13 November 2026
Dubai recorded 86 sales of homes priced at USD 10 million (about AED 36.7 million) or more in the third quarter of 2026, worth USD 1.57 billion (about AED 5.77 billion) in total. That is more deals than any other city in the Global Super-Prime Intelligence report of Knight Frank, which tracks 12 markets: Hong Kong came second with 78 sales and New York third with 62. Over the 12 months to the end of September, Dubai registered 525 such sales worth USD 9.25 billion (about AED 34 billion), well ahead of every other market. On value alone, however, Hong Kong finished the quarter fractionally in front, with USD 1.58 billion.
The third quarter ranking
The report, covered by The National on 13 November 2026, counts residential sales at USD 10 million and above. The six markets named in the coverage stood as follows for July to September 2026:
| Market | Sales of USD 10M+ homes, Q3 2026 | Total value |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 86 | USD 1.57 billion, about AED 5.77 billion |
| Hong Kong | 78 | USD 1.58 billion, about AED 5.80 billion |
| New York | 62 | USD 1.08 billion, about AED 3.97 billion |
| Sydney | 57 | USD 724 million, about AED 2.66 billion |
| Singapore | 44 | USD 613 million, about AED 2.25 billion |
| London | 42 | USD 722 million, about AED 2.65 billion |
AED figures are our conversion at the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 per US dollar. Across all 12 markets, the quarter brought 470 deals worth USD 8.7 billion (about AED 32 billion), and activity slowed by 19%. New York was one of the few large markets to grow, with sales up 9% and value up 11%. Sydney doubled its number of USD 10 million plus sales to 57. In London the number of sales slipped only from 46 to 42, but their value halved, and the average sale fell from USD 31.7 million to USD 17.2 million.
First on deals, second on value
The quarter was weaker for Dubai than the first half of the year. Compared with the second quarter, the number of sales fell by 34% and their value by 28%. According to the report, it is the second quarter in a row of declining sales in Dubai after an exceptional start to 2026, and the first time since the second quarter of 2022 that Hong Kong has been ahead of Dubai on aggregate value.
Liam Bailey, global head of research at Knight Frank, described the change as a shift in leadership: Hong Kong edged past Dubai on value for the first time in four years, and Sydney posted a record quarter. He added that over 12 months global volumes are holding firm, with activity rotating between markets. Across the 12 cities, the number of sales in the 12 months to the end of September was broadly in line with the 12 months to the end of June. Knight Frank named the ability of Hong Kong to sustain its recovery as one of the themes to watch in 2027.
Inside the 86 Dubai deals
The breakdown for Dubai comes from a separate Knight Frank report on the emirate, published on Wednesday 21 October 2026 and reported by Khaleej Times and The National:
- Volume over time. 86 sales in the third quarter, against 131 in the second quarter and 103 in the third quarter of 2025.
- Price bands. 73 sales between USD 10 million and USD 25 million worth AED 3.93 billion, and 13 sales above USD 25 million worth AED 1.84 billion. The top band made up about 15% of deals but nearly 32% of their value.
- Property type. Villas accounted for 55 of the 86 sales, about 64%.
- Communities. Palm Jumeirah led with 27 sales worth AED 2.01 billion, about 31% of deals and 35% of value, and it also recorded the largest single sale of the quarter at AED 260 million. Jumeirah Second followed with 10 sales, Emirates Hills with 7, and Dubai Hills Estate and Jumeirah Golf Estates with 6 each.
- Months. July brought 36 sales, August 32 and September 18.
- Nine months. From January to September 2026 Dubai recorded 412 sales at USD 10 million or more, up from 357 a year earlier, with a combined value of about USD 6.67 billion (about AED 24.5 billion).
Prices and the regional backdrop
Faisal Durrani, partner and head of research for the Middle East and North Africa at Knight Frank, said that prices across the 10 prime neighbourhoods of Dubai fell by 5% between the second and third quarters, the first decline since 2020, and that prime transaction volumes are 29.4% lower than a year ago. He named the ongoing regional conflict as the biggest drag on market activity and called its stop-start nature a confidence dampener.
Louis Harding, partner and head of UAE residential at Knight Frank, said that prices on Palm Jumeirah have eased by 9.1% over 12 months, to AED 4,083 per square foot. According to him, buyers on the island mostly want a permanent or holiday home rather than a quick resale, and a dip after the second quarter is historically expected in the quieter summer months.
