Key Takeaways
- Dubai’s real estate market remained active in May 2026, showing strong demand across both sales and mortgage transactions.
- According to the latest market report by Realista, the city recorded 10,476 property sale transactions during the month, with a total sales value of AED 29.45 billion.
- The market averaged around 549 sales transactions per day, while total units sold reached 9,272.
Dubai’s real estate market remained active in May 2026, showing strong demand across both sales and mortgage transactions. According to the latest market report by Realista, the city recorded 10,476 property sale transactions during the month, with a total sales value of AED 29.45 billion.
The market averaged around 549 sales transactions per day, while total units sold reached 9,272. Mortgage activity also stayed healthy, with 2,410 mortgage transactions worth AED 17.56 billion. The mortgage-to-sale ratio stood at 23.1%, reflecting a balanced market where many buyers continue to purchase properties using cash, especially in the luxury and off-plan segments.
Off-Plan Market Leads Activity
Off-plan properties continued to dominate Dubai’s market in May. The report showed that off-plan sales accounted for 72.6% of all transactions, with 7,605 deals worth AED 16.17 billion. Secondary market transactions represented 27.4% of total sales, reaching AED 13.29 billion.
This highlights the strong demand for newly launched projects and developer payment plans, which continue to attract investors and end-users.
Apartments Continue to Dominate
Apartments remained the most traded property type in Dubai. The market recorded 8,773 apartment transactions valued at AED 14.6 billion, representing 83.7% of all sales activity. Villas also performed strongly, with 1,037 transactions worth AED 7.2 billion.
The report also showed that units represented the majority of overall sales composition, accounting for 88.5% of all transactions.
Top Performing Areas
Several areas across Dubai recorded strong sales performance during May.
For apartments, Dubai Islands led the market by value with AED 1.4 billion in sales, followed closely by Dubai South with AED 1.3 billion. Other strong-performing areas included Wadi Al Safa 3, Palm Jumeirah, and Marsa Dubai.
In the villa market, Palm Jebel Ali achieved the highest transaction value at AED 837.5 million, followed by Wadi Al Safa 3 and Me’Aisem First.
Luxury Segment Remains Strong
Dubai’s luxury real estate market continued to attract high-value buyers.
Among the most expensive apartment transactions recorded in May were units at Solaya 5 and Solaya 6 in Jumeirah First, which sold for AED 113 million and AED 106 million respectively. One Casa on Al Wasl also crossed AED 100 million in sales.
In the villa segment, Signature Villas recorded the highest villa sale at AED 145 million, while luxury communities such as Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills, Al Barari, and District One West also recorded major transactions.
Mortgage Market Shows Stability
The mortgage market remained stable throughout May 2026. Most mortgage activity came from the secondary market, which accounted for 98% of all mortgage transactions. Off-plan mortgage activity remained limited, mainly because many developers continue to offer flexible payment plans that reduce the need for bank financing at the launch stage.
The report also noted that land mortgages represented a significant share of financing activity, suggesting continued interest in large-scale land acquisitions and development opportunities.
Market Outlook
Overall, Dubai’s real estate market continues to show strong resilience and investor confidence. The combination of high off-plan demand, luxury market activity, and consistent financing levels reflects a market that remains active across multiple segments.
With new project launches, ongoing population growth, and strong international investor interest, Dubai continues to position itself as one of the world’s most attractive real estate investment destinations.
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