The Dubai property market index for October 2026 shows sales value up 18% on September, with buyers, and especially luxury buyers, turning to ready homes.
Quick Answer
Dubai registered 11,978 property sales worth AED 34.10 billion in October 2026, according to Sherwoods’ analysis of Dubai Land Department records. Value rose 17.9% on September, although land drove most of the gain. In addition, off-plan fell to 57.6% of sales, its lowest share this year. Meanwhile, ready homes made up 61% of sales above AED 10 million, against 11% in April.
This is the first edition of the Sherwoods Dubai Property Market Index. Every month, we first take every sale registered with the Dubai Land Department, run the same calculations and publish what changed. In short, the aim is simple: one consistent set of numbers that buyers, owners and journalists can check and reuse.
October is a good month to start, because the headline total hides a more interesting story underneath.
Key Takeaways
- Dubai recorded 11,978 property sales worth AED 34.10 billion in October 2026, up 17.9% in value and 5.9% in number on September, based on Dubai Land Department records.
- Land made up AED 13.18 billion, or 38.6% of October sales value; excluding land, sales value rose 4.2% on September.
- Off-plan deals were 57.6% of all sales in October, the lowest share of 2026, and off-plan deal numbers have fallen for four months in a row.
- Ready homes accounted for 49 of the 80 Dubai home sales above AED 10 million in October, or 61%, compared with 11% in April 2026.
- The median Dubai apartment sold for AED 1,661 per square foot in October, with off-plan apartments at AED 1,759 and ready apartments at AED 1,374.
Table of Contents
- What does the index show for October 2026?
- Is off-plan losing its share of Dubai sales?
- Why are luxury buyers choosing ready homes?
- What are Dubai apartments selling for per square foot?
- Which areas led Dubai property sales in October?
- How the index is calculated
- Expert View From Our CEO
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Does the Dubai Property Market Index Show for October 2026?
October 2026 brought 11,978 registered sales worth AED 34.10 billion. In other words, that is 17.9% more value than September’s AED 28.91 billion, on 5.9% more deals. Overall, Dubai has now recorded 134,576 sales worth AED 410.76 billion so far this year.
However, the rise was concentrated in land. For example, plot sales almost doubled, from 788 in September to 1,464 in October, and their value climbed from AED 8.84 billion to AED 13.18 billion. Excluding land, sales value rose a more modest 4.2%.
| October 2026 | Sales | Value |
|---|---|---|
| All sales | 11,978 | AED 34.10 billion |
| Off-plan | 6,905 | AED 13.50 billion |
| Ready, including land | 5,073 | AED 20.59 billion |
| Land plots | 1,464 | AED 13.18 billion |
| Villas | 1,009 | AED 3.93 billion |
| Apartments | 8,864 | AED 14.63 billion |
Source: Sherwoods analysis of Dubai Land Department sale transaction records, retrieved 11 November 2026.
Compared with a year earlier, however, activity is lower. DXBinteract data reported by Khaleej Times showed 19,875 sales worth AED 59.4 billion in October 2025, so October 2026 is roughly 40% below last year on both counts. Because the two datasets are not built in exactly the same way, treat the comparison as a guide rather than a precise figure.
Is Off-Plan Losing Its Share of Dubai Sales?
Off-plan still makes up most deals; however, its share is shrinking. Specifically, in October, 57.6% of sales were off-plan, the lowest of any month in 2026. For comparison, the share peaked at 73.0% in April.
In addition, the number of off-plan deals has fallen for four consecutive months, from 9,949 in June to 6,905 in October. Ready sales, by contrast, rose 32% on September to 5,073. Admittedly, part of that jump is land, which counts as ready. Even so, ready sales excluding land still rose 18%, from 3,048 to 3,609.
Similarly, villas picked up. In total, October saw 1,009 villa sales, up 29.7% on September and the highest monthly figure since April.
Why Are Luxury Buyers Choosing Ready Homes?
In fact, this is the clearest shift in the data. To measure it, we count every apartment and villa that sold for AED 10 million or more. Altogether, in October there were 80 such sales, worth AED 1.47 billion in total. Most importantly, 49 of those were ready homes, which is 61%.
Significantly, October was the first month this year in which ready homes outnumbered off-plan at the top of the market. In April, by contrast, ready homes were only 23 of 219 luxury sales, or 11%. As a result, the luxury market looks very different from the spring: fewer launches selling out, and more buyers paying for homes they can move into now.
Meanwhile, Palm Jumeirah led the segment again, with 21 of the 80 sales above AED 10 million. Notably, the most expensive home sold in October was a six-bedroom villa on Zaya Zuha Island at The World, registered on 2 October for AED 79 million. After that came a five-bedroom apartment at Balqis Residence on Palm Jumeirah at AED 55 million, and a four-bedroom at W Residences on the Palm at AED 53.7 million.
What Are Dubai Apartments Selling For Per Square Foot?
To begin with, the median apartment sold for AED 1,661 per square foot in October, almost unchanged from AED 1,659 in September. Over the year, though, the median is down 6.4% from AED 1,775 in January. That partly reflects the mix of what sold, because fewer premium launches went through in the summer.
