Dubai recorded AED 419.9 billion across 112,850 real estate transactions in H1 2026, with sales alone reaching AED 286.4 billion through roughly 86,000 deals — the second-highest half-year sales total on record (Dubai Land Department / Khaleej Times). That headline strength, however, masks a sharp Q2 cooldown: after a record Q1 of AED 252B, second-quarter residential sales fell about 31% in volume and 45% in value year-on-year (Betterhomes / REIDIN), partly reflecting earlier geopolitical uncertainty. Prices nonetheless kept edging higher — average apartment values reached AED 1,791/sqft (+1.2% YoY) and villas AED 2,325/sqft (+5.7% YoY) in Q2, while residential rents rose 3.1% YoY as tenant enquiries climbed and buyer enquiries eased. Off-plan continued to dominate at roughly 68% of H1 sales, with a heavy completion pipeline (about 74,100 homes due in 2026) expected to keep tempering price and rent growth.