Dubai property prices have stopped falling: what the third quarter of 2026 showed

After a correction in the first half of the year, the Dubai market is showing its first signs of a turnaround.

From February 2026, apartment prices in Dubai declined for five consecutive months, by around 5% in total, as regional uncertainty and the quiet summer season cooled demand. In August the decline stopped, and in September prices rose by 0.3%. According to REIDIN, values increased in 28 of the 40 areas it tracks.

Apartments remain close to last year's level.
In September, apartment prices were only 1.6% below their 2025 level. Some communities are even well ahead: Meydan City, for example, shows growth of 18.8% year-on-year.

Buyers are returning — with mortgages.
Mortgages for new home purchases rose 26% in the third quarter compared with the second. Sales of apartments under AED 1 million increased by 12.7%, and ready homes grew to 28.8% of all deals, up from 23.6% in the spring.

Activity is lower than in the record 2025.
Third-quarter sales were around 37% below the same period last year, though the pace of decline slowed in September. Overall, Dubai registered transactions worth more than AED 574 billion in the first nine months of 2026 — one of the highest totals in the emirate's history.

New supply is arriving more slowly.
Developers completed 12,932 homes in the third quarter — only about a quarter of what had been scheduled. Delays in handovers ease pressure on the market and support prices in established communities.

Conclusion.
Periods of stabilisation have historically been a good time to enter the market: prices are more realistic, and developers and sellers are more open to negotiation. Empire City experts will help you pick properties with the best potential.

Based on Stake's Q3 2026 Dubai market report (REIDIN and ValuStrat data) and Dubai Land Department figures.