Dubai real estate market Q1 2026: 44,100 transactions

Dubai real estate market recorded 44,100 transactions in Q1 2026, showing mixed off-plan strength and ready-market weakness, says Cavendish Maxwell.

Cavendish Maxwell data shows the off-plan segment made up 73% of sales between January and March and expanded 10.3% year-on-year, driving overall residential volumes up 4.2% versus Q1 2025. The ready segment, by contrast, declined 9.2% in the same quarter, marking a clear split between developer-led momentum and secondary-market cooling.

March was the softest month of the quarter with 12,700 transactions, a timing signal many investors watch. This mix means buyers and investors should separate liquidity trends from price trends when they assess opportunity in Dubai.

Dubai real estate market recorded 44,100 residential transactions in Q1 2026, with off-plan accounting for 73% of sales and overall activity up 4.2% year-on-year, according to Cavendish Maxwell.

The quarter split is stark: off-plan grew 10.3% year-on-year and represented the majority share at 73%, while the ready segment fell 9.2%. Total transactions for the period were 44,100, and March alone was the softest month with 12,700 transactions. Those numbers show volume was sustained by developer sales rather than secondary market turnover.

For investors and analysts the core risk is concentration: when 73% of sales come from off-plan, market health depends heavily on developer pipelines and buyer confidence in payment plans and completion schedules. A 9.2% drop in ready sales suggests secondary market liquidity tightened and could pressure resale spreads if deliveries slow or demand shifts.

March 2026 was the softest month of Q1 with 12,700 transactions, signaling a late-quarter slowdown in the Dubai real estate market as reported by Cavendish Maxwell.

A single month dip can reflect seasonal timing, buyer decision cycles and project handover calendars rather than a structural collapse; however, the March slowdown occurred against a quarter where off-plan sales dominated at 73% and overall volumes rose 4.2% year-on-year. Cavendish Maxwell highlighted that while off-plan activity expanded 10.3% YoY, ready sales contracted 9.2%, so the March softness likely concentrated in the secondary market rather than developer launches.

For market participants a March dip should prompt checks on developer delivery schedules, escrow flows and payment-plan milestones. If March weakness extends into the following quarter, it would be a clearer warning sign for pricing pressure; if it rebounds, it will confirm that the slowdown was calendar-driven rather than demand-driven.

Off-plan sales drove the Dubai property market in Q1 2026 because they represented 73% of transactions and grew 10.3% year-on-year, lifting total volumes by 4.2%, per Cavendish Maxwell.

Developers remain the primary source of inventory and marketing push, and off-plan benefits from staged payment plans and fresh, well-priced launch products that attract both investors and end buyers. The reported 44,100 transactions show most demand was captured at launch stages rather than in the secondary market, where ready-sales fell 9.2%. That pattern concentrates market momentum in segments where developers control supply and pricing.

The upside is clearer short-term liquidity and predictable delivery pipelines for buyers in approved projects. The downside is concentration: investors must weigh higher off-plan exposure against potential delivery delays, quality variance and the risk that resales may lag if secondary demand does not recover in tandem with handovers.

• Off-plan gives lower initial capital outlay via staged payments
• Off-plan accounted for 73% of Q1 sales and grew 10.3% YoY
• Ready market fell 9.2%, offering selective resale opportunities

Q1 2026 results mean investors should prioritise off-plan exposure but watch ready-market weakness: 44,100 transactions with a 73% off-plan share and a 9.2% drop in ready sales require selective strategies, per Cavendish Maxwell.

For investors seeking volume-driven returns, off-plan deals offer access to growth where sales momentum exists, evidenced by a 10.3% YoY rise in off-plan. For end users, the ready market contraction may create chances to negotiate on completed units, since secondary liquidity softened. Both groups should factor in March’s 12,700 transactions as a timing signal rather than a definitive trend without follow-through in Q2.

Risk management means checking developer reputations, escrow protection and realistic rental or resale expectations. The headline numbers show demand exists, but the split between off-plan and ready markets changes how that demand translates into price gains or rental yield in the next 12 to 24 months.

Cavendish Maxwell’s Q1 2026 snapshot shows the Dubai real estate market had 44,100 residential transactions, with off-plan capturing 73% and rising 10.3% year-on-year while ready sales fell 9.2%. The numbers point to developer-led volume growth but highlight secondary-market weakness that investors and end users must weigh over the coming quarters.