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Dubai's property market has made a strong start to 2026 with the highest January figures ever recorded. According to official data from the Dubai Land Department, 21,884 property transactions with a total value of Dh107.96 billion (about $29.4 billion) were registered in the first month of the year. This result was almost double that of January 2025, when the volume reached AED57.89bn - an increase of 86.5%.
The direct sales segment made a particular contribution, with 16,858 sales recorded, up 20.38% from a year ago (14,003 then). Sales reached AED 70.05 billion, the highest monthly total in Dubai's history, with an increase of 59.13% compared to January of the previous year.
The market activity is fuelled by several factors. A significant proportion of transactions are in off-plan properties, where investors appreciate the convenience of instalments and the prospect of price increases once the property is commissioned. The influx of new residents (the emirate's population has already exceeded 4 million), infrastructure expansion, golden visa programmes and the general economic recovery of the region continue to support high demand.
Experts emphasise that after several years of rapid growth, the market is gradually entering a more stable phase. Investors' decisions are now more often based on fundamentals - profitability, location, quality of projects - rather than on short-term excitement alone. Nevertheless, January's figures clearly show that interest in Dubai remains very strong, especially in the residential and premium segments.
Such an outstanding January sets a strong tone for 2026 and confirms Dubai's status as one of the most dynamic and attractive property markets on the planet.
