LENS / Pavan Mulani
Is this the right time to buy property in Dubai?
Edited from the article published on LinkedIn. Figures and assumptions are from the original publication, not a current market update.
When someone asks whether to buy now or wait, they are usually weighing two risks: paying before prices fall or waiting until the property is beyond reach. There is no date on which that uncertainty disappears.
Read the market in context
At the time of the original article, Cavendish Maxwell’s H1 2026 review put Dubai’s average residential price at approximately AED 1,639 per sq ft by June, with growth moderating. Engel & Völkers subsequently reported the first annual decline in average prices in five and a half years by August. Performance differed across communities and property types.
That variation is a reason to compare properties carefully. A city-wide average cannot tell you whether a particular unit is well priced.
In our property analyses, we examined a four-bedroom garden home around AED 1,650 per sq ft, an elevated three-bedroom apartment around AED 2,450, and a three-bedroom-plus-study residence whose price looked higher when measured against its internal living space. Each required a different judgment.
Work backwards from the exit
A lower price can come with an inefficient layout, a compromised plot or weak demand. A higher price needs evidence that the view, position, infrastructure or quality deserves the premium.
Payment terms also need checking. Paying 20% today or 50% before completion leaves a future obligation that must be funded. I would examine the handover balance, financing and likely buyer before booking.
Our five-year scenarios tested 25%, 30% and 35% total appreciation. Those figures were assumptions. If the model requires 30% growth, what price per square foot would the next buyer have to pay, and what would justify it?
Five years may give infrastructure, rental demand and the community time to develop. It cannot guarantee a profit.
I would buy when the property, entry price, payment commitments and holding plan make sense together. Fear of missing out is a poor substitute for that work.
RadheyShyamRealtor.com
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