How Many Properties Sold in Dubai South from January to September 2026?

Quick answer: Dubai South recorded 13,687 property sales between 1 January and 30 September 2026, worth approximately AED 19.9 billion. That is 86% more than the 7,352 sales in the same nine months of 2025, and already 37% more than the whole of 2025 (9,989 sales). Off-plan purchases made up 93% of deals, studios were 44% of all sales, and Dubai South was the busiest area in Dubai by sales volume every month from March to September.

Those figures come from Dubai Land Department (DLD) registrations compiled by DXBinteract, using data as of 16 October 2026. In DLD records, Dubai South is registered as the area Madinat Al Mataar, which covers Emaar South, Azizi Venice, The Pulse, South Bay, Expo Valley, Celestia, MAG 5 Boulevard and the other residential districts around Al Maktoum International Airport. Below, we break the number down month by month, by bedroom type and by project, then explain what it means for buyers and investors looking at property in Dubai South.

Dubai South Sales at a Glance: January to September 2026

Source: DLD transaction data via DXBinteract, period 1 January to 30 September 2026, retrieved 16 October 2026. Category totals do not add up exactly to 13,687 because commercial units and unclassified transactions are counted separately.

The headline for investors is the contrast. Across Dubai, the same dataset shows 124,085 sales in the first nine months of 2026, about 27% fewer than a year earlier, while Dubai South almost doubled. Roughly one in every nine homes sold in Dubai this year was in Dubai South, and in Q3 that rose to about one in seven.

Month by Month: How Dubai South Sales Moved in 2026

Source: DLD data via DXBinteract monthly area scorecards. Value includes residential and commercial sales.

By quarter, sales went from 2,981 in Q1 to 5,455 in Q2 and 5,251 in Q3. The jump from May to June, when monthly sales more than doubled to 2,924, lines up with heavy registration of new Azizi Venice buildings. June was the highest monthly total in the available DLD record for Dubai South; it alone exceeded any full quarter before 2026.

September deserves an honest reading. Sales fell 58% from August to 855, and 9% below September 2025. That does not mean demand collapsed. Dubai South's volume is launch driven: when a large batch of off-plan units is registered, a month spikes, and when the pipeline between launches is quieter, volume drops. September 2026 was still the highest volume of any Dubai area that month, and price per square foot stayed above AED 1,600. Investors should watch whether Q4 launches restore volume, rather than reading one month as a trend.

Why Dubai South Outsold Every Other Dubai Area

Three forces explain the surge, and each one matters for how you judge future value.

1. Azizi Venice brought an entry price Dubai had almost run out of

The median studio in Dubai South sold for about AED 650,000 in 2026. Very few freehold communities with new-build stock, waterfront masterplans and long payment plans still offer that price point. Azizi Developments released building after building at its lagoon-front Azizi Venice masterplan, and most of the top 15 selling projects in Dubai South this year are Azizi Venice buildings. We covered the original launch of this AED 30 billion masterplan in our article on Azizi Venice in Dubai South.

2. The airport story moved from plan to construction

In April 2024 the Dubai government approved a AED 128 billion passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), designed for up to 260 million passengers a year with five parallel runways and more than 400 aircraft stands, with Dubai International's operations to move there over the following decade. Construction contracts have since been awarded. Buyers are paying today's prices for homes next to what is planned to be the world's largest airport, and every visible construction milestone strengthens that story. An industry release published on Zawya in July 2026 also cited 653 new companies setting up in Dubai South in 2025, taking the total above 4,200, which supports long-term tenant demand from people who work locally.

3. Established developers added mid-market and family stock

Azizi was not the only engine. Early 2026 sales were led by Windsor House by Ellington Properties, Emaar's Terra Woods and Terra Gardens, Expo Valley Views, Altura, Avenew888 and South Square by Dubai South Properties. These projects sold at medians from about AED 0.5 million at Altura to AED 2.6 million at Expo Valley Views, which kept Dubai South relevant for end users and families, not only for small-ticket investors.

What Sold: Dubai South Sales by Bedroom Type

Source: DLD data via DXBinteract. Shares are of all 13,687 sales; about 270 transactions have no bedroom classification (mostly commercial).

Studios and one-bedroom units made up three out of every four sales. Studio volume exploded from 161 in January to 1,756 in June, while one and two-bedroom volumes stayed steadier. This is the single most important detail behind the numbers: the median sale price dropped 35% not because homes got cheaper, but because the mix shifted toward smaller units. Like-for-like value, measured as price per square foot, rose about 10% to AED 1,650, still slightly below the Dubai benchmark of about AED 1,730 over the same window.

