Dubai’s real estate sector continues to attract strong investor confidence, with a new market survey showing that most investors expect property prices to continue rising throughout 2026, according to Khaleej Times. Despite global economic uncertainty and regional geopolitical tensions, investors believe the emirate’s housing market will maintain its upward trajectory after one of the strongest starts to a year in its history.
Investors Remain Confident After Record-Breaking Quarter
Fresh research conducted by real estate investment platform Stake highlights growing optimism among property investors. The company’s first prediction market surveyed around 5,000 participants, revealing that nearly seven out of ten respondents expect residential and commercial property prices in Dubai to continue increasing over the coming months.
Confidence extends beyond pricing. Almost half of those surveyed believe that the number of property transactions during the remainder of 2026 will surpass the exceptionally strong performance recorded in the first quarter. That period established one of the highest benchmarks the local market has ever achieved, making expectations for additional growth particularly noteworthy.
The findings suggest that investors continue to view Dubai as one of the world’s most attractive destinations for real estate investment, supported by strong demand from international buyers, expanding infrastructure, and favorable government policies.
Luxury Real Estate Continues to Attract Capital
The premium property segment is also expected to remain one of the market’s strongest performers. Survey participants believe luxury homes will sustain sales levels comparable to—or even exceeding—those recorded at the beginning of the year.
Official figures from the Dubai Land Department reinforce this outlook. During the first quarter of 2026, investments in luxury real estate reached AED 87.71 billion, representing a 26% increase compared with the previous period. High-end villas, waterfront residences, branded developments, and exclusive apartments continue to attract wealthy buyers from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.
The broader market has also demonstrated remarkable resilience. Total real estate transactions in Dubai climbed 31% year-on-year to AED 252 billion during the first quarter, despite geopolitical challenges affecting parts of the region. Analysts say the emirate’s stable business environment and long-term development strategy continue to support demand even during periods of global volatility.
New Forecasting Platform Tracks Market Expectations
According to Stake co-founder and co-CEO Rami Tabbara, the survey results are especially significant because they follow an exceptionally strong opening quarter. Rather than anticipating a market correction after such impressive growth, investors continue to express confidence in Dubai’s long-term prospects.
To measure these expectations, Stake introduced StakePredict, described as the Middle East’s first real estate prediction market. The platform allows investors to share their outlook on future market performance and later compare those forecasts with verified transaction data. Following its launch in mid-June, the platform is expected to return with additional forecasting rounds later in the year, giving participants an opportunity to monitor changing market sentiment.
Independent market statistics from ValuStrat also reveal shifting trends across different property segments. Transactions involving completed homes rose by 46.8% compared with the previous month, marking the strongest monthly increase seen in three years. However, volumes remained 23% below the same period last year.
Meanwhile, sales of off-plan developments increased by 32% on a monthly basis but were still 16% lower than a year earlier. Even so, off-plan projects continued to dominate Dubai’s residential sector, accounting for approximately three-quarters of all home sales, demonstrating sustained buyer interest in newly launched developments and future investment opportunities.