DAMAC sets March pace in Dubai

DAMAC Properties said it led Dubai’s property market by transaction volume in March, reporting sales of 3.12 billion dirhams across 1,106 transactions, a performance that put it ahead of Emaar Properties on 795 deals and Binghatti Holding on 578, according to Property Monitor data cited by the developer. The figures place DAMAC at the front of one of the Gulf’s busiest real-estate markets at a time when investors are weighing strong local demand against a more complex regional backdrop.

The March tally also capped a solid first quarter for the privately held developer. DAMAC said it sold 3,663 residential units in the first three months of 2026, while construction and handovers across its projects remained on schedule. The company says it has delivered more than 50,000 homes so far and has about 55,000 units in the pipeline, figures that underline the scale of its operations as competition among Dubai developers intensifies.

For Dubai’s wider market, the headline numbers remain firmly expansionary, though they vary depending on the measure used. Data cited by DAMAC from Dubai REST put total real-estate sales in the first quarter at 246.12 billion dirhams, up 72.46 per cent from a year earlier. Separate market reporting based on Dubai data showed property sales of 176.7 billion dirhams from 47,996 transactions in the same period, up 23.4 per cent in value and 5.5 per cent in volume. Taken together, the figures point to a market still growing strongly, with value rising faster than deal count, a sign that higher-ticket transactions continue to exert a large influence.

That backdrop helps explain why March leadership matters. Dubai’s residential market has become increasingly crowded, with major listed and private developers launching fresh inventory across premium, mid-market and branded segments. Emaar entered 2026 on the back of record 2025 results, with property sales of 80.4 billion dirhams and a revenue backlog of 155 billion dirhams. Binghatti, meanwhile, reported a 96 per cent rise in 2025 net profit to 3.58 billion dirhams, nearly doubled revenue to 12.43 billion dirhams and said it sold more than 17,000 units last year. Against that backdrop, DAMAC’s March lead is noteworthy because it came against rivals with deep pipelines, powerful brands and strong balance sheets.

DAMAC has framed the outcome as evidence of resilience in Dubai demand. Amira Sajwani, managing director of DAMAC Properties, said the market’s fundamentals remained strong despite political tensions across the region and argued that investor confidence in Dubai continued to hold up. That view aligns with broader market commentary pointing to demand from both regional and international buyers who continue to see the emirate as a relatively stable destination for capital, second homes and rental-yield plays.

Still, the strength of current sales has not ended debate over how long Dubai’s surge can continue without more obvious moderation. Market commentary in late March pointed to concerns over a rising supply pipeline, with analysts and rating agencies warning that a large volume of units due through 2026 and 2027 could temper price gains. Other assessments have argued that the market is shifting from a breakneck growth cycle towards a steadier phase rather than heading for a sharp correction. That makes execution, delivery schedules and product positioning more important for developers trying to defend margins and maintain buyer confidence.

Off-plan activity remains central to the story. Market reporting on the first quarter showed off-plan demand continuing to dominate sales, supported by new launches and payment-plan driven buying. Apartments have accounted for much of the volume, while villas and higher-end homes have contributed significantly to value growth, reflecting Dubai’s ability to attract both mass-market investors and wealthy buyers seeking larger assets. Developers that can serve both ends of that spectrum are likely to remain prominent in monthly league tables.