The Dubai real estate market has demonstrated a new level of maturity and resilience in the first quarter of 2026. Despite surrounding challenges, it maintained strong momentum, recording transactions worth 252 billion dirhams, reflecting an annual growth of 31%. The total number of transactions rose to 60,303, marking a 6% increase, according to data from the Dubai Land Department, indicating an expanding activity base and ongoing investment appeal of the emirate.
This robust performance was bolstered by a rise in real estate investments, which reached 173 billion dirhams through 57,744 investments, a growth of 22%. Additionally, the number of investors increased to 48,448, up by 8%, including 29,312 new investors. Foreign investments also saw significant growth, amounting to 148.35 billion dirhams, a 26% increase, while luxury property investments totaled 87.71 billion dirhams, achieving similar growth, which reinforces Dubai’s status as a global destination for capital seeking stability and long-term returns.
In this context, real estate expert Tareq Al Shihhi, founder and CEO of TREstate, emphasized that the strength of real estate markets is not determined by the size of surrounding challenges but by their ability to sustain real activity and maintain investor confidence. He highlighted that Dubai represents a distinctive model, with its real estate sector grounded in a diverse economy, clear regulations, and a robust regulatory framework capable of absorbing shocks.
He further noted that the UAE economy continues to grow on strong fundamentals, projected at approximately 5.6% for this year.