- April 23, 2026
- 5
- News&Media
Dubai retail real estate sales values rise almost 50%
Dubai unifies Golden Visa, property and retiree residency services in new government integration push
Dubai has moved to unify key real estate-linked residency services under a single system, as part of a broader push to enhance investor confidence, streamline processes and strengthen the emirate’s business environment.
Read the full article on Arabian Business
Sobha Realty enters Abu Dhabi with 38m sq ft waterfront city
Sobha Realty has launched Sobha City, its first major Abu Dhabi community: a 38 million sq ft low-density project in Al Bahiya with homes, retail, schools, healthcare, green space and a waterfront promenade, targeting rising demand for integrated, family-oriented residential developments.
Read the full article on Gulf News
Dubai inks deal with HSBC to attract global investors, corporates into emirate
Dubai has partnered with HSBC to attract more global companies, investors and wealthy individuals under the D33 agenda, using HSBC’s international network, especially in Asia, to support market entry, licensing and investment platforms as Dubai pushes to increase foreign capital inflows and regional business activity.
Read the full article on Gulf News
Dubai retail real estate sales values rise almost 50% year-on-year to AED4.6bln in 2025 – Cavendish Maxwell
Dubai’s retail market stayed strong in 2025, with sales up nearly 50% to AED4.6 billion and off plan deals surging. Warehouse rents also rose sharply amid e-commerce growth, while both retail and warehouse tenants increasingly renewed leases as prime space remained limited and costs climbed.
Read the full article on Zawya
The infrastructure play behind Saudi’s real estate tokenisation strategy
Saudi Arabia’s RER/REGA platform positions real estate tokenisation as sovereign infrastructure rather than a niche proptech experiment, using blockchain-based identity, compliance and settlement to improve trust, liquidity and access, while paving the way for secondary markets and broader GCC adoption.
Read the full article on Gulf Business
Dubai rental contracts drop by a third while tenants seek discounts
New rental contracts in Dubai dropped by more than a third in March as the Israel- US war on Iran spilled over into the wider Gulf. Rents across the city largely dropped compared to February deals, though some areas proved more resilient than others.
Read the full article on Arabian Gulf Business Insight
Investor confidence in Abu Dhabi holds firm with record real estate activity
Abu Dhabi’s property market is being positioned as resilient and investor-friendly, with Metropolitan Capital Real Estate citing Dh450 million in reservations at Ohana’s Yas Residences and strong early demand for Leaf Tower as evidence of continued confidence despite regional geopolitical tensions.
Read the full article on Gulf News
BNW debuts in Dubai with Michel Adam branded homes
BNW Developments has entered Dubai with Orvessa Residences by Michel Adam in Al Furjan, a 92-unit branded project blending fashion-led design with lifestyle amenities. The launch expands BNW’s branded portfolio and targets end-users and long-term investors seeking connectivity, quality and distinctive living.
Read the full article on Zawya
Dubai completes $68m upgrade to stormwater sewerage system in Al Quoz
Dubai Municipality has completed Phase 1 of Al Quoz’s sewerage and stormwater upgrade, spending AED250 million to add 29km of new networks across 155 hectares. The project supports flood resilience and business continuity, and forms part of Dubai’s wider AED30 billion Tasreef drainage programme.
Read the full article on Arabian Business
Dubai Residential Market Enters A More Measured Phase Following Strong Start To 2026, Savills Reports
Savills says Dubai’s residential market cooled in Q1 2026 after a strong run, with transactions down 17% quarter-on-quarter and March notably weaker. Off-plan still dominated at 72%, prices kept rising, and the market is shifting from seller-led to more selective, buyer-driven conditions.
Read the full article on MENA FN
Dubai Real Estate Transactions as Reported on the 13th of April 2026
On the 13-Apr-2026, the total transacted value reached AED 849.8 million. Off-plan dominated with AED 550.1 million (64.7%), while Ready accounted for AED 299.7 million (35.3%). (The low transactions volume could be because of the DLD reporting)
| Category | Off-Plan (AED millions) | Ready (AED millions) |
| Flats | 519.7 | 208.4 |
| Villas | 23.6 | 71.1 |
| Hotel Apt. & Rooms | 3.5 | 5.1 |
| Commercial | 3.4 | 15.0 |
| Total | 550.1 | 299.7 |
Off-Plan Market Performance
Total Value: AED 550.1 million
• Flats: AED 519.7 million (94.5%)
• Villas: AED 23.6 million (4.3%)
• Hotel Apts & Rooms: AED 3.5 million (0.6%)
• Commercial: AED 3.4 million (0.6%)
Off-plan activity was overwhelmingly driven by flats, with the segment showing a highly concentrated apartment-led profile and only limited contribution from villas, hospitality and commercial assets.
Ready Market Performance
Total Value: AED 299.7 million
• Flats: AED 208.4 million (69.5%)
• Villas: AED 71.1 million (23.7%)
• Hotel Apts & Rooms: AED 5.1 million (1.7%)
• Commercial: AED 15.0 million (5.0%)
The ready market was also led by flats, but with a more balanced mix than off-plan, as villas captured a meaningful share of the day’s completed value.
On The Micro Level
Market Insights & Outlook
The day’s trading shows a clear preference for off-plan product, with nearly two-thirds of total value concentrated in that segment, while flats remained the dominant format across both markets. The Real Estate Reports analysis suggests demand continues to favour scalable, apartment-led stock, while the ready segment still maintained decent support from villa transactions, pointing to selective end-user and investor interest across completed assets.
Data Source: Dubai Land Department
*We use only freehold transactions
