Key takeaways
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Dubai H1 2026 performance: Dubai recorded 79,698 residential sales worth AED 227.1 billion during the first half of the year.
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Market transition: The Dubai market is shifting from rapid price surges towards a more selective, value-sensitive environment, granting buyers greater negotiation power.
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Abu Dhabi surge: Abu Dhabi's residential sales skyrocketed to AED 70.4 billion in H1 2026, with off-plan properties accounting for 89% of the total sales value.
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Ras Al Khaimah growth: According to ValuStrat, Ras Al Khaimah recorded 1,274 transactions worth AED 1.353 billion in H1 2026, achieving a 5.4% year-on-year growth in freehold residential capital values.
How is the Dubai residential market transitioning?
Dubai is redrawing the map for luxury residential real estate. According to a Deluxe Avenues report featured in Al Bayan, citing Projectory analysis of Dubai Land Department (DLD) data, the emirate recorded 79,698 residential transactions worth AED 227.1 billion in the first half of 2026. While transaction volumes remain massive—following a record-breaking 2025 where sales reached AED 544.2 billion across 205,400 deals—the market is entering a new phase.
Farhad Moradi from Deluxe Avenues noted that the market has transitioned from an era of rapid price escalation to a more value-sensitive environment. Buyers now have greater leverage and space to meticulously compare projects, locations, and prices than they did during the peak of the previous cycle. The current appeal of Dubai lies in entering a deep, highly liquid market during a period of price normalisation rather than chasing unsustainable rapid growth.
How are Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah performing alongside Dubai?
As Dubai normalises, other emirates are forging distinct and rapid growth trajectories. In the capital, the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre reported a massive surge in H1 2026 residential sales, reaching AED 70.4 billion—up significantly from AED 25.3 billion during the same period in 2025. This growth was heavily driven by off-plan transactions, which captured 89% of the total sales value, while secondary market prices grew by 20% for apartments and 12% for villas.
Meanwhile, Ras Al Khaimah continues to demonstrate steady upward momentum as a prominent investment destination. ValuStrat data highlights that the northern emirate closed 1,274 real estate transactions valued at AED 1.353 billion during the first half of 2026. Furthermore, ValuStrat recorded a solid 5.4% year-on-year growth in capital values for freehold residential properties, underlining the broadening appeal and sustained development of the wider UAE real estate market.
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