Key Takeaways
- Dubai's real estate market continued to show strong activity in September 2026, with rental contracts increasing by 15.8% compared to August, according to a report by Property Finder.
- The report revealed that around 96,000 rental contracts were registered in Dubai during September, covering both residential and commercial properties.
- Villas and townhouses also attracted more interest, recording a 36% increase over the same period.
Dubai’s real estate market continued to show strong activity in September 2026, with rental contracts increasing by 15.8% compared to August, according to a report by Property Finder.
The report revealed that around 96,000 rental contracts were registered in Dubai during September, covering both residential and commercial properties. Residential rental contracts reached their highest monthly level since the beginning of 2026.
Growing Demand for Rental Properties
One of the main highlights of the report was the increase in new residential rental contracts.
Dubai recorded approximately 31,200 new residential rental agreements in September, excluding renewals. This increase was stronger than the growth recorded during the same month in 2024 and 2025.
Interest in renting properties also continued to grow across the UAE. Rental enquiries on Property Finder increased by 19.5% compared to September 2025 and by 53% compared to February 2026.
Apartments experienced particularly strong demand, with enquiries rising by 57% compared to February. Villas and townhouses also attracted more interest, recording a 36% increase over the same period.
These figures show that demand for rental homes remains active across different property types.
Property Sales Reach AED 29.4 Billion
Dubai’s property sales market also performed well in September.
The total value of real estate sales reached approximately AED 29.4 billion, representing a 3.1% increase compared to August.
Across the UAE, enquiries about buying residential properties increased by 17% during September, marking the second consecutive month of growth.
Interest in existing properties rose by 17.5%, while enquiries for newly developed and off-plan properties increased by 9.1%.
Although the number of secondary market transactions in Dubai declined by 1.7% to around 4,700 deals, the overall sales value continued to grow.
Mortgage Activity Jumps 43.6%
Mortgage activity was another important highlight of September’s real estate performance.
According to the report, the value of registered mortgages in Dubai increased by 43.6% to AED 9.72 billion.
The number of mortgage transactions also increased by 14.4%, reaching 3,622 registrations.
Mortgages were linked to 31% of apartment sales, compared to 20.3% in July. For villas, the figure reached 79.2%.
The increase in mortgage activity suggests that financing is playing an increasingly important role in property purchases.
More Buyers Are Looking for Homes to Live In
An interesting trend in the report was the growing number of buyers searching for properties for their own use rather than purely for investment.
According to Property Finder mortgage search data, 92.6% of buyer activity came from people looking to purchase a home for personal use, compared to 87.2% in July.
The share of mortgage applicants earning AED 60,000 or more per month also increased from 27.5% to 32.8%.
Demand for villas and townhouses within mortgage searches rose from around 30% to 34.4%, although apartments continued to account for the majority of enquiries.
This indicates growing interest from buyers looking for long-term housing solutions, particularly families seeking more living space.
What Does This Mean for Dubai’s Property Market?
September’s results highlight several positive developments in Dubai’s real estate sector.
Higher rental activity points to continued demand for housing, while growing property sales and mortgage registrations show that buyers remain active in the market.
The increase in owner-occupier interest is particularly important. A market supported by people buying homes to live in, alongside investors purchasing properties for rental income, can create a more balanced source of housing demand.
For property investors, the growth in rental enquiries is an encouraging sign. However, investment decisions should still consider location, property prices, rental yields, service charges and future housing supply.
For homebuyers, the increasing use of mortgages and demand for family properties highlight the importance of comparing available options and understanding financing costs.
Outlook
Dubai’s real estate market entered the final quarter of 2026 with strong rental demand, higher sales values and growing mortgage activity.
While these figures do not guarantee that property prices or rents will continue to rise, they show that both tenants and buyers remained active during September.
With demand coming from renters, investors and people looking for permanent homes, Dubai continues to demonstrate the strength and diversity of its property market.
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