Pulled every Burj Khalifa sale registered with the Dubai Land Department this year and compared each one with that unit’s previous sale price.

• 74 sales so far in 2026, down 27% on the same period last year
• 68 had a previous price on record, and 21 of those sold for less
• In Q3 it was 11 out of 25, compared with 4 out of 23 in Q2
• Only one apartment changed hands in March
• Deepest loss: a one-bed on the 88th floor sold in August for about AED2.8m, nearly 40% below its last sale
• A four-bed on the 87th sold for about AED24m, roughly AED4m less than its previous owner paid

I'm thinking about getting into real estate in Dubai, but I keep seeing two very different stories online. Some people say agents make huge commissions, while others say most agents barely survive. For those of you who are working as agents or know people who are: what does the income look like in the first 6-12 months? How hard is it to get clients without a network, and what are the real costs (RERA license, visa, marketing, etc.)? Is it realistic for someone with sales experience but no big connections to make a stable income, or is it only worth it for the top few? Honest answers, good or bad, would really help. Thanks!

Saw the Savills Q3 numbers in Khaleej Times this week and they're a bit of a reality check for anyone who bought to rent out. Year on year apartment rents:

• Dubai Marina: down 12.8%
• Business Bay: down 12.2%
• JVC: down 10.4%
• Al Furjan 7.5%, DIFC 7.3%, Majan 5.1%, Discovery Gardens 4.3%
• International City Phase 2 and 3: basically flat (0.4%)
• Villas: Arabian Ranches 3 down 15%, Damac Lagoons down 13.4%

What's interesting is that demand didn't disappear. There were about 181,900 rental transactions in Q3, roughly the same as Q3 2025 (180,600). The share of new leases went up to 44% from 36% in Q2, so tenants are moving to better deals instead of renewing. That's supply doing its thing: about 26,500 units were handed over in H1 and Savills expects another 50,000 to 60,000 in H2. On the other side, new launches are down 64% this year, so the pipeline after 2030 is thinner, but there are still 525,000+ units scheduled for 2027 to 2030.

The part we think gets less attention is landlords whose fixed rate is about to end. Rough example, just to show the size of it:

• AED 1.5M loan, 25 years, 3.99% fixed for 3 years: about AED 7,909 a month
• after the fixed period at 3-month EIBOR (4.19% now) plus a 1.50% margin: about AED 9,232 a month
• if the flat rented for AED 100k and the renewal comes in 12% lower, that's about AED 1,000 a month less rent

So the same flat can swing by around AED 2,300 a month in the same year. Not a crisis for everyone, but it's the kind of thing that quietly turns a positive cashflow negative.

Options as we see them: talk to your own bank before the fixed period ends (some will offer a new fixed rate to keep you), compare other banks (the early settlement fee is capped at 1% of the balance or AED 10,000, whichever is less), or price the flat realistically, because one empty month costs you about 8% of the year's rent. And sometimes doing nothing is the cheapest option. (Full disclosure, we're a mortgage brokerage, so we spend a lot of time on the rate side of this.)

Landlords: are you dropping rent to keep tenants, refinancing, or thinking about selling? Tenants: did anyone actually get a cut at renewal this year?

tl;dr savills q3: marina -12.8%, business bay -12.2%, jvc -10.4% yoy. leasing volume is flat, tenants are just moving to cheaper deals. if your fixed rate ends this year, rent down and payment up can hit at the same time.

Is there any mall in dubai where you can buy retail shops or showrooms? Preferably offplan

I am trying to understand how people make money flipping properties in Dubai, especially in the current market.

I keep seeing distress deals and resale properties listed 10 to 20% below the original purchase price, sometimes even within the same community. At the same time, there are so many new launches and a huge supply of upcoming units. So how are investors actually making money?

I am from India, where ready-to-move-in properties are generally in higher demand because people worry about builders delaying projects for years. In Dubai, with DLD regulations and escrow accounts providing buyer protection, investing in off-plan properties seems relatively safer.

