Dubai sees summer shift as tenants move home to reduce rents by 15%

Dubai Land Department analysis by fäm Properties shows switch to better-quality apartments as leasing activity remains steady

Dubai, UAE, 23^rd September; 2026: The Dubai real estate market has witnessed a clear shift during the summer months as hundreds of tenants moved home to take advantage of new leases reducing annual rents by up to 15%.

An analysis by fäm Properties of Dubai Land Department tenancy registrations shows that new leases exceeded renewals by 633 contracts in July, and by 2,139 in August – the first time this has happened in any month since the dataset began in January 2023.

Renewals had outnumbered new leases for 36 months in succession before the summer turnaround, with the switching by tenants concentrated in mid-market and prime districts.

“The reason for this is very simply about price, with new-lease rents for the same building and unit type now 15.3% lower than in January, while renewal rents are down about 1%,” said Firas Al Msaddi, founder and CEO of fäm Properties.

“Previously, it was in the interests of tenants to stay where they were, especially as moving home can be challenging in various ways. But that has all changed because tenants can now move to a comparable apartment for less than a renewal would cost.”

Data from DXBijnteract shows that, in August, new leases outnumbered renewals by 1,102 in Al Barsha South Fourth (Jumeirah Village Circle), 609 in Business Bay, 598 in Al Merkadh, 564 in Marsa Dubai (Dubai Marina) and 342 in Downtown Dubai. 

Meanwhile, in more affordable districts like Al Warsan First (International City), Jabal Ali First (Jebel Ali) and Nadd Hessa (Dubai Silicon Oasis), renewals still outnumbered new.

Overall, leasing activity has remained steady. New-lease contracts for January to August are 1% below the same period in 2025, with July (about 14,100) and August (about 15,600) above last year’s levels. Renewals are also 1% below 2025.

The median rent on new apartment leases was AED 94.6 per square foot in August, 8.3% below its October 2025 peak of AED 103.1. 

“The difference is that the leases still being signed are weighted towards better-quality and better-located stock, so the average of what is let holds up, while the price of any given apartment falls,” said Al Msaddi.

“Where landlords observed market conditions, leases were signed, while other tenants moved to capitalise on lower rents and other attractions. That is why the volume of registered contract held while rents fell.”