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Real project launches, Dubai Metro progress and regulation changes from across the UAE. Every item links to the publication that reported it.
Dubai said its First-Time Home Buyer Programme, launched in July 2025 by the Land Department and the Department of Economy and Tourism, had helped more than 3,200 residents buy their first home, with transactions topping AED 5 billion. Tens of thousands of residents have registered, backed by participating developers and banks.
The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre said the annual rental increase cap was temporarily cut from 5% to 0% on residential, commercial and industrial properties, so lease renewals should carry no rent rise while the measure is in force. Renewals and new agreements are to reference the rate in the property last registered Tawtheeq contract.
The Dubai Land Department said its AI-driven Smart Rent Index has helped stabilise rents and curb inflation by assessing rental values from factors such as building classification and area averages. The framework ties permitted increases to the index and to a 90-day landlord notice rule, and the index can be updated through the year rather than annually.
The Dubai Land Department announced that owners of 457 plots, 128 along Sheikh Zayed Road and 329 in Al Jaddaf, could convert leasehold property to freehold ownership. The move extended freehold rights along a prime corridor and paved the way for new freehold launches in the area.
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