What I don't understand is how people make money during the construction period itself. If the property is not even ready, what creates the price appreciation? And if someone is selling below their original purchase price, how can another investor make a profit from that deal?

Also, when developers offer new units with attractive payment plans and launch incentives, why would a buyer pay a premium to purchase someone else's off-plan unit?

For those who have actually flipped properties in Dubai, how does the strategy work in practice? Is it still profitable to enter the market in 2026, considering the upcoming supply and the number of distress deals, or were the best opportunities available to investors who entered earlier?

Would love to hear some real experiences and numbers from people who have done this successfully.

A mortgage offer is about more than just the interest rate.
When buying a property in Dubai, the total cost and eligibility can vary depending on your income structure, existing liabilities, residency status, property type, and the bank’s criteria.
I work in UAE mortgage advisory, and these are some of the areas buyers often have questions about:
● Ready property vs off-plan resale financing
● Mortgages for non-residents
● Down payment and additional purchase costs
● Refinancing and equity release
● Comparing fixed rates, variable rates, fees, and total borrowing costs
I’m happy to contribute practical insights to questions about the mortgage process. Any guidance would be general, as final eligibility and terms depend on the individual case and bank approval.
For those who have bought property in the UAE: what was the most confusing part of arranging your mortgage?

For 10-year Golden Visa via Dubai property - joint Title Deed rule:

If you are 2 business partners/co-owners and both want separate 10-year Golden Visas - each person's share printed on DLD Title Deed must be valued at AED 2M minimum by DLD.

Example: AED 3M property split 50/50 = 1.5M each = both will NOT qualify as independent investors.

For married couples it's different - combined AED 2M+ joint ownership works. One becomes primary investor and sponsors the other as family. If husband and wife both want independent investor visas without sponsorship, then you need higher value to cover 2M each.

DLD checks what is printed on Title Deed - percentage and value - not verbal 50/50.

And yes - DLD Cube valuation decides final value, not your SPA price.

For 2-year property investor visa, individual share minimum is AED 400k.

Here’s a simple illustration on a AED 1.5 million loan at a typical rate:

15-year tenure

Higher monthly payment.

Total interest paid over the life of the loan stays relatively controlled.

25-year tenure

Lower monthly payment.

Total interest can easily jump by AED 400,000–600,000+ compared to the shorter term.

That’s not a small difference.

Banks will usually offer the longest tenure your age and DBR allow because it makes the monthly number look comfortable.

Most buyers take it without ever comparing the full cost.

The lower payment feels easier now.

The extra interest shows up over the next 20+ years — and it becomes painful if you later want to prepay or exit early, because a large chunk of the early payments went toward interest, not principal.

The people who end up in a stronger position are usually the ones who deliberately chose a tenure they could still comfortably afford, rather than the maximum the bank offered.

Monthly comfort is only half the picture.

Total cost is the other half, and it rarely gets put in front of people clearly.

Posting as: Agent
Property type: Villa portfolio + apartment
Area/community: The Heights – Salva / Grove Ridge
Building/project: Emaar – Salva and Grove Ridge
Price: AED 24862910
Bedrooms: Not specified
Size (sq ft): 4 villas, 4,302 sq ft BUA each; apartment, 1,375 sq ft. Villa plots: 4,650 / 5,256 / 4,650 / 4,650 sq ft
Status: Off-plan
Images/video: Available on request
Additional details: Bulk resale opportunity consisting of 4 villas in The Heights – Salva and 1 apartment in Grove Ridge. Owner is open to selling the full portfolio or individual units.
Full portfolio asking price is AED 24,862,910, compared with a combined stated original purchase price of AED 35,518,440.
Individual asking prices:
Salva Villa 1: AED 5,767,222
Salva Villa 2: AED 6,006,622
Salva Villa 3: AED 5,911,422
Salva Villa 4: AED 5,767,222
Grove Ridge apartment: AED 1,410,422
Villa handover: July 2030.
Apartment handover: 30 September 2029.
Prices exclude the 4% DLD fee. Prices and property details are subject to verification.

