Real estate industry executives predict a significant shift in Dubai’s rental market in 2026, with potentially thousands of tenants returning to the emirate. Property Monitor data reveals that 648 projects were launched in 2025, introducing over 167,000 units to the market.
Harrison Rackham-Beadle, sales director of haus & haus, highlighted the emerging opportunities: “The wave of new supply expected from 2026 onwards will give tenants something they’ve lacked for a while: choice. As handovers increase in popular communities such as JVC and Dubai Hills Estate, tenants will benefit from more options and gain bargaining power.”
Key factors driving potential tenant return include:
- Slowing rent increases
- More competitive pricing
- Reduced commute times
- Proximity to work and amenities
Bhaskara Santosh Punuru from Arthouse Hills Arjan noted that developers offering properties in the Dh1 million to Dh2 million range could attract residents back from Ajman and Sharjah.
Rohit Bachani of Merlin Real Estate cautioned that while supply appears significant, the market isn’t experiencing classic oversupply. “Much of this stock is either luxury-focused, investor-held, or not designed around how families and long-term tenants typically live,” he explained.
Leave a Reply