By Matthew Bate, CEO, BlackBrick Property
Dubai, UAE- September is traditionally an important month for Dubai’s property market, as schools return and business activity picks up after the summer. This year, we are already seeing that translate into renewed traction, particularly in the rental market.
The underlying picture is encouraging. Dubai’s population reached approximately 4.78 million by the end of August, an increase of around 42,000 residents during August alone. This follows the temporary decline seen in March amid heightened regional uncertainty, with the city subsequently recovering and surpassing those levels. Dubai has now added approximately 203,000 residents since the end of 2025.*
As schools reopen and businesses return to full activity, that continued population growth provides an important backdrop to the property market. Despite ongoing uncertainty in the wider region, people are continuing to choose Dubai as a place to live and work, and we are seeing that confidence reflected particularly clearly in the rental market.
After a slight pause over the summer, rental activity is increasing again. We are also seeing tenants commit to longer leases of two years or more, which is another positive indication that people are making longer-term plans in Dubai. We expect this renewed activity to gather pace through September and, hopefully, begin to translate into stronger sales activity as we move into Q4.
On the sales side, the picture is more considered. Transaction volumes have slowed, but importantly, we have not seen a corresponding significant decline in property values. The days of sellers being able to dictate substantial premiums above market value have largely passed, and buyers are increasingly discerning, but correctly priced, quality properties are continuing to hold their value.
CONTD……..
Palm Jumeirah
What we are returning to this September is therefore a different landscape to a year ago. Confidence is returning, but the market remains cautious. Buyers are taking their time, comparing opportunities and expecting value. That means sellers and their brokers need to work harder, and work together, to achieve a successful sale. Here are three key areas where an intelligent approach yields the strongest results.
Getting the price right from the outset has become increasingly important and has always been an important ingredient of BlackBrick’s success. Aspirational pricing can quickly work against a seller in a more cautious market, where buyers have greater choice and access to more information. Brokers need to combine current transactional evidence with an understanding of buyer sentiment to establish a price that is both ambitious and realistic.
The sales strategy also needs to extend beyond simply putting a property onto the major portals and waiting for enquiries. In a market where every buyer matters, strong brokers should be proactively identifying potential purchasers through existing client networks, international relationships, targeted marketing and direct outreach. Increasingly, the job is not simply to list a property, but to go out and find its buyer.
Finally, judgement matters. There is more property data and market information available than ever before, but access to information is not the same as knowing how to interpret it. An experienced advisor needs to understand when to hold firm, when to adjust, which offers should be taken seriously and whether a change in activity represents short-term caution or a more meaningful shift in the market.
Dubai is very much back to business this September, and we expect activity to continue building towards Q4. But this is a different market to the one sellers were operating in a year ago. Confidence remains, and the resilience of pricing alongside renewed rental demand and continued population growth are all positive indicators. In a more cautious environment, however, achieving the right result will increasingly depend on realistic expectations, a proactive sales strategy and good judgement.
BlackBrick Property is a global property and lifestyle advisory firm founded in Dubai in 2021 by Matthew Bate, offering brokerage, advisory, private office and relocation services. The company is built on the belief that real estate is deeply personal, curating homes and investment opportunities that reflect identity, intention and long-term value. As a living platform, BlackBrick Property connects people, property, and possibility – blending lifestyle intelligence with strategic investment advisory. Every relationship is grounded in trust, every experience designed with purpose and every decision guided by a vision to create meaningful living and generational wealth.
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