Dubai, UAE, 10th September, 2026: The pace of new and renewed rental contracts recorded in Dubai’s freehold areas continues to increase as the property market moves steadily towards an all-time record in 2026.
A market analysis from fäm Properties today shows that 39,645 rental contracts were registered across Dubai’s freehold areas in August, a 3.79% MoM increase. The volume of new contracts climbed 19.4% YoY to 20,611, while renewals increase by 4.4% YoY to 19,034.
This takes the total number of freehold rental contracts recorded for the first eight months in 2026 to 257,284, a 5.5% increase on the same period in 2025 which ultimately set a full-year record of 377,944 registered contracts.
To date this year, the leading area of Dubai in freehold rentals is Al Warsan First, with a total of 23,894 registered tenancy contracts. Underlining a consistent apartments preference in the market, 105,880 (41%) tenancy contracts registered were for one-bedroom units.
Meanwhile, Data from DXBinteract shows that the market delivered 12,018 sales transactions valued at AED28.6 billion last month. Once again off plan sales dominated with 8,359 transactions worth AED 16.3 billion compared with 3,659 valued at AED12.4 billion in the resale market.
For a sixth consecutive month, Dubai South was the emirate’s best-performing area in primary market sales volume, recording 1,908 off-plan transactions worth AED2.3 billion.
“The rental market is an important indicator of how committed people are to living and working in Dubai, regardless of regional uncertainties over the last months,” said Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties. “The volume of new contracts in part reflects the fact that tenants are moving to take advantage of lower rents in some areas, which is natural in the circumstances.”
August recorded 9,974 apartment sales worth AED 15.7 billion, alongside 1,354 villa sales worth AED 7.9 billion, 183 plot sales valued at AED2.6 billion, and 420 commercial transactions, including offices and shops, worth AED AED1.5 billion.
The most expensive apartment sold in August went for AED86 million at The Address, Jumeirah Gate Tower 2 at Jumeirah Beach, while the most expensive villa fetched AED110 million at Signature Villas.
With properties worth more than AED5 million accounting for 5.7% of sales, 7.25% were between AED3-5 million, 10.9% between AED2-3 million, 33.2% between AED1-2 million and 42.8% were below AED1 million.
TOP FIVE PERFORMING AREAS IN OFF-PLAN SALES AUGUST 2026
| Volume | Sales value | |
| Dubai South | 1,908 | AED2.3B |
| Wadi Al Safa 4 | 863 | AED839M |
| Jebel Ali | 644 | AED674.1M |
| Al Barsha South Fourth | 419 | AED531.5M |
| Wadi Al Safa 3 | 335 | AED417.1M |
BEST-SELLING PROJECTS DURING AUGUST
Primary market apartments
| Project | Volume | Value | Median price |
| Azizi Venice 15 Building B | 344 | AED283.3M | AED703.6K |
Primary market villas
| Project | Volume | Value | Median price |
| Al Yufrah 1 | 156 | AED884.7M | AED5.6M |
Resale apartments
| Project | Volume | Value | Median price |
| Qasr Sabah 1 | 27 | AED12.8M | AED432.7K |
Resale villas
| Project | Volume | Value | Median price |
| Damac Lagoons – Portofino | 14 | AED59.4M | AED2.8M |
BREAKDOWN OF RENTAL AGREEMENTS BY BEDROOMS TO DATE IN 2026
| 1 bed | 105,880 | 41% |
| 2 beds | 59,420 | 23% |
| Studio | 55,336 | 22% |
| 3 beds | 25,507 | 10% |
| 4 beds | 8,625 | 3% |
TOP TEN AREAS BY RENTAL CONTRACTS REGISTERED TO DATE IN 2026
| Al Warsan First | 23,894 |
| Jebel Ali First | 21,687 |
| Al Barsha South Fourth | 20,607 |
| Business Bay | 16,637 |
| Nadd Hessa | 13,871 |
| Marsa Dubai | 13,692 |
| Al Thanyah Fifth | 10,758 |
| Al Barsha South Third | 8,862 |
| Dubai Investment Park First | 8,755 |
| Wadi Al Safa 5 | 8,737 |
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