What a purchase at this level costs on top of the price
The Dubai Land Department charges 4% of the sale value when a sale is registered, plus a registration trustee fee of AED 4,200 for any property worth AED 500,000 or more. At the top of the market, the percentage is the figure that matters. The table below is our calculation on the third quarter figures:
| Price point | DLD fee at 4% |
|---|---|
| USD 10 million threshold, about AED 36.7 million | about AED 1.47 million |
| Average Q3 2026 sale, about AED 67.1 million | about AED 2.68 million |
| Largest Q3 2026 sale, AED 260 million | AED 10.4 million |
Who pays the fee, and at what stage, is a term to agree in the sale contract before any deposit is paid.
Checklist before a purchase above USD 10 million
- Title and area. Check that the property is in an area where foreign nationals may own freehold, and that the title will be registered with the Dubai Land Department in the name of the buyer or of the holding entity.
- Source of funds. Property deals in the UAE fall under anti-money laundering rules, and at this price level developers, brokers and banks routinely ask for documents showing where the money comes from. The file is easier to build before the offer than after it.
- Off-plan payments. Money for a unit bought before completion should go into the project escrow account required by Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, not into the operating account of the developer.
- Fees in the budget. Add the 4% DLD fee, the AED 4,200 trustee fee and the brokerage commission agreed with the agent to the price.
- Holding structure. Decide early whether the home is held personally or through a company, because the choice affects residency, financing and succession.
- Financing. If part of the price is borrowed, the valuation, terms and document list of the lender set the timetable of the whole deal. Our guide to mortgages in the UAE for residents and non-residents explains how banks assess such applications.
Residency for the buyer
Every home in this segment is far above the property threshold of the UAE Golden Visa. Under the conditions published by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, an investor qualifies with one or more properties worth a total of at least AED 2 million, and the USD 10 million threshold is more than 18 times that amount. The visa is not issued automatically with the title deed: it is a separate application with its own documents, medical test and Emirates ID.
How Atlant Capital can help
Our work is the structure around a purchase: the entity that holds the home, the residency that follows it and the bank account that pays for it. We covered the earlier part of this year in our report on Dubai home sales above USD 10 million in January to August 2026, based on a separate count by fäm Properties, so its totals differ from the Knight Frank figures.
- Company formation for a holding entity in a free zone or on the mainland, when a home is to be held through a company.
- Residency and Golden Visa applications for property investors and their families, from medical tests to Emirates ID.
- Bank account opening for personal and corporate accounts, including the source of funds file that banks and developers ask for.
The bottom line
In the third quarter of 2026 Dubai again recorded more USD 10 million plus home sales than any other market in the Knight Frank index, 86 deals worth USD 1.57 billion, and over 12 months its lead is wider still, with 525 sales worth USD 9.25 billion. The quarter also brought a slowdown: sales fell by a third from the second quarter, prime prices dipped by 5%, and Hong Kong edged ahead on value for the first time since 2022. Palm Jumeirah remained the centre of the segment, with 27 of the 86 deals.
Source: The National, Khaleej Times.
FAQ
Which city had the most USD 10 million home sales in Q3 2026?
Dubai, with 86 sales of homes priced at USD 10 million or more, worth USD 1.57 billion (about AED 5.77 billion), according to the Global Super-Prime Intelligence report of Knight Frank. Hong Kong was second with 78 sales and New York third with 62. On total value Hong Kong was slightly ahead, with USD 1.58 billion.
How many USD 10 million plus homes were sold in Dubai over the last 12 months?
In the 12 months to the end of September 2026, Dubai recorded 525 super-prime sales worth USD 9.25 billion, about AED 34 billion. Knight Frank says this puts the emirate comfortably ahead of every other market in its index. From January to September 2026 alone, there were 412 such sales, against 357 a year earlier.
Where in Dubai are most USD 10 million homes sold?
Palm Jumeirah. In the third quarter of 2026 it recorded 27 of the 86 sales, worth AED 2.01 billion, and the largest single sale of the quarter at AED 260 million. Jumeirah Second, Emirates Hills, Dubai Hills Estate and Jumeirah Golf Estates followed. Villas made up 55 of the 86 deals.
What fees does a buyer pay when buying a USD 10 million home in Dubai?
The Dubai Land Department charges 4% of the price at registration, plus a trustee fee of AED 4,200 for property worth AED 500,000 or more. For a home at the USD 10 million threshold, about AED 36.7 million, the 4% fee comes to about AED 1.47 million. Brokerage commission is added on top under the agreement with the agent.
