A historic start…January 2026 records the highest real estate transactions and sales in Dubai ever

The real estate sector in Dubai began the first months of this year with a historic start, recording the highest value of total monthly real estate transactions and sales in the history of the Dubai real estate market, in clear confirmation of the continued strong momentum witnessed by the market and the confidence of local and international investors.

Real estate developers confirmed to Emirates Today that this record performance comes in light of the strength of the real estate system in the emirate, supported by the diversity of projects, the attractiveness of the investment environment, the stability of legislation, and the strength of demand, which strengthens Dubai’s position as one of the most prominent real estate destinations in the world.

In detail, this January, Dubai real estate transactions recorded their highest level ever at 107.96 billion dirhams, compared to 57.89 billion dirhams in January of last year, a growth of 86.5% on an annual basis, while total transactions grew by 17.27% to about 21,884 transactions, compared to 18,661 transactions in the same month of last year.

According to a monitoring prepared by Emirates Today, based on data from the Dubai Land Department, this January’s transactions included real estate sales worth 70.05 billion dirhams, which is the highest monthly value recorded in the history of the Dubai real estate market, with a growth of 59.13% over the same month of last year, amounting to 44.02 billion dirhams.

Monitoring showed that the real estate sector in the emirate recorded 16,858 sales during this January, compared to 14,003 sales in January of last year, a growth of 20.38%.

In turn, mortgage operations during this January recorded about 32.04 billion dirhams through 4,160 transactions, while donations amounted to 5.87 billion dirhams through the implementation of 826 transactions, during last January.

The “Al-Ruwayyah 1” area topped the list of areas with the highest sales value this January, with sales estimated at about 6.31 billion dirhams, followed by the “Meaisem 2” area with about 6.04 billion dirhams, then “Al-Yalais 1” with 4.6 billion dirhams, followed by “Business Bay” in fourth place with 3.51 billion dirhams, and “Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Gardens” with 3.26 billion dirhams. Billions of dirhams.

The “Umm Suqeim First” area ranked sixth with sales amounting to 1.86 billion dirhams, followed by the “Palm Jebel Ali” area with 1.81 billion dirhams, then “Dubai Investment Park II” with 1.78 billion dirhams, and the “Palm Deira” area recorded 1.72 billion dirhams.

For his part, Chairman of the Board of Directors of On Plan Real Estate Company, Ahmed Al-Dawla, said, “The real estate market in Dubai is witnessing an unprecedented boom, driven by an increasing influx of individuals and families from various countries of the world to settle and live in the emirate,” adding that “Dubai is no longer a city of transit or temporary tourism, but rather has become a city of long-term stability for various nationalities.”

The state pointed out to Emirates Today that Dubai has established itself as a safe destination for residence and living, and is considered one of the most prominent global cities in terms of security, safety and stability, in addition to its integrated infrastructure and distinguished economic boom, thanks to the policies and visions pursued by the wise leadership.

He pointed out that the major projects being implemented in the emirate, including the mega projects in the Dubai International Financial Center, reflect the rapid economic growth witnessed by Dubai and contribute to enhancing its investment attractiveness, indicating that trading activity is increasingly focused on luxury and residential units intended for families.

He stressed that Dubai is no longer a city for individuals looking for job opportunities only, but rather an integrated city for life, providing high-level education, advanced health services, and infrastructure that is ranked among the best in the world, in addition to an abundance of job opportunities, which enhances its position as an ideal city for living and stability.

The state expects that real estate prices will continue to rise during the coming period, in light of the limited land available, increasing demand, and the entry of international developers into the Dubai market, which will lead to more momentum in the real estate sector.

He added that the Dubai real estate market recorded transactions amounting to approximately 917 billion dirhams during the year 2025, a number that was originally targeted for the year 2033, which reflects the accelerating pace of growth, and it is likely that the market will reach the level of one trillion dirhams in trading value during the coming period, according to the announced targets.

For his part, CEO of Al-Andalus Real Estate Group, Saleh Tabbakh, stressed that “the Dubai real estate market recording the highest levels of sales and transactions during the month of January reflects the strength of momentum enjoyed by the sector, and confirms the emirate’s position as one of the most dynamic and attractive real estate markets in the world, supported by sustainable economic growth and strong investment flows.”

He added that this record performance comes in light of the strength of the real estate system in Dubai, which is based on the diversity of projects, strong demand, and the stability of the legislative and regulatory frameworks, in addition to advanced infrastructure, which enhances the confidence of local and international investors, and consolidates the emirate’s position as a global real estate destination.

He pointed out that the real estate market is witnessing a clear shift towards long-term investments, driven by the high demand for medium-sized and luxury projects that provide real added value and integrated services, and are in line with the change in the behavior of investors searching for stable and sustainable returns, away from short-term speculation.

He explained that Dubai has strengthened its position as a preferred destination for foreign real estate investment, in light of the increasing demand from European and international investors, as interest is no longer limited to owning residential units only, but has expanded to include integrated projects that provide balanced lifestyles, high quality of living, and long-term returns, which reflects the maturity of the market and high investor awareness.