Rents cooled in April while resale prices and volume kept pushing higher
April DLD rent deals fell 16.2% month-on-month, but secondary sales rose 4.2% and average sale price per sqm hit AED 21,498.
By Hazel's Research DeskPublished CoverageApril split the market: rentals softened on volume and price, while secondary sales rose on both. Live asking data shows rent supply heavy in Business Bay, Dubai Marina, and JVC.
Rentals
Data window: DLD registered rent transactions for April 2026, compared with March 2026 and April 2025. Live asking data is active inventory as of 2026-05-14. Rent figures are annual.
Rent Monthly Activity
Jan–Apr 2026 · Deals (bars, left axis) · Avg AED/sqm (line, right axis)
Citywide movement
| Metric | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 | Move | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered rent deals | 13,687 | 11,463 | -16.2% | High; DLD citywide |
| Average annual rent | AED 108,847 | AED 105,657 | -2.9% | High; DLD citywide |
| Median annual rent | AED 75,258 | AED 70,240 | -6.7% | High; DLD citywide |
| Average rent / sqm | AED 1,009 | AED 960 | -4.9% | High; DLD citywide |
| Total registered rent value | AED 1.49B | AED 1.21B | -18.7% | High; DLD citywide |
April was softer on every headline rental measure. The decline was not just fewer contracts: price per sqm also fell 4.9%, and the median annual rent moved back to AED 70,240. That is not a rounding error. Even spreadsheets notice.
Year-on-year and year-to-date
| Window | Deals | Avg rent / sqm | Median annual rent | Total value | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2025 | 16,482 | AED 975 | AED 70,240 | AED 1.65B | High; DLD citywide |
| Apr 2026 | 11,463 | AED 960 | AED 70,240 | AED 1.21B | High; DLD citywide |
| YoY move | -30.5% | -1.5% | 0.0% | -26.5% | High |
| Jan-Apr 2025 | 51,187 | AED 1,061 | AED 85,292 | AED 6.13B | High; DLD filtered period rollup |
| Jan-Apr 2026 | 50,264 | AED 1,101 | AED 85,292 | AED 6.13B | High; DLD filtered period rollup |
| YTD move | -1.8% | +3.8% | 0.0% | -0.1% | High |
The annual comparison is less kind than the month-on-month view. April 2026 had 30.5% fewer registered rent deals than April 2025, while price per sqm was 1.5% lower. YTD is steadier: deal count is down only 1.8%, and rent per sqm is still 3.8% above the same period last year.
Where rents moved
| Community | Apr deals | Apr AED/sqm | MoM AED/sqm move | Volume move | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JVC | 631 | AED 1,046 | -6.4% | -23.5% | High |
| Dubai Marina | 360 | AED 1,406 | -6.7% | -19.8% | High |
| Business Bay | 356 | AED 1,362 | -6.9% | -19.5% | High |
| Downtown Dubai | 200 | AED 1,468 | -8.7% | -14.9% | High |
| Dubai Hills Estate | 177 | AED 1,490 | -13.0% | -8.8% | Moderate |
| JLT | 185 | AED 1,167 | -7.0% | -17.0% | High |
| Dubai South | 159 | AED 782 | -6.3% | -23.9% | Moderate |
| Arjan | 141 | AED 1,181 | -7.8% | -24.2% | Moderate |
| Al Barsha | 141 | AED 1,043 | +8.1% | -15.6% | Moderate |
The softness was broad across the main apartment corridors. Dubai Marina, Business Bay, Downtown, JVC, JLT, Dubai South, and Arjan all fell on price per sqm in April. Al Barsha was the clear exception in the top-volume group, up 8.1% on 141 filtered deals.
Segment mix
| Bedroom segment | Mar deals | Mar AED/sqm | Apr deals | Apr AED/sqm | MoM AED/sqm move | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR | 3,346 | AED 1,135 | 2,595 | AED 1,074 | -5.4% | High |
| 2BR | 1,861 | AED 1,135 | 1,594 | AED 1,060 | -6.6% | High |
| 3BR | 345 | AED 1,264 | 314 | AED 1,208 | -4.4% | Moderate |
| 5BR+ | 965 | AED 1,497 | 567 | AED 1,420 | -5.1% | High |
The rental dip was not isolated to one bedroom band. 1BR and 2BR units both softened, and larger units moved the same way. The unknown-room bucket is large, so bedroom mix should be read as directional rather than surgical.
