Dubai property sales soar to record high of $152.32bn, report says 

Apartment sales dominated transactions in October, with 16,238 deals. Shutterstock
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Updated 03 November 2025
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Dubai property sales soar to record high of $152.32bn, report says 

RIYADH: Dubai’s property market hit a new record in 2025, with sales climbing to 559.4 billion dirhams ($152 billion) by October, already surpassing the emirate’s previous full-year high, a new analysis showed. 

According to data from real estate brokerage fam Properties, Dubai registered 19,875 property transactions worth 59.4 billion dirhams in October alone, bringing the total for the first ten months of 2025 to 178,244 deals. 

The continued momentum reflects a broader trend across the Gulf Cooperation Council, where property values and sales are rising across residential, commercial, and hospitality segments, driven by ongoing economic diversification efforts. 

This sustained performance ensures that 2025 will mark another milestone year for Dubai’s real estate sector, following 2024’s record 180,900 transactions worth 522.1 billion dirhams. 

Firas Al-Msaddi, CEO of fam Properties, said: “The market overall is undeniably strong, and on a global scale, Dubai remains one of the best real estate markets to invest in, whether as an end user or investor.” 

He added: “But it doesn’t mean every developer will win just because the market is healthy. Nor does it mean investors can make impulsive or uninformed decisions and expect success. The only consistent way to win is by making well-informed, data-backed decisions, whether you’re an individual investor or an institution.” 

Citing data from DXB Interact, the report noted that apartment sales dominated transactions in October, with 16,238 deals worth 31 billion dirhams — a 3.4 percent year-on-year increase in volume. 

During the same month, villa sales totaled 15.5 billion dirhams, while land acquisitions amounted to 11 billion dirhams. 

The sharpest year-on-year growth was recorded in the commercial sector, with 689 transactions valued at 1.9 billion dirhams — a 61.7 percent rise compared with October 2024. 

The report added that the average property price increased by 6.7 percent year on year to 1,692 dirhams per square foot. 

Off-plan sales from developers dominated activity in October, accounting for 13,926 transactions worth 38.7 billion dirhams, compared with 5,949 resales valued at 20.7 billion dirhams. 

The most expensive property sold during the month was a luxury villa in Jumeirah Second for 220 million dirhams, while the priciest apartment fetched 155 million dirhams at Bulgari Lighthouse Dubai on Island 2. 


Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Samref ink deal to study Yanbu refinery upgrade

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Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Samref ink deal to study Yanbu refinery upgrade

RIYADH: Energy giants Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, and Samref have signed a venture framework agreement to upgrade the Yanbu refinery and expand it into an integrated petrochemical complex.

As a part of the deal, the companies will explore capital investments to upgrade and diversify production, including high-quality distillates that result in lower emissions and high-performance chemicals, according to a joint press statement.

The agreement will also see the parties explore opportunities to improve the refinery’s energy efficiency and reduce environmental impacts from operations through an integrated emissions-reduction strategy.

Samref is an equally owned joint venture between Aramco and Mobil Yanbu Refining Co. Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corp.

The refinery currently has the capacity to process more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing a diverse range of energy products, including propane, automotive diesel oil, marine heavy fuel oil, and sulfur.

“This next phase of Samref marks a step in our long-term strategic collaboration with ExxonMobil. Designed to increase the conversion of crude oil and petroleum liquids into high-value chemicals, this project reinforces our commitment to advancing Downstream value creation and our liquids-to-chemicals strategy,” said Aramco Downstream President, Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani.

He added that the deal will help position Samref as a key driver of the Kingdom’s petrochemical sector’s growth.

The press statement further said that companies will commence a preliminary front-end engineering and design phase for the proposed project, which would aim to maximize operational advantages, enhance Samref’s competitiveness, and help to meet growing demand for high-quality petrochemical products in Saudi Arabia.

The firms added that these plans are subject to market conditions, regulatory approvals, and final investment decisions by Aramco and ExxonMobil.

“We value our partnership with Aramco and our long history in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to evaluating this project, which aligns with our strategy to focus on investments that allow us to grow high-value products that meet society’s evolving energy needs and contribute to a lower-emission future,” said Jack Williams, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corp.