Dubai Homeowners Holding Properties Longer, Matching Ownership Trends in London and New York
Homeowners in Dubai are increasingly holding onto their properties for longer periods, with ownership patterns now resembling those seen in major global cities such as London and New York, according to a new study released by fäm Properties.
The study analyzed more than 1.1 million real estate transactions recorded by the Dubai Land Department over the past 16 years, indicating what the company described as a significant maturation of Dubai’s residential property market and a decline in short-term speculative activity.
According to the report, the analysis covered 687,406 primary market transactions between 2012 and 2025, alongside 425,083 resale transactions between 2009 and 2025. Of those properties, 480,604 homes in the primary market and 259,615 resale properties are still owned by their original buyers.
This means that a total of 740,219 residential properties purchased since 2012 have not yet been resold, representing 69.9% of primary market purchases and 61.1% of resale market transactions during that period.
Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties, said long-term homeowners have now replaced short-term speculators in Dubai’s market, describing this shift as a hallmark of a maturing real estate sector. He noted that buyers who purchased homes in Dubai in 2014 and still own them today are behaving similarly to average homeowners in cities such as London and New York.
The study linked the changing ownership behavior to several structural developments in Dubai’s housing market, including the UAE’s Golden Visa program, introduced in 2019 and expanded in 2022, which tied property ownership to long-term residency opportunities. Regulatory reforms protecting off-plan property buyers also contributed to greater market stability.
The report further highlighted the role of major infrastructure investments—including new metro lines and the development of large residential districts such as Dubai South, Dubai Creek Harbour, and Dubai Islands—in encouraging long-term investment across a broader range of locations.
Data from the study showed that in Dubai’s primary residential market, 42% of buyers who purchased properties in 2014 still own them after 11 years. That figure rises to 53% among 2017 buyers after eight years, and 61% among buyers from 2022 after just three years.
The resale market showed similar trends, with 38% of 2014 buyers still holding their properties after 11 years, 53% of 2017 buyers after eight years, and 65% of 2022 buyers after three years.
According to fäm Properties, these figures closely mirror ownership trends in the United States, where homeowners typically stay in their homes for 11 to 12 years, based on 2025 data from Redfin and the National Association of Realtors. In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, only around 4% of homes change ownership annually, meaning most homeowners retain properties for more than a decade.
The analysis was conducted using DXBinteract, a market intelligence platform developed by fäm Properties in partnership with Dubai Land Department records, with ownership data updated through the end of April 2026.