Betterhomes: Dubai Rents Adjust as Supply Rises and Demand Shifts

As we enter week five of the ongoing regional developments, Dubai’s leasing market is entering a more selective phase, with shifting tenant behaviour and an increase in rental listings beginning to reshape market dynamics.

Based on betterhomes data and nearly four decades of experience across multiple market cycles, the brokerage says the market remains active, but outcomes are increasingly being shaped by pricing, presentation, and flexibility.

According to new leasing insights from betterhomes, informed by the questions most commonly being raised by tenants and landlords in Dubai, lead volumes are currently around 30 to 40 per cent below the same period last year. However, activity has improved since early March, with lead volumes rising by around 20 per cent week on week and briefly matching levels seen at the same time last year in mid-March.

Search activity across the main property portals indicates that rental demand is currently concentrated in Dubai Marina, Business Bay, Dubai Silicon Oasis and JVC, which are seeing the strongest search volumes at present.

For landlords, pricing strategy is becoming increasingly important. Comparing March 2025 with this month, betterhomes has recorded a 23 per cent increase in rental listings alongside a 16 per cent decline in tenant enquiries. This shift places greater emphasis on realistic pricing, strong presentation, and flexibility from the outset.

Rupert Simmonds, Director of Leasing at betterhomes, said: “We are seeing many of the same questions from both tenants and landlords, particularly around demand, pricing, and how the market is evolving. What matters now is stepping back from the noise and focusing on what the data is actually showing. The market remains active, but outcomes are increasingly shaped by realistic pricing, strong presentation, and a clear understanding of tenant behaviour.”