What is happening to Dubai's real estate market right now

Interview with Svetlana Yuganova — Head of Sales at For You Real Estate

Tell us about the current Dubai real estate market situation? What stage is demand at? Are clients active now?

Activity definitely hasn't dropped, transaction volume remains high. Honestly, as the weather in the Emirates changes yearly, temperatures are now quite comfortable, so deals continue flowing steadily.

Of course, there's the summer period when leads drop somewhat, but deals still close because new builds always lead, while secondary market dominates more in summer.

What causes this?

It's because sellers offering apartments give good discounts, plus when agents stay in the Emirates, they typically get real, live clients without intermediaries. Many agents leave in summer, but strong agents stay in Dubai and close both sides of the deal — sellers and buyers — earning good money.

Which real estate segment leads in sales now?

Currently, off-plan (properties under construction) definitely leads, accounting for half of all deals:

• ready properties — yes, also in demand but slightly lower, yet deals close quickly;
• luxury segment gaining strong momentum: villas and townhouses. Actually, there's even a shortage for people seeking this type of property, not enough options to choose from, so major developers now launch new villa and townhouse projects every 2–3 months, not just residences.

What’s happening with prices? When's the best time to buy property?

High season typically runs October to April when properties sell well at peak prices, but for budget options, enter not during high season — it starts in May when prices stabilize. Some see it as price drops, but it's actually price stabilization. High season brings price increases yearly, yet this doesn't affect sales — people keep buying.

Has buyer behavior changed?

The percentage of people wanting to sell has decreased because 70% of those coming to Dubai/Emirates to buy property are investors aiming to profit during construction.

Previously, people bought short-term and listed for sale within 6 months to a year max, but now many understand: the longer they hold, the more they earn.

So people now exit projects when apartments/villas/townhouses are completed — that's when they make really good money.

Who’s buying Dubai real estate now?

Local residents buy, but most are foreign buyers: Europeans, Americans, Indians, Russians, British. Roughly 50/50: 50% have UAE residency, 50% non-residents who also want to become residents.

How do you maintain client interest in your offers?

First, we offer various payment schemes: interest-free installments for off-plan buyers, negotiate individual initial deposit terms — if clients can't pay 20% upfront, through good developer relationships we can agree 5% initial payment with balance in a month.

For off-plan, we can also negotiate developer discounts.

We have an exclusive pool of developer projects unavailable to most Dubai brokers since we hold leading positions as a company…

…We meet clients halfway and handle the full deal cycle: from property selection and money transfer assistance (if no account) to obtaining Emirates ID.

Plus our strong partner department: clients recommending us get bonuses for referrals.

Which properties do you prioritize in advertising?

We only advertise projects that always show positive growth dynamics, and if we promise clients they'll profit from the investment, it's 100% guaranteed.

Want to learn about advertising trends in your real estate market and build a comprehensive client acquisition strategy? Book a free consultation with us.