Dubai Real Estate Market Review 12-Sep-2025
Property market records 10% annual growth despite August dip. Dubai ranks 4th wealthiest city in EMEA region. In partnership with Upgrade Your Subscription To Remove Ads Australians looking to Dubai as next property investment frontier Australian investors, facing low local yields, are eyeing Dubai for 8–13% returns, a tax-free regime, recent double-digit price growth, and a 10-year Golden Visa (AED 2m). Strong connectivity and tech investment support demand. Key risks: developer quality, tighter mortgages, regulatory complexity, and Australian tax obligations. Abu Dhabi real estate: Leading global market with record growth Abu Dhabi spotlights its surging real estate at IREIS 2025 (12–14 Sept). Q1 2025 transactions rose 34.5% to Dh25.3bn; 2024 hit Dh96.2bn. UAE-wide deals reached Dh893bn, with off-plan dominant. Developers tout affordable luxury and sustainability, aligning with Vision 2030’s smart, resilient communities. Aldar elevates active living in Dubai with launch of ‘Rise by Athlon’ Aldar launched Rise by Athlon in Dubai, eight themed apartment buildings with over 1,200 1–3BR units focused on health, fitness and wellbeing. A JV with Dubai Holding, it borders Athlon’s central park near Global Village, with strong highway links, following 2024 villa/townhouse launches. Dubai ranks 4th wealthiest city in EMEA region, on track to become the wealthiest by 2040 Dubai hosts 86,000 millionaires (251 centi-millionaires, 23 billionaires) and is EMEA’s 4th-wealthiest city, with investable wealth up 110% in a decade. Drivers: safe-haven status, low taxes, 35,000 HNWI inflows, diversification, rising property prices, strong connectivity. UAE has 250 family offices; 6,700 tech millionaires and five tech billionaires. Dubai to host Big 5 Global 2025 as $7tn construction projects drive record demand Big 5 Global, the largest and most influential construction and urban development event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), will return to Dubai World Trade Centre for its 46th edition from November, 24–27. Cryptocurrency is the most popular investment sector in the UAE Crypto is the top investment for retail investors in Dubai (56%) and Abu Dhabi (59%). Dubai portfolios diversify more; Abu Dhabi favors local stocks, gold and cash. Both are bullish on UAE growth, with optimism in real estate, tech, financials and energy. Dubai portfolios skew larger. From Bitcoin to Property: Why Crypto Investors are Moving into Dubai Real Estate? Crypto wealth is flowing into Dubai property as investors swap volatile coins for 6–8% rental yields, tax advantages and asset security. Major developers accept crypto, deals use escrow/smart contracts. Risks include FX, regulation and home-country taxes. Crypto may account for 10–15% of premium sales; adoption is expanding. Dubai Investments eyes IPO for DIP to tap into real estate boom Dubai Investments may list up to 25% of Dubai Investments Park Development by February, targeting a Dh8–10bn valuation. Proceeds would fund expansion. DIP spans 2,300 hectares with more than 90% occupancy and 160k residents. The IPO rides Dubai’s property boom; further listings (Emicool, Emirates Glass) and sector IPOs are being explored. Qatar real estate sales hit $108m in first week of September 2025 Qatar’s real estate market recorded QR394,349,422 ($108.3m) in trading volume for sales contracts during the week of August 31 – September 4, 2025, according to the Department of Real Estate Registration at the Ministry of Justice. Dubai’s We Properties attracts 600 users in two months with fractional ownership model We Properties, a DFSA-regulated Dubai platform, lets global investors buy fractional shares of ready-to-let properties with segregated client funds. It manages tenancy, maintenance and sales, paying rental income. Launched two months ago, it has 600+ users and aims to broaden access to UAE real estate. Tightening supply and evolving demand patterns lead to sustained growth in the UAE’s commercial real estate sector in Q2 2025: JLL UAE commercial real estate stayed landlord-favorable in Q2 2025. Office vacancies hit ultra-low (Abu Dhabi 1.5%, Dubai 7.7%); rents rose across grades; lease volumes dipped on scarce stock. Retail tightened too, Dubai contracts +9% vs Abu Dhabi −12%, with experiential, data-driven, omni-channel formats rising. Dubai real estate: Property market records 10% annual growth despite August dip Dubai’s residential property market recorded 17,710 sales transactions in August, representing a 5.9 per cent decline from July figures. The total value of deals reached AED42 billion, marking an 18.6 per cent monthly decrease. Dubai Real Estate Transactions as Reported on the 11th of September 2025 On the 11th of September, the total transacted value reached AED 1,690,317,494. Off-plan dominated with AED 1,057,543,365 (62.6%), while Ready accounted for AED 632,774,130 (37.4%). Off-Plan Market Performance Total Value: AED 1,057,543,365 Flats: AED 870,666,206 (82.3%) Villas: AED 58,885,719 (5.6%) Hotel Apts & Rooms: AED 6,372,484 (0.6%) Commercial: AED 121,618,956 (11.5%) Off-plan activity was overwhelmingly led by flats, with meaningful commercial contributions; villas and hospitality were marginal. Ready Market Performance Total Value: AED 632,774,130 Flats: AED 461,581,997 (72.9%) Villas: AED 113,524,285 (17.9%) Hotel Apts & Rooms: AED 21,334,464 (3.4%) Commercial: AED 36,333,384 (5.7%) Ready transactions were anchored by apartments, with villas providing a steady secondary share and modest hospitality/commercial volumes. Market Insights & Outlook Off-plan’s lead reflects sustained appetite for new inventory and flexible plans, while the ready market remains apartment-driven for immediate occupancy. Expect steady momentum with flats setting the pace; monitor commercial off-plan traction and villa resilience as swing factors.
