According to Realting News, citing a Dubai agency representative, Q1 2026 saw AED 252 billion in transactions and growing foreign investment amid tensions around Iran.
According to Realting News, which published an overview by Akmal Rustami, a representative of a Dubai real estate agency, the city's property market kept growing in the first quarter of 2026 despite heightened geopolitical tension around Iran. The figures cited for Q1 2026 are: AED 252 billion in transaction volume (+31% year on year), 60,303 transactions (+6%), AED 148.35 billion in foreign investment (+26%) and more than 29,000 new investors (+14%). The author argues that the market is being driven by external capital and a widening investor base, with demand strongest in off-plan projects in the mid to upper-mid segment and in premium and waterfront property. Ready properties are described as a stable income segment, typically yielding 6–8%. The author also says that the UAE's banking, logistics, transport, healthcare and communications systems continue to operate without disruption. The piece does not ignore the downsides. The risks it lists include possible geopolitical escalation, overheating in parts of the premium segment, dependence on foreign capital inflows and short-term liquidity slowdowns under stress scenarios. The author notes that these risks are not currently visible in market data. In comparing Dubai with London, Singapore and Istanbul, the article points to zero personal income tax, free movement of capital and fast transaction cycles as Dubai's advantages. Note: the figures and assessments come from an industry representative as reported by Realting News and are not an official statistical release; this is not investment advice.