Market Intelligence

Dubai’s mortgage market is showing a marked shift in borrower activity. Mortgage refinancing and equity-release enquiries grew 2.5 times year on year, while mortgage-backed property purchase volumes declined approximately 35% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Airports are reviewing future road and public transport projects serving Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai South, reinforcing connectivity as a key factor in the area’s long-term development outlook.

Dubai Holding Real Estate and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank have partnered on off-plan home financing for selected Dubai developments, with advertised pricing starting at 3.49% per annum and fixed for three years.

Dubai’s retail real-estate sales value reached AED3.8 billion in the first half of 2026, up 176.7% year-on-year. Off-plan retail premises represented nearly 60% of transactions and almost 70% of sales value, while Jumeirah Village Circle recorded more than 12% of off-plan retail transactions.

Dubai has begun studying a potential Metro connection between Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, with the work expected to take about one year. The study comes as the 30-kilometre Blue Line is under construction and the AED34 billion Gold Line moves forward with an inauguration target of September 9, 2032.

Dubai retail property rents increased 5.9% year on year during the first half of 2026, moving from AED 238 to AED 252 per square foot. The performance reinforces the importance of location, leasing quality and tenant retention for owners and investors assessing the emirate’s retail assets.