Dubai: During the first eight months of 2026, Dubai’s secondary market, the resale market, witnessed a rebalancing phase in activity, despite a decrease in the number of transactions compared to the levels recorded during the same period in 2025.
At the same time, transaction values maintained a degree of stability, and demand gradually shifted towards newer and more affordable communities. Property Finder explained that the market’s performance reflects its transition to a more mature stage, noting the market’s ability to maintain its price stability despite the decrease in the number of transactions.
Property Finder confirmed that capital is not leaving the market, but rather redirecting it towards higher-value options and newer offerings, in line with the needs of the next wave of residents. According to special data prepared by the Property Finder real estate platform, the resale market recorded about 40,963 transactions during the period from January to August 2026, with a total value of Dh153.4 billion.
Maturity stage
Property Finder's Chief Revenue Officer, Sherif Suleiman, said that "the market's performance reflects its transition to a more mature stage," explaining that lower trading volumes do not necessarily indicate weak demand, but rather reflect a change in the nature of the real estate and communities that attract capital.
Suleiman added that the decline was more concentrated in the volume of transactions, and not in the average value of the transaction, as the average value of the transaction in the secondary market rose slightly from Dh3.61 million to Dh3.75 million, noting that this increase does not necessarily mean a direct increase in property prices, as it is affected by the composition of the properties that were sold during the period, in addition to the effect of a limited number of transactions with high values. At the same time it reflects the market’s ability to maintain its price stability despite the decrease in the number of transactions.
Redirection of capital
Sulaiman believes that the most important indicator in reading the market is the change in the direction of capital, and not just the volume of transactions. While some established and high-priced communities, such as Business Bay, Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah, have slowed down compared to the strong levels they recorded in 2025, other communities have emerged with remarkable growth, including Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Dubai South, and Jebel Ali.
He said these shifts indicate that capital is not leaving the market, but rather redirecting towards higher-value options and newer offerings, in line with the needs of the next wave of the population.
He pointed out that the decline in activity in areas that recorded the highest growth rates during the past year, coinciding with the growth of new areas designed to accommodate future demand, represents one form of rebalancing in the market.
Market stability
On a monthly basis, the market showed a strong start in January, before slowing down from March, with activity entering a phase of gradual stabilisation until August.
Suleiman reported that the market stabilised during the second half of the monitored period at lower levels in terms of trading volume, but became more sustainable, reflecting a transition from the exceptional momentum the market experienced in 2025 to more selective activity.
He stressed that the continuation of the momentum during the coming period will depend on the extent to which this force can gradually move into established neighbourhoods and communities, in addition to the continued growth of new areas that attract demand and investments.