Property Finder: Dubai real estate hits $13.8B August sales on demand

Dubai, UAE - September 4, 2025 - Property Finder, the leading property portal in the MENA region, has released its August 2025 market performance highlights, reporting sustained growth across Dubai’s real estate sales market.

The city recorded $13.8 billion (AED 50.7 billion) in transactions across 18,564 deals, marking a 15% increase in volume and a 7% rise in value compared to August 2024.

The strong performance was driven primarily by a surge in off-plan activity, where transaction volumes jumped 25% year-on-year and values climbed 11%.

Secondary off-plan transactions saw the sharpest growth, with $1.1 billion (AED 4.1 billion) recorded across 1,978 deals — a 59% increase in volume and 69% rise in value versus the same period last year, highlighting accelerating demand from both investors and end-users.

Primary market

The primary market accounted for the bulk of August’s activity with 12,106 transactions, up 20% from last year. Primary off-plan dominated this space, comprising 91% of total Primary transactions. While the segment’s value rose more modestly at 4% year-on-year, Business Bay emerged as a standout, contributing 11% of total volume and 12% of total value with growth of 377% and 290% respectively. Dubai Investment Park also ranked among the top performers, contributing 9% of both overall value and volume.

Secondary sales overview

The secondary market delivered $6.1 billion (AED 22.6 billion) in transactions across 6,458 deals, reflecting a 15% year-on-year increase in value and a 7% rise in volume.

This growth was driven by surging demand in emerging communities within the secondary off-plan segment. Wadi Al Safa 4 led the market, recording $214 million (AED 786 million) in sales, a dramatic increase from just $7 million (AED 26 million) in August 2024.

Meanwhile, Al Barsha South Fourth posted impressive gains, with transaction values climbing 154% and volumes rising 142%, underscoring the strong appetite for properties in Dubai's fast-growing neighborhoods.

Consumer Preferences

Apartments remain the overwhelming choice for renters and buyers, accounting for nearly 80% of rental searches and 59% of buyer interest. Smaller units in particular continue to gain traction. Studios represent 22% of rental searches but only 16% of buyer demand, while one-bedroom apartments account for 36% of buyer searches and 40% of rental interest. Demand for studios and one-bedroom units is rising faster than for larger properties, as tenants shift toward ownership of more affordable homes to offset rising rents and secure long-term value.

Cherif Sleiman, Chief Revenue Officer at Property Finder, said, “August’s figures offer a clear picture of Dubai’s real estate market strength, driven by an off-plan surge and bolstered by consistently healthy secondary activity. What’s remarkable this month is how neighbourhoods like Business Bay and Wadi Al Safa 4 are outperforming the broader trend, demonstrating that both investor confidence and demand for emerging communities remain elevated. This is further supported by broader market signals, including Emaar’s announcement of a 33% jump in H1 profits - which reflects the underlying demand in high-end segments - as well as developers bringing construction in-house to meet surging demand and ensure delivery speed. These moves affirm Dubai’s proactive market stewardship and its appeal to both end users and investors. As developers adjust strategies, and policy measures continue to stabilize the market, Property Finder stands ready to equip stakeholders with timely insights that help them make smart, forward-looking choices.”

All the latest information for top listings and communities is available on Data Guru by Property Finder that can be accessed at https://www.propertyfinder.ae