UAE Property Market Digest: September DLD Sales and Rentals — 30 September to 15 October 2026

In September 2026 the Dubai Land Department registered 11,430 property sales worth AED 29.66 billion, 9.9% more by value than in August but 44% below the record September of 2025. Rentals rose: 48,639 contracts in freehold areas, up 22.6% on August. ValuStrat recorded the first annual fall in villa prices since 2021.

How many property deals were registered in Dubai in September 2026?

According to the DLD, 11,430 sale-and-purchase deals were registered in the month. Including mortgage registrations and gifts, the total was 16,490 transactions worth AED 50.78 billion. Read our review of the September DLD figures.

September was the first month since summer in which both the value and the number of deals rose. Sales for the first nine months reached AED 379.4 billion, the second-best result in the market’s history after 2025.

Is there a property bubble in Dubai in 2026?

The UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index gives Dubai 1.16 points, against 1.09 a year earlier: fourth among 23 cities, in the elevated-risk zone.

By UBS’s calculation, a 60 m² flat costs about five years of a skilled services worker’s income, and its price equals roughly 16 years of rent. Read the UBS review.

The ValuStrat index for August 2026 stood at 218.8 points, down 3.1% year on year. Apartments fell 5.3% and villas 1.7%. Off-plan homes made up 73% of sales, and Azizi, with a 22.6% share, led among developers. Read the ValuStrat review.

Are rents in Dubai falling in 2026?

According to CBRE, average residential rents in Dubai fell 6.2% quarter on quarter in Q2 2026 and 2.6% year on year. The main cause is supply: about 18,000 homes were completed in the first half of the year.

Negotiating is easiest where new stock is heaviest, such as Jumeirah Village Circle and Business Bay. Read the CBRE report.

Even so, more contracts were signed: 48,639 rental contracts in September, of which 25,345 were new, up 25.6% on a year earlier. Al Warsan First led the nine-month ranking with 28,825 contracts, and one-bedroom flats accounted for 42% of all contracts. Read the September rental review.

How much does a ticket on the Dubai–Abu Dhabi train cost?

Etihad Rail’s passenger service began on 30 September 2026: about 1 hour 4 minutes on the timetable, with ten trips a day. Comfort fares start at AED 39 and Premium at AED 109. Read about the launch.

The Dubai station, Al Yalayis, is near Jumeirah Golf Estates and is linked to the Red Line metro by an overhead walkway of about 400 metres.

The Blue Line metro is also in this period’s news: 14 stations from the international airport through Al Jaddaf to Academic City, a bridge across the creek to Dubai Creek Harbour, and interchanges with the Red and Green Lines. Read about the Blue Line.

How much is a studio at Kore by Imtiaz?

A 37.7 m² studio at Kore by Imtiaz starts at AED 679,000, with handover scheduled for Q4 2028. The 17-storey building is by Imtiaz Developments in Dubai Land Residence Complex.

A one-bedroom flat starts at AED 1.1 million and a two-bedroom at AED 1.55 million. There are two payment plans, 50/50 and 60/40, and the DLD registration fee of 4% is added on top. No service charge has been announced, so ask for it before booking. Read the price and payment-plan review; the project page is here.

How many branded residences are there in Dubai?

According to the Knight Frank Residence Report 2026/27, Dubai has 175 branded residential projects: 68 operating and 107 under construction. That is more than any other city in the world. Miami, second in the ranking, has 73.

The UAE accounts for 19% of the world’s branded pipeline under construction. Whether a brand is worth paying for depends on the contract: whether an operator runs the building, how long the licence runs and what happens to the name if the parties part ways. Read the ranking review.

Does a property investor pay the 9% corporate tax?

Not if they own the property personally. The 9% corporate tax applies from 1 June 2023 to companies and sole proprietors with profits above AED 375,000.

An individual who buys, sells or rents out property is not caught by the tax, because personal ownership is not treated as a business activity. The UAE has no personal income tax, no property tax and no capital gains tax on sale.

The position changes when the activity becomes a business, for example when a property is bought through a company or flipped systematically. Check it with a tax adviser before buying. Read the full explanation.

Frequently asked questions

How many property sales were registered in Dubai in September 2026?

11,430 sale-and-purchase deals worth AED 29.66 billion, according to the DLD. That is about 44% fewer than in the record September of 2025.

How many rental contracts were registered in September 2026?

48,639 contracts in freehold areas, up 22.6% on August. Of these, 25,345 were new contracts.

How much is an Etihad Rail ticket from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?

Comfort fares start at AED 39 and Premium at AED 109. The timetabled journey takes about 1 hour 4 minutes.

How many stations will the Dubai Blue Line metro have?

14 stations, from the international airport through Al Jaddaf to Academic City, including a bridge to Dubai Creek Harbour. The line is part of the city’s development plan to 2040.

Choosing an area with infrastructure in mind? Start with the Kore by Imtiaz page, where we work through price per square foot and the payment plan.