on more affordable areas and new off-plan projects.
“The market continues to show clear resilience even against a backdrop of regional uncertainty,” Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties, said. “The investor confidence we’re seeing now is built on strong fundamentals, transparency and long-term growth drivers that remain firmly in place.”
Apartments lead the market
Apartments led market activity in Q1, with 36,428 sales transactions worth Dh75.2 billion, marking a 10.5 per cent increase in value year-on-year.
Villa sales rose 17.9 per cent in volume to 8,261 transactions, with a total value of Dh59.1 billion. Commercial property transactions, including offices and shops, increased sharply in value by 69.1 per cent to Dh10.2 billion, despite a slight 0.6 per cent dip in volume to 2,048 deals.
Sales of plots increased 3.2 per cent in volume to 1,193 transactions, while total value rose 14.3 per cent to Dh31.9 billion.
In the primary market, villa prices climbed 35.3 per cent year-on-year to a median of Dh4.1 million, while off-plan apartment prices rose 3.1 per cent to Dh1.4 million. Plot prices, however, declined 23.6 per cent.
A similar trend was seen in the resale market, where villa prices increased 16.2 per cent year-on-year to Dh4.3 million, now 35.1 per cent above 2014 levels. Apartment resale prices rose 6.3 per cent, while plot prices dropped 38.3 per cent.
Mortgage activity also increased during the quarter, with 11,829 transactions recorded, up 7.5 per cent year-on-year, with a total value of Dh59.8 billion. Cash transactions accounted for 67 per cent of resale deals, compared to 33 per cent financed by mortgages.
Hind Aldah is a business reporter based in Sharjah. In her spare time, you will find her playing classical guitar, painting amateur oil paintings, or crocheting the same old scarf that leads nowhere.