If you are looking at this segment, browse current studios for sale in Dubai South and one-bedroom apartments in Dubai South to compare asking prices against the medians above.

The family end of the market also grew. Villa and townhouse sales rose 103% to 293 deals at a median of AED 4.95 million, mostly in communities such as Emaar South and South Bay, and four-bedroom homes sold at a median of AED 4.59 million. Buyers in this bracket can review villas for sale in Dubai South and Dubai South townhouses.

Top Selling Projects in Dubai South in 2026

Source: DLD data via DXBinteract, year to date to 16 October 2026. Dubai South had 267 projects with at least one sale this year.

Two takeaways stand out. First, concentration: Azizi Venice buildings fill all of the top ten places and 14 of the top 15, so Dubai South's 2026 record is closely tied to one masterplan by one developer. Second, there is a price premium inside Azizi Venice itself. Some buildings, such as Venice 6 Building A at about AED 1,980 per sq ft and Venice 16 at about AED 1,898, trade well above others around AED 1,590 to AED 1,750. Location within the masterplan, view and phase timing all feed into that gap, and it is a useful signal when choosing between buildings.

Outside Azizi, Golf Vale at Emaar South was the strongest new entry, and Emaar Properties continues to anchor the golf-course side of the district with further releases such as Greenway at Emaar South.

Off-Plan vs Resale: A Primary Market in Overdrive

Developers sold 12,764 units in Dubai South from January to September 2026, 110% more than a year earlier, and the off-plan share of monthly sales climbed from 86% in January to more than 95% in August. Resales went the other way, falling 23% to 923.

For buyers this cuts both ways. A small resale market means less competition from investors flipping completed units, but it also means fewer comparable sales when you eventually want to exit. Most of today's off-plan buyers will be selling into the same market at handover. Before you commit, read our guide to investing in off-plan property in Dubai and our advice on what to do if an off-plan project is delayed. You can see projects currently selling in the area on our Dubai South off-plan page.

Prices, Rents and Rental Yields in Dubai South

Price per square foot rose steadily from AED 1,445 in January to a peak of AED 1,721 in August, a gain of about 19% within the year, before easing to AED 1,632 in September. Over a longer view, the change is far larger: Dubai South averaged roughly AED 650 per sq ft in 2022 and around AED 1,650 in 2026, about two and a half times higher in four years.

Source: DLD sale and Ejari rental data via DXBinteract, September 2026. Gross yield is median rent divided by median price, before service charges, vacancy and fees.

Studios are the yield leaders, with gross returns ranging between about 5.8% and 7.2% in monthly data during 2026. Larger units yield less because rents do not rise in proportion to price. You will also see a headline area yield of about 8% quoted for Dubai South; that blended figure is calculated only on units that were both sold and rented within the period, so we treat the per-bedroom medians above as the more conservative planning number. The best-rented buildings in the area over the past year were Celestia A and B at around AED 40,000 to AED 45,000 a year, Expo Village Residences at AED 70,000 to AED 90,000, and The Pulse Boulevard Apartments at around AED 78,000.

To compare these returns with other parts of the city, see our analysis of which Dubai areas offer the best rental income and our guide on calculating ROI on rental property in Dubai.

Dubai South vs Dubai Overall: 2026 Comparison

Source: DLD data via DXBinteract. Q3 2026 citywide totals published by other trackers (for example 37,429 sales worth AED 92.9 billion in the fäm Properties figures reported by IndexBox) differ slightly due to methodology.

Dubai South is cheaper per square foot than the Dubai average yet growing faster in both volume and price. That combination is typical of an emerging district in a catch-up phase, which is why it has also featured among our best areas for off-plan investment in Dubai.

Supply Pipeline and Handovers: The Risk to Watch

The strongest argument for caution is supply. DXBinteract tracks 38 upcoming projects in Dubai South with about 41,043 units still to be delivered, against a relatively small stock of completed homes today. Only a handful of projects completed in 2026, including Cresswell Residences by Esnaad (72 units, April) and Trafford Residence by Deviate (45 units, August).

When tens of thousands of units hand over between 2027 and 2030, two things can happen at once: rents can soften as landlords compete for tenants, and resale prices can face pressure from investors who bought small units and want to exit. How much pressure depends on how quickly the airport, logistics hubs and Expo City bring jobs and residents to the area. Our view is that the airport timeline supports long-term demand, but the handover wave makes short-term flipping riskier here than in established communities.

Expert View: What These Numbers Mean for Buyers and Investors

Here is how we read the January to September 2026 data at Next Level Real Estate.

