Dubai is set to add 73,000 new units to its residential real estate inventory this year - with 300,000 coming to the market by the end of 2028, according to new research from leading real estate advisory and property consultant, Cavendish Maxwell.
More than 180,000 will be delivered in 2026 and 2027, when a surge in project completions is expected, stated Cavendish Maxwell in its latest Dubai Residential Market Performance Report.
Off-plan sales in Q1 reached a value of AED77.5 billion across 29,000 transactions, accounting for 70% of property sales and marking an increase of 32% on the same period last year. With 13,200 sales secured, the secondary market saw a 6.6% rise in transactions against Q1 2024, said the expert.
Apartments sales dominated, making up more than three in every four transactions (76%), with townhouses at almost 17% and villas just over 7%. However the apartment market share is starting to shift, driven by demand for more space as families look to settle in Dubai for the long term.
In addition, investors are increasingly targeting larger properties, in recognition of their rental potential to families and long-term residents. Apartment sales market share was down 4.8% on Q4 2025 and 6.1% on Q1 2024. In contrast, townhouses’ market share was up 3.2% quarter on quarter and 4.9% year on year, with villas also gaining traction, up 1.6% and 1.2% respectively, it stated.
Cavendish Maxwell’s latest Dubai Residential Market Performance Report shows that in Q1 2025:
*AED114 billion worth of properties were sold across 42,000 transactions
*Off-plan sales dominated, with 70% share
*Apartments accounted for 75% of transactions but villas and townhouses gained traction
*Sales transactions dipped 10% on Q4 2024, owing to fewer new launches and reduced activity during Ramadan and Eid. However, there was a 23% increase in sales compared to the same period last year
*Prices reached AED1,535 per sq ft - up 2.8% quarter-on-quarter and nearly 16% higher than in Q1 2024
*590 homes sold for over AED20 million, with almost 60 properties commanding AED50 million or more, showing sustained interest in the luxury and ultra luxury sectors
*Jumeirah Village Circle saw the highest number of project completions and apartment sales: over 4,330 units delivered, almost 2,200 off plan sales and 1,132 secondary market transactions
Cavendish Maxwell pointed out that sales transactions dipped 10% on Q4 2024, owing to fewer new launches and reduced activity during Ramadan and Eid. However, there was a 23% increase in sales compared to the same period last year with prices reaching AED1,535 per sq ft - up 2.8% quarter-on-quarter and nearly 16% higher than in Q1 2024.
Jumeirah Village Circle saw the highest number of project completions and apartment sales: over 4,330 units delivered, almost 2,200 off plan sales and 1,132 secondary market transactions, it added.
Ronan Arthur, MRICS, Director and Head of Residential Valuation at Cavendish Maxwell, said: "Dubai’s property market is on track for a modest annual increase in terms of sales volumes and values, but there are indications that prices are beginning to stabilise."
"2025 began with a brief dip in prices per sq ft, followed by a steady recovery. While prices are still on the up, the pace is showing signs of slowing down. For example, the average quarterly price increase for 2023 and 2024 was 4%, compared to a 2.8% rise in Q1 this year against Q4 2024," he stated.
"With a weakened US dollar, strong rental returns and appealing yields, Dubai continues to attract local and international property investors. We expect this trend to continue throughout the year," said Arthur.
Off-plan sales in Q1 reached a value of AED77.5 billion across 29,000 transactions, accounting for 70% of property sales and marking an increase of 32% on the same period last year. With 13,200 sales secured, the secondary market saw a 6.6% rise in transactions against Q1 2024, he added.
Apartments sales dominated, making up more than three in every four transactions (76%), with townhouses at almost 17% and villas just over 7%. However the apartment market share is starting to shift, driven by demand for more space as families look to settle in Dubai for the long term.
In addition, investors are increasingly targeting larger properties, in recognition of their rental potential to families and long-term residents.
Apartment sales market share was down 4.8% on Q4 2025 and 6.1% on Q1 2024. In contrast, townhouses’ market share was up 3.2% quarter on quarter and 4.9% year on year, with villas also gaining traction, up 1.6% and 1.2% respectively.
Cavendish Maxwell said Dubai’s luxury and ultra luxury property markets remained strong, reinforcing the city’s status as a global destination for top-end real estate.
Close to 600 properties sold for AED20 million or more in Q1, up from 480 in the same period last year. Almost 60 homes sold for AED50 million. Off-plan property sales accounted for 67% of luxury transactions and nearly a third of ultra luxury sales, it stated.
Jumeirah Village Circle outperformed all other areas in terms of project completion, accounting for more than 2,433 of the total 9,300 completions in Q1. In second place was Mohammed Bin Rashid City (1,037), followed by Business Bay (743), Downtown Jebel Ali (647) and Rukan (636).
JVC is also top of the upcoming supply chart, with nearly 27,100 units due to come online between now and the end of 2028. Next are Business Bay (19,470), Azizi Venice (17,100), DAMAC Lagoons (10,730) and Arjan (9,750).-TradeArabia News Service
