Dubai’s property market is still grabbing headlines, with the Financial Times reporting on its increasing attractiveness to buyers from Europe and North America. Some 37% of Germany’s wealthiest are considering emigration, according to Arton Capital, while Dubai-based Sotheby’s agent Leigh Williamson says her client base now includes 20% more Americans than a decade ago.

Expats are staying longer: “Buyers who bought to flip used to be the majority, but that’s changing,” PropertyFinder’s Michael Lahyani said, citing rising rental costs pushing expats toward homeownership. To account for this shift, developers are pivoting to larger, family-friendly homes, moving away from short-term investment properties.

Dubai’s success is fueling regional competition: Abu Dhabi is marketing itself as a quieter, family-oriented alternative, while Ral Al Khaimah and Bahrain are pushing luxury developments and urban regeneration, with RAK planning over 60 high-end projects ahead of the UAE’s first Wynn-branded casino in 2027.

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