Saudi Arabia to allow expats to buy property from 2026. Russian, British, Indian millionaires’ top buyers of over Dh20 million properties.

Commission-free apps challenge Dubai real estate brokers as direct buyer-seller models rise

Dubai’s property market is facing a shift as new digital platforms allowing direct buyer-seller connections threaten to make traditional real estate brokers obsolete, experts told Arabian Business.

Saudi Arabia to allow expats to buy property from 2026? What we know

From January 2026, Saudi Arabia will allow foreign individuals and companies to purchase property in approved zones (e.g., Riyadh, Jeddah), with special restrictions for holy cities, as part of Vision 2030. Detailed rules and locations will be published on the Istitaa platform for public feedback.

Dubai: Russian, British, Indian millionaires’ top buyers of over Dh20 million properties

Russians, British, Indians and other Europeans are leading buyers of Dubai luxury properties worth Dh20 million+, with transactions up 110% year-on-year and 70% from H2 2024. Dirham weakness, migration and tax shifts drive demand. UAE expects 9,800 millionaires in 2025, attracting Dh231 billion: Emirates Hills tops sales.

Nawy acquires SmartCrowd to expand into Middle East

Egyptian proptech leader Nawy has acquired a majority stake in Dubai’s fractional investment platform SmartCrowd, marking its GCC debut after a $52 million Series A. The deal broadens Nawy’s full-stack real estate offerings across MENA, following its ROA acquisition.

Centurion Properties and CITIC Construction join forces for Dh10.5 billion Dubai real estate push

Centurion Properties has signed an MoU with China’s CITIC Construction to co-develop over 10 million sq ft of luxury residential and commercial projects across Dubai, worth Dh10.5 billion, with construction set to begin in Q3 2025, combining local expertise and global engineering prowess.

Sharjah’s upgraded property portal makes it easier for developers, homeowners

Sharjah’s Real Estate Registration Department relaunched its portal, enabling developers to register projects, certify sales contracts and form homeowners’ associations. Investors can manage association registrations, fee declarations and complaints. Government users access ownership reports: individuals handle title deeds, valuations and data updates. Banks gain mortgage registration and amendment services.

Dubai property: Villas lead price rally in the first half

Villa prices led Dubai’s H1 2025 rally, rising over 10 percent in Dubailand and up to 11 percent across affordable segments. Apartment prices climbed up to 7 percent (affordable) and 4 percent (luxury). Demand remains strong but price growth is stabilizing.

Dubai South Properties sells out Hayat community phases for $327mn within hours

Dubai South Properties has sold out the first two phases of its Hayat by Dubai South community within hours of launch, generating sales that exceeded AED 1.2 billion.

Seven-bedroom Dubai Hills Estate mansion sold after Dh150m listing

A Dh150 million seven-bedroom mansion in Dubai Hills sold near asking price, underscoring the estate’s ultra-luxury appeal. From January to May 2025, villa transactions rose 12.2% while prices jumped 14.1%, highlighting Dubai Hills Estate’s draw for HNW/UHNW investors.

Dubai Real Estate Transactions as Reported on the 9th of July 2025

On 07 July 2025, Dubai’s total real estate transaction value reached AED 2.309 billion. Off-plan properties accounted for 72.6% (AED 1.677 billion), while ready assets contributed 27.4% (AED 632.2 million) of the total volume.

Category	Off-Plan (AED million)	Ready (AED million)
Flats	1,529.1	453.7
Villas	54.0	103.5
Hotel Apt. & Rooms	22.3	32.7
Commercial	71.8	42.2
Total	1,677.2	632.2

Off-Plan Market Performance

• Total Value: AED 1.677 billion
• Share of Total Transactions: 72.6%

Subcategory	Value (AED)	% of Off-Plan
Flats	1,529,069,081	91.2%
Villas	53,999,908	3.2%
Hotel Apartments & Rooms	22,294,176	1.3%
Commercial	71,846,214	4.3%

Flats overwhelmingly dominated the off-plan segment, comprising over nine-tenths of its value.

Ready Market Performance

• Total Value: AED 632.2 million
• Share of Total Transactions: 27.4%

Subcategory	Value (AED)	% of Ready
Flats	453,745,734	71.8%
Villas	103,465,990	16.4%
Hotel Apartments & Rooms	32,732,889	5.2%
Commercial	42,241,824	6.7%

Flats led the ready sector as well, accounting for nearly three-quarters of its value.

On The Micro Level

Market Insights

Strong demand for flats continues to drive both off-plan and ready-market activity, reflecting investor confidence in Dubai’s residential offerings. The pronounced off-plan dominance suggests developers should prioritize new flat launches, while niche villa and commercial projects can cater to growing diversification needs. As both segments perform robustly, the market outlook remains buoyant, with opportunities for balanced growth across asset classes.