Supply versus demand: asking rents against closed rents
| Community | Live rent listings | Latest asking median | Asking AED/sqm | Apr DLD rent AED/sqm | Asking vs transacted | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Marina | 6,943 | AED 130,000 | AED 1,461 | AED 1,406 | +3.9% | High; live 2026-05-14, DLD Apr |
| Business Bay | 7,696 | AED 110,000 | AED 1,547 | AED 1,362 | +13.6% | High; live 2026-05-14, DLD Apr |
| JVC | 3,829 | AED 75,000 | AED 1,178 | AED 1,046 | +12.6% | High; live 2026-05-14, DLD Apr |
| Community | Live rent inventory distribution | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Marina | 6,943 listings; p25 AED 99,999, p50 AED 130,000, p75 AED 180,000 | Most stock sits above the April DLD median rent. |
| Business Bay | 7,696 listings; p25 AED 80,000, p50 AED 110,000, p75 AED 149,885 | Asking supply is deep and sits 13.6% above April closed rent per sqm. |
| JVC | 3,829 listings; p25 AED 62,000, p50 AED 75,000, p75 AED 94,990 | Heavy supply, but pricing is still above April closed rent per sqm. |
Business Bay and JVC show the clearest negotiation room: live asking rent per sqm is more than 12% above April closed levels. Dubai Marina is tighter on price but heavy on stock.
Multi-quarter pattern
Rent Trend Comparison
AED per sqm · quarterly avg
| Area | Q1 2026 AED/sqm | Q2 2026 to date AED/sqm | Move | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JVC | AED 1,131 | AED 1,006 | -11.1% | High; Q2 partial |
| Dubai Marina | AED 1,567 | AED 1,357 | -13.4% | High; Q2 partial |
| Business Bay | AED 1,512 | AED 1,299 | -14.1% | High; Q2 partial |
| Dubai South | AED 922 | AED 862 | -6.5% | Moderate; Q2 partial |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | AED 1,614 | AED 1,387 | -14.1% | Moderate; Q2 partial |
Q2 is incomplete, so this is not a final-quarter verdict. But the quarter-to-date pattern is broad: the main rental corridors are below Q1 levels. The current evidence supports a cooling rental market in April, not just one weak building or one noisy segment.
Secondary
Data window: DLD registered secondary sale transactions for April 2026, compared with March 2026 and April 2025. Live asking data is active inventory as of 2026-05-14.
Sale Monthly Activity
Jan–Apr 2026 · Deals (bars, left axis) · Avg AED/sqm (line, right axis)
Citywide movement
| Metric | Mar 2026 | Apr 2026 | Move | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered sale deals | 11,774 | 12,263 | +4.2% | High; DLD citywide |
| Average sale price | AED 2.11M | AED 2.24M | +6.4% | High; DLD citywide |
| Median sale price | AED 1.50M | AED 1.59M | +5.7% | High; DLD citywide |
| Average sale price / sqm | AED 20,865 | AED 21,498 | +3.0% | High; DLD citywide |
| Total sale value | AED 24.84B | AED 27.51B | +10.8% | High; DLD citywide |
Secondary sales moved in the opposite direction to rentals. April had more deals, higher median prices, higher price per sqm, and a larger registered value. That is a clean directional split.
Year-on-year and year-to-date
| Window | Deals | Avg price / sqm | Median sale price | Total value | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2025 | 14,426 | AED 19,945 | AED 1.36M | AED 29.83B | High; DLD citywide |
| Apr 2026 | 12,263 | AED 21,498 | AED 1.59M | AED 27.51B | High; DLD citywide |
| YoY move | -15.0% | +7.8% | +16.3% | -7.8% | High |
| Jan-Apr 2025 | 50,745 | AED 19,461 | AED 1.44M | AED 105.11B | High; DLD period rollup |
| Jan-Apr 2026 | 52,677 | AED 21,085 | AED 1.55M | AED 116.81B | High; DLD period rollup |
| YTD move | +3.8% | +8.3% | +7.7% | +11.1% | High |
Against April 2025, deal count is lower but prices are higher. YTD is stronger on all core measures: more deals, higher price per sqm, and 11.1% more total value.
Where sales moved
| Community | Apr deals | Apr AED/sqm | MoM AED/sqm move | Volume move | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai South | 1,135 | AED 18,145 | +4.5% | +14.3% | High |
| JVC | 796 | AED 17,086 | +4.2% | -8.5% | High |
| Dubai Islands | 693 | AED 31,828 | +7.1% | +69.4% | High |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | 593 | AED 29,182 | n/a | Entered top tier | High |
| Damac Lagoons | 574 | AED 19,629 | +1.5% | +173.3% | High |
| Jabal Ali First | 573 | AED 24,356 | -5.2% | +115.4% | High |
| Business Bay | 344 | AED 25,149 | -5.9% | -12.7% | High |
| Meydan | 301 | AED 28,415 | -14.5% | -22.6% | High |
| Maritime City | 240 | AED 34,282 | +4.1% | -2.8% | Moderate |
The action concentrated in growth and launch-heavy corridors: Dubai South, Dubai Islands, Damac Lagoons, Jabal Ali First, and Dubai Creek Harbour. Business Bay and Meydan softened on price per sqm in April despite remaining active.
