Dubai’s residential property market remained highly active during the first half of 2026. Around 80,509 residential properties worth AED 226.5 billion were sold during H1, making it the second-strongest first half on record by sales value according to Engel & Völkers’ market report.
Rental demand also remained strong, with the report placing Dubai’s average gross residential rental yield at approximately 6.6% in June 2026. Apartments recorded an average of 6.9%, compared with 5.1% for townhouses and 4.5% for villas, although actual returns vary considerably by property and location.
For investors, Dubai continues to provide choices across off-plan developments, ready properties, apartments, villas and luxury residences. Rather than focusing only on headline prices, buyers should consider location, developer track record, service charges, rental demand and their intended investment period.