Cavendish Maxwell counts AED 72.6bn of Dubai home sales in Q3 2026

Dubai homes worth more than AED 72.6bn changed hands in the third quarter of 2026, according to Cavendish Maxwell's quarterly residential review, released through Zawya. The consultancy puts quarterly volume at around 34,000 transactions. Off-plan properties accounted for 72% of purchases and 65% of sales value, confirming that new launches remain the engine of activity even as the ready segment gains ground.

September on its own delivered nearly AED 23.2bn across about 10,300 transactions. That took residential sales value for the first nine months of 2026 to AED 292bn. The headline figures sit close to other Q3 reads, including Springfield Properties' count of AED 72.58bn across 33,949 residential transactions, which gives some comfort that the totals are consistent across data providers.

The seven-point gap between off-plan's share of purchases and its share of value is the part we would underline. It means the average off-plan ticket was smaller than the average ready ticket in the quarter. New launches are increasingly weighted toward compact apartments in emerging districts, while established villa and waterfront communities carry the larger individual transactions.

It is also worth reading the quarter against the first half. Cavendish Maxwell recorded close to 79,200 residential transactions in H1 2026, so a quarter of roughly 34,000 sits at a steadier pace than the record run earlier in the year. That is not a contraction in value terms, but it does suggest the market has moved from acceleration into a more measured rhythm.

Buyers drawn to off-plan should focus on what the value gap implies: much of the volume is in smaller units in newer areas, where future resale will compete with many similar homes. Choosing distinctive layouts, strong developers and communities with established infrastructure matters more than ever when so much comparable stock is being sold at once.

Owners of ready villas and prime apartments are holding the segment where capital per transaction is highest, and that depth supports pricing. Investors weighing the next quarter should watch whether monthly totals stay near the September level of about AED 23bn. A steady run at that pace would point to a mature, sustainable market rather than a peak.