Segment mix: apartments versus villas
| Segment | Mar deals | Mar AED/sqm | Apr deals | Apr AED/sqm | MoM AED/sqm move | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartments | 10,511 | AED 21,065 | 11,197 | AED 21,585 | +2.5% | High |
| Villas | 1,263 | AED 19,198 | 1,066 | AED 20,581 | +7.2% | High |
Apartments supplied most of the April resale volume, but villas had the stronger price-per-sqm move. Villa deal count fell 15.6% month-on-month, while pricing rose 7.2%; that points to a more expensive villa mix clearing, not broader villa liquidity.
Supply versus demand: asking prices against closed prices
| Community | Live sale listings | Latest asking median | Asking AED/sqm | Apr DLD sale AED/sqm | Asking vs transacted | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai South | 3,521 | AED 1.70M | AED 16,125 | AED 18,145 | -11.1% | High; live 2026-05-14, DLD Apr |
| JVC | 4,796 | AED 1.15M | AED 16,507 | AED 17,086 | -3.4% | High; live 2026-05-14, DLD Apr |
| Business Bay | 6,888 | AED 1.95M | AED 29,338 | AED 25,149 | +16.7% | High; live 2026-05-14, DLD Apr |
| Community | Live sale inventory distribution | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai South | 3,521 listings; p25 AED 1.06M, p50 AED 1.70M, p75 AED 3.50M | Asking stock is cheaper per sqm than April closed deals, likely reflecting a different mix of available units. |
| JVC | 4,796 listings; p25 AED 850k, p50 AED 1.15M, p75 AED 1.50M | Asking and transacted prices are close; negotiation room is smaller than in rent. |
| Business Bay | 6,888 listings; p25 AED 1.35M, p50 AED 1.95M, p75 AED 2.93M | Asking sits 16.7% above April closed price per sqm. This is where sellers are most optimistic. Polite word. |
Business Bay has the widest asking-versus-transacted gap in this sample. Dubai South and JVC show the opposite: live stock is priced below April closed AED/sqm, so unit mix matters before reading that as discounting.
Multi-quarter pattern
Sale Trend Comparison
AED per sqm · quarterly avg
| Area | Q1 2026 AED/sqm | Q2 2026 to date AED/sqm | Move | Sample / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JVC | AED 15,657 | AED 16,660 | +6.4% | High; Q2 partial |
| Dubai South | AED 16,953 | AED 18,058 | +6.5% | High; Q2 partial |
| Dubai Islands | AED 29,195 | AED 31,680 | +8.5% | High; Q2 partial |
| Dubai Creek Harbour | AED 27,554 | AED 28,673 | +4.1% | High; Q2 partial |
| Business Bay | AED 27,673 | AED 24,648 | -10.9% | Moderate; Q2 partial |
| Dubai Marina | AED 31,786 | AED 30,764 | -3.2% | Moderate; Q2 partial |
Secondary strength is not uniform. Growth corridors are still rising quarter-to-date; mature prime apartment areas are softer. That is the April resale story in one line: volume and value up citywide, leadership shifting by corridor.
Yield
Yield Ranking (8 areas)
| Community | Typical 1BR size | Indicative gross yield | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| International City | 68 sqm | 8.9% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
| Dubai Silicon Oasis | 75 sqm | 6.8% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
| JVC | 73 sqm | 6.7% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
| JLT | 78 sqm | 6.7% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
| Dubai South | 69 sqm | 5.9% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
| Arjan | 77 sqm | 5.7% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
| Dubai Marina | 77 sqm | 5.5% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
| Business Bay | 76 sqm | 4.8% | Moderate; area-level benchmark |
Yield remains strongest in value-led apartment communities, led by International City at 8.9%. Business Bay screens weakest among this set at 4.8%, consistent with high capital values and a wide live asking premium over April closed prices.
Caveats
- DLD transaction data is the latest complete month available: April 2026. Live asking data is current to 2026-05-14 and reflects seller or landlord expectations, not cleared deals.
- Q2 2026 figures are quarter-to-date. They show direction, not a completed-quarter result.
- Rent period rollups exclude default outliers; citywide market-summary tables use registered DLD totals. This is why some filtered section totals differ from the citywide headline totals.
- Asking-versus-transacted gaps are community-level. Unit size, view, furnishing, payment terms, and handover status can move the real negotiation range.