Dubai office and retail property sales jump 137% in first eight months of 2026
Dubai office and retail property sales surged 137% in the first eight months of 2026 to $6.27 billion (AED 23 billion), up from $2.64 billion (AED 9.7 billion) in the same period last year, according to Dubai Land Department data published by Al Bayan.
A total of 4,361 office and retail property sales transactions were recorded between January and the end of August, compared with 3,523 during the same period in 2025.
Calculations by Al Masdar Al Aqaari based on the published data show that transaction volumes rose 23.8% year on year, well below the increase in sales value, indicating a substantial rise in the average value of commercial property transactions.
Sales during the first eight months of 2026 have already surpassed the $4.93 billion (AED 18.1 billion) recorded for the whole of 2025, when 6,098 transactions were completed.
The value of office and retail sales through August was 27.1% above the full-year 2025 total, according to Al Masdar Al Aqaari calculations, with four months of the year still to come.
Offices account for almost 80% of sales value
Offices were the main driver of Dubai's commercial property market during the period, with 3,273 transactions worth about $4.99 billion (AED 18.3 billion).
That represented about 79.6% of the combined value of office and retail property sales, according to Al Masdar Al Aqaari calculations based on the published figures.
Retail properties accounted for 1,088 transactions worth approximately $1.25 billion (AED 4.6 billion), or 20% of the combined sales value.
Offices also accounted for about three quarters of all transactions across the two segments, underlining their role in driving Dubai's commercial property market in 2026.
Off-plan offices dominate sales
Demand for properties under construction was particularly strong in the office market.
Off-plan and under-construction offices generated 2,096 transactions worth about $4.01 billion (AED 14.7 billion) during the first eight months of the year.
Ready offices, by comparison, recorded 1,177 transactions valued at approximately $953.7 million (AED 3.5 billion).
Based on these figures, properties under construction accounted for about 80.3% of total office sales value during the period, according to Al Masdar Al Aqaari calculations.
In other words, roughly four out of every five dirhams spent on office property between January and August went towards units that were still under construction.
Off-plan retail sales reach $872 million
Dubai's retail property market showed a similar shift towards off-plan sales.
Retail units under construction recorded 646 transactions worth about $871.9 million (AED 3.2 billion), while completed properties generated 442 transactions valued at approximately $381.5 million (AED 1.4 billion).
Off-plan properties therefore accounted for about 69.6% of retail sales value during the period, according to Al Masdar Al Aqaari calculations.
The figures show that the increase in Dubai commercial property sales extended beyond offices, although the office market remained by far the larger of the two segments covered by the data.
Business Bay leads Dubai office sales
Business Bay dominated Dubai's office property market during the first eight months of 2026, recording 1,010 transactions worth approximately $2.51 billion (AED 9.2 billion).
Trade Centre Second ranked next by sales value, with 77 transactions worth about $436 million (AED 1.6 billion), while Tecom Site A recorded 524 transactions valued at approximately $408.7 million (AED 1.5 billion).
One of the areas classified within Jumeirah Lakes Towers recorded a further 414 transactions worth about $299.7 million (AED 1.1 billion).
Based on the published figures, Al Masdar Al Aqaari calculates that Business Bay accounted for approximately 50.3% of the AED 18.3 billion in total office sales during the period.
What is driving demand for Dubai offices?
The rise in sales comes amid sustained demand for modern, high-quality office space in Dubai as local and international companies continue to expand their presence in the emirate.
Market reports reviewed by Al Masdar Al Aqaari show that occupancy levels in prime office buildings remained high in 2026, with financial services, technology and professional services companies, as well as flexible workspace operators, supporting demand.
An Emirates NBD Market Insights report on Dubai's office market said around 1.8 million square feet of Grade A office space was expected to enter the market in 2026, following the completion of approximately 800,000 square feet in the first half of the year.
Al Masdar Al Aqaari also reviewed Reidin data showing that average office sale prices in Dubai reached $599 (AED 2,199) per square foot in June 2026, up 20.1% from a year earlier.
The price and supply data provide further context for the sharp increase in transaction values, particularly as properties under construction accounted for the majority of office sales during the first eight months of the year.
Dubai commercial property sales outpace transaction growth
One of the clearest trends in Dubai's commercial property market this year is the widening gap between growth in transaction numbers and sales value.
While the number of office and retail transactions increased 23.8% year on year during the first eight months of 2026, their combined value rose by about 137%, based on the published figures and Al Masdar Al Aqaari calculations.
Sales through August have also exceeded the value recorded during the whole of 2025, leaving the market on course to finish 2026 above last year's level if activity remains strong during the final four months.
Offices remain the primary driver, accounting for almost 80% of combined sales value. Within the office market, properties under construction represented about 80% of sales value, making off-plan offices one of the most significant trends in Dubai's commercial real estate market in 2026.
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