Dubai Secondary Market Surges With $4.19 Billion in Resales and Record Investor Gains

Dubai property resales hit $4.19B in March 2026 with 89.5% of deals profitable. Rents rise 7% as villa demand surges across the emirate.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 17, 2026, 10:06 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from fäm Properties and ZAWYA

The Transaction or Development

The Dubai property market demonstrated remarkable resilience in March 2026, as secondary market activity reached new heights. According to a market analysis by fäm Properties, the city recorded 3,308 resale transactions with a total value of AED 15.39 billion ($4.19 billion). This volume of secondary sales underscores a shifting dynamic where ready-to-move-in properties and established communities are increasingly favored by end-users and long-term investors. Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties, noted that while the first two months of the year were exceptionally strong, March has produced "genuinely positive results" that defy broader regional economic uncertainties.

Strategic Rationale and Market Impact

Investor profitability reached a significant milestone last month, with 89.5% of all resale transactions resulting in a profit. The median gain for sellers stood at 25%, translating to a collective net profit of AED 4.6 billion ($1.25 billion) for the month. This financial performance is largely attributed to the sustained capital appreciation seen in villas and land plots, which have become the market's primary growth engines. Villas, in particular, saw a 97% profitability rate with a median gain of 60%, while plot sellers achieved even higher median returns of 99%, reflecting the acute shortage of available land in prime central districts.

Regulatory and Competitive Landscape

The rental sector continues to provide a stable foundation for the broader market, with 36,658 residential tenancy contracts registered in March. Data from DXBinteract reveals that average rents for new residential contracts climbed 7% year-on-year to an average of AED 106,000 ($28,800). The villa segment remains the most competitive, with rents surging nearly 16% to an annual average of AED 387,000. These figures suggest that Dubai’s population growth, which surpassed 4 million residents in late 2025, is placing sustained pressure on existing housing stock, particularly in family-oriented communities.