Only 6% of projects have cut rates by 5% or more since February as pricing decides how quickly projects sell out
Dubai, UAE, 30th September 2026: Dubai’s developers have largely held their off-plan prices steady through 2026 in the face of adjustments in sales volumes and absorption rates, according to a new market analysis by fäm Properties.
Of 717 off-plan projects launched since July 2023 with sufficient registered sales to measure their performance, just 44, or 6%, have reduced prices by 5% or more since the end of February. Only 28 projects, or 4%, are currently selling below their original launch price.
In a market which has displayed strong resilience despite geopolitical developments of the last few months, the first price reductions recorded in the analysis occurred in June 2026 or later, with project pricing being influenced by local area conditions.
Among 574 projects launched since 2025, the median project, priced 4.2% above the median price for its area, sold 73.8% of its units. By comparison, projects priced 20% or more above their area’s median price old a median of 60% of their units.
“Pricing is beginning to decide how quickly projects sell out,” said Firas Al Msaddi, Founder and CEO of fäm Properties. “Developers have generally been reluctant to reduce their headline prices, so where a project is positioned against comparable properties is having a greater bearing on its sales performance.”
While registered developer apartment sales during the first eight months of 2026 totalled 62,147, down 6% from the same period of 2025, the change was not evenly distributed across apartment types.
Studio sales in fact increased 26% to 21,728, while one-bedroom sales declined 18%, two-bedroom sales fell 16% and three-bedroom sales decreased 13%.
Dubai South was a major contributor to the increase in studio transactions, with sales rising 185% to 11,147 during the first eight months of the year.
“The data indicates that the adjustment in the market has been more evident in sales volumes and absorption than in widespread reductions to launch prices,” said Al Msaddi. “More than nine out of ten projects in the analysis have retained their launch pricing.
“The relationship between pricing and absorption is particularly relevant as developers compete across an increasingly broad range of projects and locations. Projects priced closer to prevailing market levels are recording higher median sales absorption than those carrying a substantial premium over their local market.”
