Dubai Real Estate Market Sales Performance – December and Full Year 2025

Dubai's real estate market closed 2025 with its strongest performance on record, capping the year with a powerful December finish.

For investors, owners and market stakeholders, 2025 was not just another strong year – it consolidated Dubai’s status as a mature, highly liquid global real estate hub, with depth across off‑plan and ready segments, all main asset classes, and a broad spread of locations.

December 2025: A Record‑Setting Year-End Surge

• Total Sales Volume: 18,592 transactions.

• Total Sales Value: Reaching 63.2 Bil AED.

  
  

December 2025 was one of the strongest months ever recorded in Dubai property sales, both in value and in the number of transactions.

The average price per square foot climbed to AED 1,804 ($492), representing a 2.8% MoM increase. This consistent price appreciation across segments demonstrates fundamental market strength and sustained investor confidence in Dubai's long-term value proposition.

Segment Performance Breakdown: Off-Plan Surge, Apartments Dominate

Off-Plan Properties

Off-plan property transactions activity remained elevated because of prolonged payment schedules and the launch of new projects in various master-planned communities.

The strength of the off-plan segment reflects several key market drivers: major project launches across premium and mid-market segments, competitive developer incentives including extended payment plans, and robust investor confidence in Dubai's development pipeline.

Ready Properties

The resale market recorded lower transaction volume but stronger price appreciation.

The preference for off-plan properties reflects buyers' strategic approach to capitalizing on Dubai's future growth trajectory. Check out our research article on key considerations for buying off-plan versus ready properties in Dubai.

The percentage movement of overall transactions value by property type in December:

Apartments: 37%

Apartments continued to be the workhorse of the market in both volume and liquidity, supported by steady end‑user and investor demand.

Villas and Townhouses: 16.6%

Strongest interest remained in family‑oriented communities and premium master‑planned areas.

Commercial Properties: 190.8%

About 700+ commercial transactions (offices, retail, hospitality) totaling around AED 2.3–2.6 billion, with commercial showing some of the highest year‑on‑year growth rates in 2025.

Land Plots: 103%

Approximately 390–400 plots traded, with values in the mid‑teens of billions of dirhams, confirming continued confidence in future development opportunities and land banking strategies.

Full Year 2025 real estate market in Dubai: The Strongest Year on Record

• Total Sales Volume: 215,736 transactions

• Total Sales Value: Reaching 686 Bil AED

Dubai’s real estate market closed 2025 at an all-time high. Based on transaction records from the Dubai Land Department, total property sales reached AED 686.8 billion across 215,736 transactions.

2025 delivered about 31% more sales value than 2024, decisively outperforming the previous all‑time record.

The investor base continued to expand, reaching around 193.1 thousand, an increase of 24%, including 129.6 thousand new investors, representing 23% growth. Resident investors accounted for 56.6% of the total.

For context:

• 2020 transaction value: AED 71.5 billion

• 2025 transaction value: AED 686.8 billion

This represents cumulative growth of 861% over five years.

First‑sale deals represented about 70% of all transactions, confirming the dominance of developer‑led activity in Dubai’s growth phase.

Ready properties saw fewer transactions but higher average ticket sizes in prime and mature communities, especially in villas and income‑producing stock.

Financing Trends: Mortgage Strengthens

Mortgages represented a growing share of total value, reflecting the rise of end‑users and longer‑term financing‑backed investors. Around 51,000 mortgage deals totaling roughly AED 179–180 billion in 2025.

Dubai provides a mix of advantages for foreign investors aiming to enter the property market, such as:

• Freehold property ownership and zero property tax

• Zero personal income tax or capital gains tax, or withholding tax

• Lowest corporate income tax rate of 9%

• 100% foreign business ownership

• 100% repatriation of capital investment and total profit earned

• 10-year investor Golden Visa

• Investor-friendly policies providing foreign investment protection

• One of the world’s top tourist centers

  
  

Conclusion

While this report is focused on 2025 data, the profile of December’s performance and the full‑year numbers set the tone for 2026:

• The market enters 2026 from a position of record strength, not excess.

• Demand remains diversified across end‑users, regional investors, and global capital.

• The pipeline of under‑construction and newly launched projects should help moderate extreme price spikes while still supporting long‑term appreciation.

In this context, December 2025 is less an aberration and more a confirmation of a new baseline: a market capable of repeatedly delivering monthly sales north of AED 60 billion and annual totals approaching AED 1 Trillion, underpinned by real demand and long‑term structural drivers.

Source: Dubai Land Department; DXB Interact, Dubai Media Office