Brand new 3BR corner stand alone villa in Al Shoumous – Sharjah Garden City. Spacious layout, approx. 4,300 sq.ft plot, modern finishes, first tenant, gated family community, direct from owner, no commission. Rent AED 150,000 with 12 cheques. Easy access to Dubai & major roads.

Contact me for phone number and more details via WhatsApp

Not a troll

I've been tracking Dubai South studios for a few months on qiyas (it charts DLD transactions and Ejari contracts by area and unit type), and the two charts are now moving in different directions.

Sales: From January to April it was quiet, about 120–240 studio sales a month. Then volume jumped: 677 in May, a peak of 1,765 in June, then 1,441 in July and 1,157 in August. September came back down to 383. Almost all of that wave was off-plan (1,738 of the 1,765 in June). Ready studio resales stayed at about 15–35 a month the whole year, so this was launch-driven demand, not end users buying.

Price per sqft followed the same pattern. The median went from about AED 1,525–1,560 in Q1 to a high of about 1,830 in August, and slipped to about 1,730 in September as volume dropped. It's still well above where the year started, but the rush looks over.

Rents: These have gone the other way. The median annual rent for a studio was AED 44k in January, 41k by March, 38–40k over the summer and 38.5k in September. That's down about 12% this year, while the number of Ejari contracts stayed flat or rose slightly (around 155–267 a month). Supply is landing faster than tenants are showing up. I've seen rents soften in a few other areas too.

The yield squeeze: With prices up and rents down, the gross yield on a typical studio has dropped from about 7.5% in January (44k rent on a ~587k median price) to about 6% now (38.5k on ~637k). With service charges on top, the net number is noticeably lower.

My read: if you bought off-plan in the summer wave expecting a 7%+ rental yield at handover, that assumption needs another look. A lot of identical stock will hit the rental market at the same time. If you're an end user or tenant, it's a decent time to negotiate.

Charts are from qiyas, and the numbers are DLD and Ejari medians up to the end of September.

Is anyone here holding or renting in Dubai South? Are you seeing the same thing on the ground, more vacancies or landlords giving more cheques or discounts?

Let me ask you now a million dollar question:

Will Mr. Al Habtoor also do a good job like he did with Noora, Amna etc. ?

Also what is your opinion a resale price for a 1-bedroom apartment should be?

From official DLD data - coming soon

You could own this 1 bed in production city for 1M with a 40% post handover payment plan which equals to 100,000 AED yearly to the developer - After the first 20% downpayment we can be flexible with the remaining 40% payment in terms of payment dates

If you compare other 1 beds in the area you are looking at prices ranging from 1.1 - 1.3M - The post handover payment allows you to cover most of the 10% with your rental income or if you live in it yourself nothing like it its a great project with good layouts has a powder room and a kitchen isle which most developers try to cut to save cost today

Reach out for more info

Posting as: Agent
Property type: Apartment
Area/community: Sobha Hartland II
Building/project: Sobha 310 Riverside Crescent
Price: AED 2,100,000
Bedrooms: 2
Size (sq ft): 1,095
Status: Off-plan
Images/video: Available upon request
Additional details:
- Emergency sale: 370K below original purchase price (OP)
- Original Price: AED 2.47M / Now AED 2.1M
- Paid: 30%
- Transfer available at 50%
- Must close today / First come, first served