At the same time, the gap between off-plan and ready remains wide. In particular, off-plan apartments sold at a median of AED 1,759 per square foot, against AED 1,374 for ready apartments, a premium of 28%. Therefore, for a buyer who wants to move in or rent out straight away, that gap is worth weighing carefully.
| Median, October 2026 | Value |
|---|---|
| Apartment price | AED 1.15 million |
| Villa price | AED 3.52 million |
| Apartment, AED per sq ft | AED 1,661 |
| Off-plan apartment, AED per sq ft | AED 1,759 |
| Ready apartment, AED per sq ft | AED 1,374 |
Source: Sherwoods analysis of Dubai Land Department sale transaction records.
Which Areas Led Dubai Property Sales in October?
Jumeirah Village Circle was again the busiest community, with 850 sales. Next was Dubai South, registered by the Dubai Land Department as Madinat Al Mataar, with 666, then Al Rowaiyah First with 644 and Business Bay with 446.
By value, on the other hand, Al Rowaiyah First led at AED 3.12 billion, followed by Business Bay at AED 1.72 billion. Notably, Palm Jebel Ali recorded AED 1.44 billion from just 44 sales, while Palm Jumeirah took AED 1.14 billion from 97.
Among off-plan projects, meanwhile, Binghatti Skyterraces recorded the most sales, with 207. In addition, you can read the wider October news, including the official Dubai Land Department totals, in our Dubai real estate news for October 2026.
How the Dubai Property Market Index Is Calculated
First, we take every transaction in the Dubai Land Department’s open data registered as a sale between the first and last day of the month. This means it includes off-plan pre-registrations and ready sales, plus land and buildings. Homes means apartments, hotel apartments, penthouses, duplexes, townhouse units and villas.
Second, price per square foot uses apartments only, dividing the sale value by the registered area. Because villa areas are registered inconsistently, we leave them out of that figure.
Finally, we exclude registrations above AED 30,000 per square foot, which are almost certainly data-entry errors. For instance, in October that removed one record, a Dubai Marina one-bedroom apartment registered at AED 919.8 million. As a result, totals can differ slightly from other published figures because of late registrations and different groupings.
Can I use these charts?
Expert View From Our CEO
“October tells me buyers are becoming more selective, not less interested. At the top of the market especially, people want to see and move into what they are buying, and that is why ready homes have taken the lead. For a patient buyer, this is a healthier market than the one we saw in the spring.”
Iseeb Rehman, CEO, Sherwoods International Property
Iseeb Rehman has 40 years of experience in real estate and leads Sherwoods, which has advised clients in Dubai and London for more than 38 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many properties were sold in Dubai in October 2026?
Dubai registered 11,978 property sales worth AED 34.10 billion in October 2026, according to Sherwoods’ analysis of Dubai Land Department records. Altogether, that includes off-plan and ready homes, commercial units, buildings and 1,464 land plots.
Are Dubai property sales down compared with last year?
Yes. For comparison, October 2025 recorded 19,875 sales worth AED 59.4 billion, according to DXBinteract data, so October 2026 was roughly 40% lower. However, sales value rose 17.9% on September, and ready home sales are increasing.
What share of Dubai property sales were off-plan in October 2026?
Off-plan deals made up 57.6% of all sales in October 2026, the lowest share this year. By comparison, in April the figure was 73.0%.
How many homes above AED 10 million were sold in Dubai in October 2026?
In total, there were 80 apartment and villa sales of AED 10 million or more, worth AED 1.47 billion. Of these, 49 were ready homes, and 21 were on Palm Jumeirah.
What is the average price per square foot for an apartment in Dubai?
The median Dubai apartment sold for AED 1,661 per square foot in October 2026. More specifically, off-plan apartments sold at a median of AED 1,759 and ready apartments at AED 1,374.
What was the most expensive home sold in Dubai in October 2026?
The highest-value home sale was a six-bedroom villa on Zaya Zuha Island at The World, registered on 2 October 2026 for AED 79 million.
Speak to Sherwoods About the Dubai Property Market
Whether you are buying a ready home, selling, or weighing off-plan against ready, our team can walk you through the latest registered sales for your community.
UAE: +971 4 355 0094 or +971 50 591 5762
UK: +44 20 3962 9980
Email: info@sherwoodsproperty.com
About Sherwoods
Sherwoods International Property has advised buyers, sellers, landlords and investors for more than 38 years, with offices in Dubai and London. The firm is led by CEO Iseeb Rehman, who has 40 years of experience in real estate. Sherwoods is registered with Dubai’s Real Estate Regulatory Agency under RERA number 1238.
Sources
- Dubai Land Department, open data on real estate transactions, all October 2026 and year-to-date figures in this index
- Emirates 24|7, Dubai real estate reaches Dh625 billion in 10 months, official October 2026 totals used as a cross-check
- Khaleej Times, Dubai real estate market breaks records with Dh559.4 billion in sales for 2025, October 2025 comparison based on DXBinteract data
Sherwoods Property, since 1988.
This index is general information and not investment advice. Figures correct as of November 2026.
General information, not legal or financial advice.