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Is the Dubai property market really quieter in the summer?

Many people think that the Dubai property market grinds to a complete halt during the summer months. The idea is that buyers stay away en masse in July and August, allowing you to secure better deals with motivated sellers. But what do the figures actually show? A look at the data from 2023 and 2024 reveals that this perception is not entirely accurate.

In 2023, the summer began with 5,506 off-plan transactions in May. In June and July, that number fell by 14%, followed by another 22% drop in August. However, by September, there was already a 16% increase compared to May. The dip is therefore temporary. What is more striking are the completed (ready-for-handover) transactions.

In May 2023, there were 5,228 of these, and in July and August, this figure actually rose by 22%. Looking at the average from June to September, the total was even slightly higher than in May. So there was no summer slowdown, certainly not for ready-to-move-in homes.

No clear summer dip in 2024 either

Looking at 2024, we see a similar pattern. In May, there were 10,600 off-plan transactions, but in June there was a 24% drop and a 14% drop in July. In August, activity picked up again, and by September, the number of transactions was even 9% higher than in May. Again, we see a short-lived slowdown, particularly for off-plan deals. For completed homes, the trend was different. In May, there were 5,832 transactions, followed by a small 4% drop in June. In July, there was even a slight increase of 1%. A larger drop of 20% occurred in August, followed by another 6% decrease in September.

The conclusion? Although there are some fluctuations, particularly in off-plan projects, there is certainly no complete collapse of the market during the summer months. The idea that numerous bargain opportunities suddenly arise because sellers are desperate simply does not align with the reality shown by the data.