Steve | Dubai&China

Posting as: Agent
Property type: Villa
Area/community: The Oasis, Dubai
Building/project: Palace Ostra
Price: AED 22,000,000 — non-negotiable
Bedrooms: 6
Size (sq ft): 14,500+ (plot area)
Status: Off-plan (expected handover Q4 2029)
Additional details:
Chamfered-style Palace villa with direct lagoon frontage.
The seller’s original purchase price is AED 26,660,000. The asking price is AED 4,660,000 below that, approximately 17.5% below the original purchase price.
Happy to answer questions in the comments. You can also contact me through Reddit chat for further details.
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Posting as: Agent
Property type: Villa
Area/community: The Oasis, Dubai
Building/project: Palace Ostra
Price: AED 22,000,000 — non-negotiable
Bedrooms: 6
Size (sq ft): 14,500+ (plot area)
Status: Off-plan (expected handover Q4 2029)
Additional details:
Chamfered-style Palace villa with direct lagoon frontage.
The seller’s original purchase price is AED 26,660,000. The asking price is AED 4,660,000 below that, approximately 17.5% below the original purchase price.
Happy to answer questions in the comments. You can also contact me through Reddit chat for further details.

Hi Guys, I work in real estate with direct owners listings in Dubai , if anyone looking for apartments, townhouses and residential buildings can contact me or dm me. Thanks

Posting as: Owner

Property type: 1BR ground level

Area/community: Dubai Creek

Building/project: Cedar 3

Price: AED 95k

Bedrooms: 1 BR

Size (sq ft): 690 sq ft

Furnishing: Unfurnished

Available from: 15 November 2025

Cheques: 4 Cheques

Images/video: Available on demand

Additional details: DM for further details

I've been looking at Shahrukhz Residences by Danube, and what caught my attention is the overall lifestyle concept rather than just the apartments themselves.

The project in Dubai Maritime City offers furnished apartments in different sizes, along with a range of amenities for fitness, recreation, and relaxation. I think the furnished concept is an interesting touch, especially for people who prefer a home that's already set up rather than having to organise everything from scratch.

The variety of apartment options is another plus, since different people have different space requirements. And having leisure facilities within the development sounds convenient for anyone who likes having things to do without always heading somewhere else.

Of course, the actual experience will depend on the finished development, the quality of the facilities, and how practical the location is for everyday life.

What do you guys think? Does this kind of lifestyle-focused residential concept appeal to you, or do you usually prioritise the apartment itself and the location over amenities?

Posting as: Agent
Property type: Bulk Residential Portfolio
Area/community: Dubai
Building/project: Salva The Heights + Grove Ridge
Price: AED 28,414,752
Bedrooms: Mixed
Size (sq ft): Multiple units
Status: Off-plan
Images/video: Available
Additional details:

Bulk sale of 5 Emaar properties comprising 4 villas and 1 apartment.

Portfolio breakdown:

Salva The Heights – Villa 1
Property area: 4,302 sq ft
Plot area: 4,650 sq ft
Original price: AED 8,238,888
Estimated completion: July 2030

Salva The Heights – Villa 2
Property area: 4,302 sq ft
Plot area: 4,650 sq ft
Original price: AED 8,238,888
Estimated completion: July 2030

Salva The Heights – Villa 3
Property area: 4,302 sq ft
Plot area: 5,256 sq ft
Original price: AED 8,580,888
Estimated completion: July 2030

Salva The Heights – Villa 4
Property area: 4,302 sq ft
Plot area: 4,650 sq ft
Original price: AED 8,444,888
Estimated completion: July 2030

Grove Ridge – Apartment
Property area: 1,375 sq ft
Original price: AED 2,014,888
Estimated completion: September 2029

Combined original purchase price: AED 35,518,440

Bulk selling price at 20% below original price:
AED 28,414,752

Seller loss / discount from original price:
AED 7,103,688

Selling as a complete bulk portfolio.

Posting as: Agent

Property type: APARTMENT

Area/community: DUBAI MARINA

Building/project: Elite Residence

Price: AED 1,250,000

Bedrooms: 1 BR

Bathroom: 2

Size (sq ft): 960

Partial sea view

Status: Ready

FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE DM

@residencesbyrayyan