October 11, 2025 · By Thomas Bakker
Why Villas and Townhouses in Dubai Are Such a Strategic Investment
In 2024, Dubai registered a total of 106,637 off-plan sales. Of these, a significant 94,400 were apartments, accounting for 88.5% of all transactions. Only 12,230 were villa and townhouse sales, which amounts to 11.5%. This trend continues in the broader statistics from the last three years.
Between 2021 and 2024, 212,000 off-plan homes that are still under construction and due for near-term completion were sold. Of this total, 185,000 were apartments, or 87.5% of the market. In contrast, only 26,933 villas and townhouses were launched in the same period, or 12.5%. And half of those are located in neighbourhoods where most buyers would not want to live.
Scarcity + High Demand = A Valuable Asset
In a market where the vast majority of supply consists of apartments, villas and townhouses immediately stand out due to their scarcity. This scarcity carries even more weight when you consider the influx of high-net-worth individuals into the city. In 2024 alone, approximately 7,000 millionaires relocated to Dubai, with many also using the city as a second home.
What happens when thousands of millionaires are looking for a home in a category with limited supply? Exactly: the value increases. Villas and townhouses offer more space, privacy, and often better locations, making them highly attractive to affluent buyers. While apartments are being built in large numbers, the supply of high-quality, land-based homes remains limited.
For those seeking long-term capital appreciation and stability in a market where luxury and space are increasingly in demand, villas and townhouses are a logical choice.