Dubai’s mortgage market has held firm through 2026 even as off-plan sales pulled back. Registered mortgage transactions totalled AED 150.15 billion in the first nine months of the year, up from AED 132.21 billion in the same period of 2025, a rise of approximately 14 per cent year-on-year, according to data cited by UAE-based mortgage platform Holo.
The off-plan picture looks markedly different. Sales fell from 14,044 transactions worth AED 28.8 billion in September 2025 to 7,157 transactions valued at AED 14.3 billion in September 2026, a 49 per cent decline in volume and a 50.5 per cent drop in value over that month.
The retreat was not uniform, though. Off-plan villa and townhouse transactions rose 64.1% over the same period, suggesting continued demand in select segments even as the broader category slowed.
Mortgage activity remained substantial in September alone, with AED 16.79 billion in registered mortgage value recorded that month. Total mortgage transactions for the nine-month period stood at approximately 30,170.
“Dubai’s latest property figures highlight how different segments of the market can move in different directions. While off-plan activity has moderated, mortgage registrations continue to represent a significant part of the market. This is an important reminder that the strength of a property market should not be measured by sales volumes alone. For buyers, the focus should remain on affordability, financing options and the long-term commitments involved in homeownership, rather than making decisions based on market momentum alone,” Michael Hunter, CEO & Co-Founder at Holo said in a statement.
It is worth noting that mortgage registrations cover more than straightforward purchase financing. Refinancing and other secured lending activity sit within that figure, and some off-plan purchases also involve mortgage financing. The data nonetheless makes the case that headline sales volumes tell only part of the story in Dubai’s property market.