• For yield-focused investors: Studios between AED 600,000 and AED 750,000 offer the highest gross yields in the area. Favour buildings near completion or already rented, where rent is proven rather than projected.
• For capital-growth investors: Price per square foot rose about 19% between January and August 2026. Buying early in a phase from a developer with a strong delivery record has historically been where off-plan gains sit in Dubai, but only if you can hold through handover and the resale market at that point.
• For end users and families: Two to four-bedroom homes in Emaar South and South Bay are less exposed to the studio supply wave and benefit from golf, lagoon and school amenities. Median prices of AED 1.8 million to AED 4.6 million are still well below comparable villa communities closer to the city.
• For Golden Visa seekers: Properties of AED 2 million and above can qualify for a ten-year UAE Golden Visa, including off-plan units under conditions explained in our guide to getting a Golden Visa by buying off-plan property.
• Due diligence checklist: confirm the project is RERA registered with an escrow account, check the developer's past handover record, compare your unit's price per square foot with the medians in this article, read the payment plan for post-handover instalments and model your return using realistic rent, service charges and at least one month of vacancy per year.

Dubai South is also central to the city's long-term plan. Under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, the Expo 2020 district next to Dubai South is one of the city's five main urban centres, which we explain in our article on the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many properties were sold in Dubai South from January to September 2026?

Dubai South recorded 13,687 property sale transactions between 1 January and 30 September 2026, based on Dubai Land Department data compiled by DXBinteract. That is 86% more than the 7,352 sales recorded in the same nine months of 2025.

What was the total value of Dubai South property sales in the first nine months of 2026?

Monthly sales value in Dubai South added up to approximately AED 19.9 billion from January to September 2026. June was the strongest month at about AED 3.38 billion.

Why did the median property price in Dubai South fall in 2026 while price per square foot rose?

The median price fell about 35% to AED 980,000 because studios made up 44% of all sales, which pulls the middle of the price range down. Price per square foot, which removes the effect of unit size, rose about 10% to AED 1,650, so like-for-like values went up, not down.

Are most Dubai South sales off-plan or ready properties?

Most are off-plan. Primary market sales from developers made up 12,764 of the 13,687 transactions, or 93%. Resales accounted for 923 deals, which was 23% fewer than in the same period of 2025.

Which projects sold the most units in Dubai South in 2026?

Azizi Venice dominated 2026 sales. Azizi Venice 15 Building B led with 634 sales year to date, followed by Azizi Venice 11 with 453 and Azizi Venice 13 Building B with 430. Golf Vale by Emaar was the leading non-Azizi project with 238 sales.

What rental yield can investors expect in Dubai South?

Using median prices and median rents for September 2026, gross yields were about 6.0% for studios, 4.5% for one-bedroom units and 4.6% for two-bedroom units. Across 2026 the monthly studio yield ranged between about 5.8% and 7.2%. These are gross figures before service charges and vacancy.

How does Dubai South rank against other Dubai areas for sales?

Dubai South was the number one area in Dubai by sales volume every month from March to September 2026, and number one of 166 areas over the trailing twelve months with 16,426 sales. It also led Dubai by sales value in Q3 2026.

Is Dubai South a good place to buy property in 2026?

Dubai South offers entry prices around AED 650,000 for studios, gross yields above the Dubai apartment average for small units and long-term demand tied to Al Maktoum International Airport. The main risks are about 41,000 upcoming units in the pipeline and a resale market that is still thin, so buyers should choose established developers, check escrow and handover dates and plan to hold for the medium to long term.

Conclusion: A Record Year Built on Off-Plan Demand

So, how many properties sold in Dubai South from January to September 2026? The answer is 13,687, worth about AED 19.9 billion, making Dubai South the most traded area in Dubai this year while the wider market slowed. The growth was powered by affordable off-plan studios and one-bedroom units, especially at Azizi Venice, and supported by rising price per square foot and the long-term pull of Al Maktoum International Airport.

The opportunity is real, and so is the risk from a deep handover pipeline. The right decision depends on your budget, holding period and whether you want yield or growth. Explore current apartments for sale in Dubai South, or speak to the Next Level Real Estate team for a project-by-project comparison based on the latest DLD data.

Methodology: Sales counts, values, prices and yields are taken from Dubai Land Department registrations compiled by DXBinteract for the area Madinat Al Mataar (Dubai South), covering 1 January to 30 September 2026 and retrieved on 16 October 2026. Recent months may be revised slightly as late registrations are added. This article is market information, not financial advice.