Travel News

Dubai: Home prices in the UAE could begin easing in 2026 as tens of thousands of new apartments and villas hit the market, according to a new report from Moody’s Ratings. For residents, that could mean more choice, steadier rents, and a less overheated housing market.

What residents can expect

Moody’s says over 150,000 new homes are scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2027. That’s about a 20% jump in Dubai’s housing stock. The report forecasts this wave of supply will lead to “a modest price correction starting in 2026.”

For buyers, that may mean more bargaining power. For renters, it could mean relief after years of steep rent increases.

Why demand remains high

The dip won’t come from weak demand. Dubai’s population grew 6% in 2024 to 3.9 million, supported by economic growth and new visa policies. At the same time, household sizes are shrinking — now averaging 3.9 people compared with 4.4 in 2019 — pushing up the need for more housing units.

Wealthy newcomers are reshaping the market too. Dubai is now home to more than 80,000 millionaires, double the number of a decade ago. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, over 590 homes priced above Dh20 million were sold, the highest in two years.

This mix of population growth and high-net-worth arrivals means demand is unlikely to collapse. Moody’s describes the outlook as “stable over the next 12 to 18 months, supported by strong demand fundamentals and macroeconomic resilience.”

Apartments vs villas

The type of home matters. Villas have been the big winners since the pandemic, with prices climbing 20% in late 2024 compared with the year before. Apartments rose 18% in the same period.

Moody’s expects villa demand to stay strong in the near term but warns growth will slow as more communities are delivered. Apartments, especially in mid-market areas, may see sharper price declines once supply outpaces demand.

For buyers, that could mean better deals on flats. For families, villas will remain pricey but with less aggressive increases.

Developers stronger than before

One reason residents may feel more secure this time is that developers are financially stronger.

• Emaar’s revenue backlog has soared to Dh129 billion in 2025 from Dh25 billion in 2020.

• Major builders have slashed their debt levels, with average leverage dropping to 1.4x in 2025 from 4.8x in 2020.

• Combined profits for the six biggest developers reached Dh46 billion in the past year, up from Dh12 billion five years earlier.

Moody’s says this means builders can keep projects moving, even if prices soften.

Rules that protect buyers

The past decade has also seen big regulatory changes to protect residents. Off-plan buyers’ money must now be placed in escrow accounts, only released to developers once construction milestones are reached. Developers also face stricter launch requirements, ensuring land and approvals are secured before sales begin.

Moody’s says these reforms “help safeguard buyers but also support long-term growth by mitigating systemic risks.”

In Sharjah, a new escrow law will take effect this year, bringing protections closer in line with Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

What it means for you

• Thinking of buying? Expect more choice and potentially softer prices from 2026.

• Renting? Extra supply could ease the pressure on rents, especially in apartments.

• Investing? Villas and luxury homes remain in demand, but competition is growing fast.

Moody’s sums it up: despite rising supply, the UAE housing market “will remain stable” — giving residents more security, whether they’re renters, buyers, or long-term investors.

ACCRA, Sept 10 (Reuters) – Ghana has agreed to accept West African nationals deported from the United States and 14 have already arrived in the country, President John Dramani Mahama told reporters late Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hardline approach toward immigration, aiming to deport millions of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally and seeking to ramp up removals to third countries.

A group of 14 deportees including Nigerians and one Gambian have already arrived in Ghana, and the government facilitated their return to their home countries, Mahama said at a press conference.

Mahama did not specify a cap on how many deportees Ghana would accept. He justified the decision by saying West Africans “don’t need a visa anyway” to come to Ghana.

“We were approached by the U.S. to accept third-party nationals who were being removed from the U.S., and we agreed with them that West African nationals were acceptable because all our fellow West Africans don’t need a visa to come to our country,” he said.

The Trump administration has approached a number of African governments about accepting deportees as part of its campaign to deter immigration through high-profile deportations to so-called “third countries.” In some cases migrants have voiced concerns for their safety.

In July the U.S. deported five individuals to Eswatini and eight others to South Sudan.

Rwanda received seven migrants deported from the United States in August, weeks after the two countries reached an agreement for the transfer of up to 250 people.

Trump welcomed five West African presidents to the White House on July 9, and sources later told Reuters that one of the objectives of that meeting was to press the leaders to take in deportees from other countries.

Mahama did not participate in that meeting.

(Reporting by Emmanuel Bruce; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Additional reporting by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Nia Williams and Kim Coghill)