Dubai's quarterly residential realty deals top 50,000 for the first time
According to the latest report by Savills, the emirate recorded over 50,000 residential transactions — a 21 per cent year-on-year increase and the highest quarterly volume ever.
Apartments continued to dominate the landscape, accounting for 80 per cent of all transactions, while off-plan sales remained the cornerstone of market activity, representing 70 per cent of deals. This marks a steady rise from 68 per cent in 2024 and 55 per cent in 2023, underscoring the growing appeal of new developments.
Zone 6, which includes areas along the Al Khail corridor such as Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), Dubailand, and Damac Hills 2, emerged as the most active region, contributing 53 per cent of total transactions. Nearly half of all new residential launches were concentrated in this zone, with major projects like Parkwood by Emaar and Timez by Danube leading the charge.
The ready market also showed resilience, with over 15,000 transactions in completed properties. Apartments made up 83 per cent of these sales, reflecting a continued shift toward more affordable and available housing options. Meanwhile, villa and townhouse transactions held steady at around 10,000 per quarter.
Supply surged in response to demand, with 20,000 units launched in Q2 alone — a 66 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Apartments dominated new launches, comprising 91 per cent of the total, while future supply is expected to expand with masterplan developments like Jumeirah Golf Estates Phase 2 and Jebel Ali Racecourse.
Dubai's prime residential segment also saw remarkable growth, with over 2,500 properties transacted above Dh10 million — double the volume from Q2 2024. Villas led the premium market, accounting for 76 per cent of high-value transactions, with off-plan deals making up 80 per cent of this segment. The Oasis, Palm Jebel Ali, and Acres were among the top-performing villa communities.
Approximately 6,000 units were added to the city's residential stock during the quarter, bringing the H1 volume to 13,500. In addition, approximately 20,000 residential units are slated for completion in H2 2025, underscoring the strength of Dubai's supply pipeline.
Government initiatives continue to bolster the market. The launch of the Dh20.6 billion Dubai Metro Blue Line in May 2025 promises enhanced connectivity across key districts by 2029. Additionally, the Dubai Land Department introduced a First Time Buyer Scheme, offering incentives such as preferential pricing and flexible payment plans to encourage homeownership.
Capital values remained strong, with villas appreciating by 4 per cent overall and prime communities seeing gains of up to 10 per cent. Apartment values held steady year-on-year, supported by luxury launches and sustained demand.
Looking ahead, Dubai is poised to attract nearly 9,800 millionaires in 2025, according to Henley & Partners, reinforcing its status as a global hub for wealth and investment. Savills Dynamic Wealth Index placed Dubai as the top global city for attracting and developing individual wealth, driven by the strong quality of life proposition, low tax environment and strength of the Golden Visa programme.
Despite potential global economic headwinds, the city's political stability, business-friendly environment, and strategic vision continue to position its residential market for sustained growth. 'The emirate's political stability, competitive regulatory landscape, and business friendly ecosystem are expected to support ongoing population and investment inflows,' the report, authored by Andrew Cummings, Head of Residential Agency Middle East and Rachael Kennerley, Director - Research at Savills, said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ARN News Center
43 minutes ago
- ARN News Center
Dubai International Chamber records 138% registration increase in H1
Dubai International Chamber has recorded a 138 per cent increase in companies under its jurisdiction in the first half of 2025, attracting a total of 143 companies. The increase included 31 multinational companies (MNCs), marking a 138 per cent increase over the 13 attracted in H1 2024. Meanwhile, 112 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) joined the Chamber during H1 2025, compared to the 47 attracted during the same period last year. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of Dubai International Chamber, stated, 'We are making strong and steady progress in consolidating Dubai's position as the global destination of choice for foreign direct investment and a launchpad for companies targeting international growth. This momentum is fuelled by Dubai's unique competitive advantages, which include world-class infrastructure, a pro-business regulatory environment, and a strategic location connecting global markets.' He added, 'Dubai International Chamber's global network of representative offices plays a major role in attracting entrepreneurs, investors, and multinational companies. Our offices contribute to strengthening trade and investment ties with priority markets while fostering business partnerships between Dubai-based companies and their counterparts across the globe.' During the first half of 2025, Dubai International Chamber continued to advance the objectives of the Dubai Global initiative, which seeks to establish 50 international representative offices by 2030. The chamber's growing global network plays a central role in positioning Dubai as a leading international business hub, attracting foreign direct investment, and supporting the global expansion of Dubai-based companies into 30 priority markets. As part of these efforts, the chamber expanded its international presence with the opening of five new offices in Dhaka (Bangladesh), Cape Town (South Africa), Bengaluru (India), Bangkok (Thailand), and Toronto (Canada). During the first half of this year, the Chamber's representative offices organised 247 business roundtables to promote Dubai as a global business hub, attract foreign direct investments, and introduce Dubai as a launchpad for expansion into global markets. This international network serves as a strategic platform linking Dubai with global business communities. It facilitates two-way investment flows, unlocks new channels for bilateral trade, and helps companies in each market tap into the opportunities Dubai offers as a gateway to the world. The chamber's offices also play a vital role in promoting Dubai's competitive advantages as a destination for business growth and expansion. They deliver actionable market intelligence and provide tailored support for international companies seeking to establish a presence in the emirate and scale into high-potential global markets.
