AED
April 2026 was a quieter month for deal count but another strong one for prices. Dubai recorded 14,045 property sales worth AED 48.24 billion across all property types, with the all-property median rising to AED 1,837/sqft from AED 1,742 in March.
Across apartments, villas and commercial units, both volume and value fell 21% against a very strong April 2025. Yet every core category set an April record for price per square foot. The market is trading less, not cheaper, and commercial property once again bucked the trend.
April 2026 in numbers
Apartments, villas and commercial units together recorded 13,810 deals worth AED 41.50 billion, both down 21% year on year. Plots added 231 deals worth AED 6.69 billion, bringing the all-property total to AED 48.24 billion.
Apartments fell 17% to 11,425 transactions, 2,275 fewer than April 2025, making them the biggest contributor to the slowdown. Value dropped a gentler 10% to AED 24.12 billion because pricing firmed: the median rose 11% to AED 1,838/sqft and the typical apartment sold for AED 1.45 million, up 14%.
Villas took the sharpest hit. Volume almost halved, down 47% to 1,823 deals, and value fell 45% to AED 13.40 billion. Even so, the median price climbed 17% to AED 1,772/sqft and the median villa ticket jumped 38% to AED 4.8 million.
Commercial was the only category to grow. Deals rose 34% to 562, the strongest April on record, while value surged 277% to AED 3.98 billion. The median price per square foot doubled year on year to AED 3,498.
Off-plan still leads, but handovers caught up
Developer sales took 76% of deals and 79% of value in April: 10,535 transactions worth AED 32.59 billion. Resale made up the remaining 3,275 deals worth AED 8.91 billion.
The off-plan premium widened. New stock traded at a median of AED 1,915/sqft against AED 1,554/sqft for resale, a gap of roughly 23%, up from around 12% in March.
Unlike March, when launches ran at twice the pace of handovers, completions outpaced launches. Twenty-seven projects delivered 7,942 units while 17 projects launched 7,142, a ratio of 0.9. The largest launch was Ellington’s Meriva Sunset on Dubai Islands at 2,708 units, followed by Zaya’s Lunaya in Saih Shuaib 1. Major handovers included Sobha Hartland’s The Crest Tower A, Deyaar’s Regalia in Business Bay, Emaar’s The Cove II townhouses at Dubai Creek Harbour and several phases of Nakheel’s Jebel Ali Village.
Prices and rents
The all-property median reached AED 1,837/sqft in April, and apartments, villas and commercial units all set April records. Villas are now 125% above their 2014 level and apartments 43% above.
Renewals kept getting more expensive. Median apartment renewal rents rose 8.4% to AED 59,901 a year, villa renewals rose 7.3% to AED 161,000 and commercial renewals rose 9.1% to AED 120,000. Renewal contract numbers also grew, by 3% to 5% across all three types.
New lettings told a softer story. The median new apartment rent held flat at AED 70,000, new villa rents slipped 2.8% to AED 175,000 and new commercial rents edged up 2.7% to AED 132,417. New-lease volumes fell in every segment, including a 19% drop to 8,892 apartment contracts.
The result is a narrowing gap between renewing and moving. A typical apartment tenant now saves about AED 10,000 a year by staying put, down from roughly AED 13,000 in March.
Where the activity was
Business Bay led all districts by value at AED 3.45 billion, while Dubai South led by volume for the second month running with 1,157 deals.
By value, Business Bay was followed by Dubai Islands (AED 2.81 billion), Saih Shuaib 1 (AED 2.14 billion), Dubai South (AED 1.93 billion) and MBR City (AED 1.88 billion). By volume, Dubai South was followed by Jabal Ali First, home to Jebel Ali Village and Al Furjan (885 deals), Al Barsha South Fourth, home to JVC (830), Wadi Al Safa 5 (810) and Dubai Islands (732).
Dubai Islands and Dubai South were the only areas on both lists. Dubai Islands in particular is emerging as a value hotspot, helped by the Meriva Sunset launch.
At the top end, a unit at Aman Residences Tower 2 in Jumeirah Second sold for AED 171 million, followed by AED 121.8 million at Baccarat Residence T1 in Downtown Dubai. The biggest villa deals were AED 76 million in MBR City and AED 75 million in Wadi Al Safa 3.
Other headlines from April
- Q1 2026 hit AED 252 billion. DLD reported first-quarter real estate transactions up 31% in value year on year. Foreign investment rose to AED 148.35 billion, and the investor base grew 8% to 48,448, including 29,312 first-time investors.
- Rental contracts held steady. Q1 rental contracts were worth AED 32.2 billion across 118,385 new leases and 135,607 renewals, while cancellations fell 25%.
- Residency visas move closer to the property process. GDRFA Dubai and DLD signed an MoU to integrate Golden Residency, Retiree Residency and Property Residency services into the GDRFA system.
- Al Habtoor commits AED 5 billion. Al Habtoor Group announced a new investment of more than AED 5 billion in Dubai real estate on 9 April.
- DLD takes Dubai to India. DLD hosted the Dubai Real Estate Connect event in New Delhi as part of its international investment strategy.
- AI is cleaning up listings. DLD’s advertising governance platform has now reviewed more than 279,000 listings, with around 29% automatically corrected.
The Vetra View
April confirmed what March hinted at: Dubai is trading fewer homes at higher prices. A 21% drop in core volume looks dramatic, but it comes against a very strong April 2025, and prices kept climbing in every category. With Q1 investment up 31% and foreign capital still flowing in, demand has moderated rather than disappeared.
For buyers: Villa activity has nearly halved, which gives serious buyers more room to negotiate on ready homes. The off-plan premium over resale has widened to about 23%, so ready stock in established communities now offers noticeably better value per square foot.
For investors: Completions overtook launches in April, adding thousands of new homes to the rental pool. Focus on communities with proven tenant demand and strong infrastructure, such as Dubai South, Dubai Islands and Business Bay. Commercial remains the standout segment, with volumes and prices both at April records.
For tenants and landlords: Renewal rents are rising 7% to 9% while new-lease rents are flat or falling. Tenants should compare the market before renewing, as the savings from staying put are narrowing. Landlords with new handovers may need sharper pricing to secure tenants quickly.
Thinking about buying, selling or leasing in Dubai? Speak to the Vetra Real Estate team for a view on your specific community.
