Dubai Property Sales Reach Dh35 Billion in October as Rental Contracts Head for Record

The report also says 2026 is on course for a record number of rental contracts. With two months to go, the 339,557 contracts registered from January to October are 6.8% above the same period last year. The full-year 2025 total, which the report puts at 377,976, is the record to beat.

An earlier fäm analysis, reported by Khaleej Times in August, gave the 2025 total as 377,660, so the record cited depends on which count is used.

October alone saw 44,841 rental contracts registered in freehold areas, the report said. New leases rose 3.8% year on year to 21,987, and renewals rose 0.5% to 22,854. One-bedroom apartments made up the largest share of leasing this year, with 138,836 contracts, or 41% of the total. Al Warsan First was the most active rental area, with 29,826 contracts in the first ten months.

Off-plan sales still made up most of the activity. There were 7,609 off-plan deals worth Dh19.2 billion in October, against 4,289 resales worth Dh15.6 billion. Dubai South led off-plan sales for the eighth month running, with 720 deals worth Dh894.6 million.

By property type, 8,888 apartments sold for Dh15.5 billion and 1,356 villas for Dh9.1 billion, the report said. Plot sales rose 92.7% from September to 449, worth Dh5.9 billion. Townhouse sales rose 8% to 649 units, worth Dh2 billion. There were also 540 commercial deals for offices and shops, worth Dh2.3 billion.

About two-thirds of October's sales were for properties under Dh2 million. Those under Dh1 million made up 30.6%, and those between Dh1 million and Dh2 million made up 33.1%. Properties above Dh5 million took 10.4%. The most expensive apartment sold for Dh58 million in the Selina B building on Dubai Islands. The priciest villa went for Dh97 million in Eden Hills.

Firas Al Msaddi, chief executive of fäm Properties, said the growth in both new leases and renewals showed that housing demand in Dubai remains strong. He said buyers' continued preference for off-plan homes reflected confidence in the market's long-term prospects.

At the pace of the first ten months, Dubai needs about 38,400 more rental contracts in November and December to beat its 2025 total, which is below October's monthly figure.