98.15 per cent of Dubai home sales in August 2026 were freehold. That is 9,772 of 9,956 screened sales. The other 184 were non freehold, and they sold for a median of AED 667,500 against AED 1,124,446 for freehold.
That looks like a 40.6 per cent discount, and per square foot it looks like 43.7 per cent. It is not a discount you can go and buy. This page explains why, using the register rather than opinion.
The two tenures side by side
| Measure, August 2026 | Freehold | Non freehold |
|---|---|---|
| Registered sales | 9,772 | 184 |
| Share of the month | 98.15 per cent | 1.85 per cent |
| Median price | AED 1,124,446 | AED 667,500 |
| Median size | 729.3 sq ft | 749.9 sq ft |
| Median price per square foot | AED 1,714.37 | AED 965.14 |
| Off plan share | 74.5 per cent | 46.2 per cent |
Look at the size row before the price rows. The non freehold median is 749.9 square feet and the freehold median is 729.3. The non freehold homes were slightly larger. So the 43.7 per cent gap per square foot is not a size effect. Something else is doing the work.
Almost all 184 of them are in two places
| Area | Sales | Median price | Median price per square foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Oasis | 98 | AED 794,000 | AED 995.91 |
| Dubai Investment Park First | 70 | AED 552,325 | AED 957.89 |
| Dubai Investment Park Second | 10 | AED 596,256 | AED 717.52 |
| Rega Al Buteen | 3 | AED 1,175,000 | AED 701.74 |
| Dubai Investment Park First | 2 | AED 2,787,500 | AED 924.80 |
| Mirdif | 1 | AED 845,000 | AED 870.23 |
Silicon Oasis and Dubai Investment Park First account for 168 of the 184 sales, which is 91.3 per cent of them. These are established inland communities, not waterfront. Compare them with the freehold volume leaders in the same month, which were Madinat Al Mataar at 1,727 sales and City Of Arabia at 769.
That is the answer to the discount. The non freehold median is cheaper because almost all of it sits in two mid priced inland areas. It is a location effect wearing a tenure label. The register cannot separate the two cleanly and neither can anyone else, so treat the 43.7 per cent as a description of where those homes are, not as the price of giving up freehold title.
Why most international buyers never see this choice
Dubai property law splits ownership by who you are. Under Law No. 7 of 2006, Article 4, UAE and GCC nationals may hold freehold title anywhere in the emirate. Everyone else may hold freehold, a long lease or a usufruct of up to 99 years only inside areas designated for foreign ownership, which were set out in Regulation No. 3 of 2006 and have been extended by decree since.
So for a non GCC buyer the 184 non freehold sales are mostly not an option in the first place. The practical market for an international buyer is the 9,772 freehold sales, and the median there is AED 1,124,446 at AED 1,714.37 per square foot. Designated areas change by decree, so confirm the status of a specific plot with the Dubai Land Department before you commit to anything.
What this actually means for a buyer
- If you are not a UAE or GCC national, price your search off the freehold median of AED 1,124,446, not the blended figure.
- The 43.7 per cent per foot gap is a map, not a bargain. It tells you Silicon Oasis and Dubai Investment Park First are cheaper areas.
- Freehold stock is far more off plan, 74.5 per cent against 46.2 per cent, so the freehold median carries more handover risk.
- Always confirm the tenure on the title deed itself. The register records tenure as filed, and it is the deed that binds.
The 9,956 sale screen used here is the same one behind Dubai property prices per square foot, August 2026. For the cash you need at purchase, see how much money you need to buy property in Dubai.
Method and limits
Every figure above is recomputed from the register for this page. Source is the Dubai Land Department sales register for August 2026, file dated 2 September 2026.
Basis. Sales group, Residential usage, Unit property type, priced at or above AED 500 per square foot. That is 9,956 homes for the month and it is the standard used across this site. The tenure split uses the register’s own freehold field. Price per square foot uses actual area converted at 10.7639 square feet to the square metre.
What was removed. The register holds 10,123 residential Unit sales in August 2026. We screened out 167 rows priced below AED 500 per square foot as non market.
Limits. One month of data. The non freehold side is only 184 sales, so its median is indicative and its area table thins out fast. The smallest cell shown holds 1 sales. The register records tenure as filed and does not distinguish a 99 year usufruct from a shorter lease. It also records no buyer nationality, so we cannot show who actually bought the non freehold stock, only where it was. Villas and townhouses register as Building rather than Unit and are not in this count. The legal summary above is a description of published Dubai legislation and is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of Dubai property is freehold?
98.15 per cent of residential unit sales in August 2026 were freehold, which is 9,772 of 9,956 screened sales. Non freehold was 1.85 per cent.
Is non freehold property cheaper in Dubai?
In August 2026 the non freehold median was AED 667,500 against AED 1,124,446 freehold, and AED 965.14 per square foot against AED 1,714.37. Most of that gap is location rather than tenure, because 91.3 per cent of non freehold sales were in Silicon Oasis and Dubai Investment Park First.
Can foreigners buy freehold property in Dubai?
Yes, inside areas designated for foreign ownership. Law No. 7 of 2006 lets UAE and GCC nationals own anywhere in Dubai, and lets everyone else own freehold, a long lease or a usufruct of up to 99 years in designated areas set by Regulation No. 3 of 2006 and later decrees.
How many non freehold homes sold in Dubai in August 2026?
184 residential units on our screen, of which 168 were in just two areas, Silicon Oasis and Dubai Investment Park First.
Which is the better buy, freehold or non freehold?
For a non GCC buyer the question rarely arises, because non freehold stock generally sits outside the designated areas. Freehold is also the deeper market at 9,772 sales in the month.
Talk to us before you buy
Cresco Real Estate works the Dubai register every month and we will show you the sales behind any number on this page. Umer Shauket is the founder. RERA ORN 34288 and BRN 59655. We have a Dubai office and a United States office at 1800 N Vine St Suite 346, Los Angeles CA 90028.