Gulf Business
an hour ago
- Gulf Business
Operation Pink Diamond: Dubai Police foil $25m diamond heist
Image: Dubai Media Office The investigation revealed that the gang had been plotting the heist for over a year, targeting a diamond certified by a leading gemological institute with a unique purity rating — so rare that there is only a 0.01 per cent chance of finding another like it. The criminal scheme The suspects, all of Asian nationality, devised a sophisticated plan to deceive the diamond's owner, a jeweller, by posing as wealthy buyers interested in purchasing the gem. They rented luxury cars, held meetings at upscale hotels, and even hired a renowned diamond expert to authenticate the stone, creating the illusion of credibility and legitimacy. Their ultimate goal was to persuade the merchant to move the diamond out of his secure shop. Once the diamond was brought to a villa under the pretext of meeting the 'buyer', the gang attempted to seize it. Police foil the plot Dubai Police CID teams leveraged advanced technology to track and identify the three suspects, who initially lived together but dispersed to different locations after the heist. A specialised task force raided their locations simultaneously, apprehending the suspects and recovering the diamond before it could leave Dubai, hidden in a small refrigerator destined for an Asian country. The recovered pink diamond is classified as 'Fancy Intense', weighing 21.25 carats, with exceptional clarity, symmetry, and polish, rated excellent. Its extraordinary value and rarity made it a prime target, prompting the gang's elaborate year-long planning. Merchant praises police response The diamond's owner expressed admiration for the Dubai Police's swift and professional action. He recounted calling 999 immediately after the theft, and noted: 'Multiple patrols arrived within minutes, began the investigation, and offered constant reassurance. To my surprise, the very next morning, they called to say the suspects had been arrested and the diamond recovered.' Operating in Dubai since 2005, the merchant admitted being caught off guard by the scheme, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the emirate's safety guidelines for the diamond trade: 'Dubai has become a safe global centre for diamond trade. It's important we uphold the standards that make that possible.' 'Operation Pink Diamond' not only recovered one of the world's rarest gemstones but also reinforced Dubai's reputation as a secure hub for high-value commodities. The operation highlights the city's law enforcement capabilities and the proactive measures it takes to protect investors and merchants in the luxury trade sector.
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Flying taxi services closer as Archer, Joby complete first and longest piloted flights
Flying taxi services in the UAE have moved a step closer to reality, as Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation successfully completed their first and longest piloted flights. Joby Aviation signed a definitive agreement with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in February 2024 to launch air taxi services in Dubai by 2026. Meanwhile, Archer Aviation has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to introduce flying taxi services in Abu Dhabi. Both companies are expected to roll out their services later this year or next year. On Monday, Archer announced that its Midnight aircraft successfully completed its longest piloted flight to date, covering approximately 55 miles in 31 minutes at speeds exceeding 126mph. The flight took place at Archer's flight test facility in Salinas, California. Test flights in the preceding week reached speeds of nearly 150mph over a variety of patterns. This latest achievement advances toward certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US and near-term commercialisation in the UAE. 'Crossing the 50-mile mark at speed is another clear step toward commercialisation that shows the maturity of our programme,' said Adam Goldstein, Archer's founder and CEO. Midnight flight test pilots will continue to expand speed and duration, and test mission profiles that map to early commercial operations in the UAE. US-based Archer Aviation last week said it would expand on its in-country operations in the UAE, including pilot training, maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) setup and flight testing to gather additional data for certification and commercialisation plans in the UAE and the US over the coming quarters. Joby's successful piloted flight Meanwhile, Joby Aviation said it successfully completed its first piloted flight between two US airports in controlled airspace. Set to launch its commercial flying taxi service in Dubai in the first half of 2026, Joby's piloted flight lasted approximately 12 minutes over 10 nautical miles. It included five minutes in a holding pattern for air traffic spacing, reflecting the progress the electric air taxi firm is making toward securing approval from the US regulator to launch commercial service. In February 2024, Joby Aviation signed a definitive agreement with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in 2026. RTA and Joby also partnered with Skyports for the construction of vertiports. Joby's piloted flight follows a previous successful test flight at its facility at the Dubai Jetman Helipad in Margham, along the Dubai–Al Ain Road, in June 2025. The aircraft completed several loops over the facility and surrounding desert. The US company operated the flight in airspace controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), between Marina (OAR) and Monterey (MRY) airports in California. 'Successfully flying from Marina to Monterey showcased operations of our aircraft integrated into the broader transportation network and further validated its performance to ensure we're prepared for service on day one,' said Didier Papadopoulos, president of aircraft development and manufacturing at Joby. 'For years, our flight testing has validated our aircraft's capabilities, and we've done this across a wide range of environmental conditions.' Joby recently began the final assembly of its first aircraft for Type Inspection Authorisation (TIA) flight testing – one of the last major steps in FAA certification. The company plans to begin flight testing with FAA pilots early next year. Following certification, Joby aims to launch commercial service in the US, starting in Los Angeles and New York City.
