Dubai's freehold rental market continued its record-breaking momentum in August 2026, with 39,645 rental contracts registered across the emirate's freehold areas, a 3.79% month-on-month increase. New contracts climbed 19.4% year-on-year to 20,611, while renewals rose 4.4% YoY to 19,034.
The August figures pushed the eight-month cumulative total to 257,284 freehold rental contracts, a 5.5% increase on the same period in 2025, a year that itself closed at a record 377,944 registered contracts. The dual strength of new signings and renewals reflects demand that is both broad-based and structurally sticky, with contract cancellations down 25% compared to the prior year. One-bedroom units continue to anchor the market, accounting for 41% of all tenancy contracts registered so far in 2026.
Gulf Economist Staff Writer