Dubai Off-Plan Sales Hit AED 19.7 Billion in April 2026, Highest Monthly Total of the Year

Off-plan apartment sales in Dubai hit AED 19.7 billion in April across 8,812 transactions, the highest monthly value of 2026, according to Dubai Land Department (DLD) data analysed by Al Masdar Al Aqaari and reported on 2 May. 

The figure narrowly surpassed January's AED 19.4 billion, February's AED 19.1 billion and March's AED 17.5 billion, and came in 4.2% ahead of April 2025. Transaction count fell within 1.2% of January's 8,915 deals, indicating that the off-plan buyer base did not contract through the Iran conflict that began on 28 February. It paused, and resumed.

Volume signal stronger than the value print

Two single trades did much of the lifting on April's headline. An apartment at Aman Residences Dubai registered at AED 171 million, and a 13,250-square-foot unit at Baccarat Hotel & Residences sold for AED 121.8 million, roughly AED 9,193 per square foot. Together, the two deals contributed about AED 293 million to the monthly total.

Strip those outliers out and the segment lands at approximately AED 19.4 billion for April, effectively flat against January and February. Average ticket size moved from AED 2.18 million in January to AED 2.24 million in April, a 2.8% drift consistent with normal price movement, not a structural rerating.

Off-plan buyers commit to capital outlays whose payoff lies two to five years out. Short-cycle geopolitical noise registers far less in their decision frame than it does for ready-property buyers, hospitality operators or short-let landlords. April's near-return to January's volume after a disrupted March is the clearest read on that buyer cohort to date.

Dubai Islands extends its run

Dubai Islands held the top position by off-plan apartment value for the fourth consecutive month, recording AED 2.6 billion across 691 transactions in April. Cumulative sales between January and April reached AED 7.9 billion across 2,335 deals, making the area the single most reliable demand pocket of 2026 so far.

Al Khairan First placed second in April with AED 1.5 billion across 507 deals, followed by the Airport City corridor near Al Maktoum International, which has emerged on the back of the airport expansion programme and the Metro Blue Line tunnelling works launched last week. The pattern across the three areas is consistent: a master-planned framework, a clear infrastructure anchor, and developers with established delivery records.

Off-plan apartments and trades, January to April 2026

Source: Al Masdar Al Aqaari analysis of Dubai Land Department registrations.

What to watch

Three indicators will determine whether April marks a sustained recovery or a single-month rebound. First, the DLD's full April transaction breakdown, due within seven to ten days of month-end. Second, absorption in the visa-eligible sub-AED 750,000 segment, where transaction volume should begin moving within four to six weeks if the rule change is doing the work expected of it. Third, the off-plan launch calendar through summer, traditionally the quietest period of the year, will signal whether developers are pricing into a recovering market or one still finding its floor.

April was not the highest month of 2026; January, at AED 111 billion in total transactions across all categories, retains that position. April was, however, the strongest normal trading month of the year so far. The off-plan segment's near-return to January's volume after a disrupted March is the more durable reading of the month than any single value figure.

Sources

•     April off-plan apartment data (AED 19.7bn / 8,812 transactions) — Al Masdar Al Aqaari analysis of DLD registrations, reported by Arabian Business and Emirates 24|7, 2 May 2026.

•     March off-plan apartment data (AED 17.5bn / 7,983 transactions) — Al Masdar Al Aqaari, via Zawya and TradingView, 1 April 2026.

•     January 2026 total (AED 111 billion / 22,108 transactions) — DLD CEO Majid Al Marri, PropTech Connect Middle East Summit, 5 February 2026.

•     Aman Residences and Baccarat Hotel & Residences trophy trades — DLD registry, reported by Arabian Business, 2 May 2026.

•     Two-year investor visa rule change — Dubai Land Department Cube platform, late April 2026; covered by AGBI, Gulf News, Khaleej Times and Luxhabitat.

•     Dubai Islands cumulative leadership (AED 7.9bn / 2,335 deals YTD) — Al Masdar Al Aqaari analysis of DLD data, May 2026.