🏙️ Dubai residential sales top 57,300 in four months

Dubai's residential market logged more than 57,300 sales in the first four months of 2026, with off-plan deals accounting for 74% of transactions. April activity edged higher than March, even as overall sales remained slightly below a year earlier.

Cavendish Maxwell said transactions from January through April were down 2.5% year over year, highlighting a market that is still liquid but increasingly selective. The figures were reported in a Zawya release syndicated by TradingView, which said off-plan purchases continued to dominate buyer demand across the emirate.

Market context

Dubai's strong transaction volume and high off-plan share suggest capital continues to flow into the market, while buyers remain selective on pricing, location and delivery timelines. That tends to favor developers with credible launch pipelines and established submarkets, while secondary-market assets may need sharper pricing to compete with new supply. The modest year-over-year decline also indicates that momentum is no longer broad-based across all segments.

Off-plan sales remain the key driver of Dubai residential turnover, reflecting continued appetite for early-stage product. A modest year-over-year dip shows the market is active, but not overheated. The data suggests Dubai's residential cycle remains resilient, with selectivity becoming more important to transaction performance.