Dubai’s real estate brokerage sector reported a standout performance in the first half of 2025, underscoring the critical role brokers play in sustaining growth and energising property transactions across the emirate.

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Brokers facilitated 42,181 real estate transactions between January and June, generating commissions totalling more than Dhs3.23bn. This marks a 99 per cent increase compared to Dhs1.62 billion in commissions during the same period in 2024, according to data from the Dubai Land Department (DLD), a Dubai Media Office report said.

The surge in activity is tied to a growing base of professionals operating in the market. The number of registered real estate brokers reached 29,577, including 6,714 new entrants in H1 2025. This trend reflects increasing confidence in the profession and highlights brokers’ expanding role in guiding investors toward high-potential opportunities.

Women brokers gain prominence

Women are playing a larger role in shaping the real estate landscape. A total of 10,100 women are now active in Dubai’s brokerage field. In the first six months of 2025, they were involved in 13,424 transactions, generating nearly Dhs1.43bn in commissions.

This strong showing highlights the growing influence of women in the industry and their ability to forge relationships, close high-value deals, and contribute to the market’s vibrancy.

Sector extends beyond transactions

Real estate brokers continue to serve as crucial intermediaries between developers, buyers, and investors. Their role in enhancing transparency and supporting informed decision-making has become increasingly vital. In addition to brokerage services, property valuation firms have contributed to sustaining demand by offering integrated services.

As of H1 2025, there were 1,223 registered brokerage offices in Dubai and 78 property valuation offices employing 118 licensed valuers.

Meanwhile, Real Estate Registrations and Services Trustees Offices have also helped boost market efficiency. These 2,426 offices processed 114,848 transactions in the first half of the year, serving 86,398 customers, a 15 per cent rise in client volume compared to the same period in 2024.

Dubai’s thriving brokerage and valuation sector reflects the emirate’s strategy of fostering a real estate environment rooted in public-private collaboration. Through professional services, brokers are helping reinforce investor confidence and positioning Dubai as a premier global hub for real estate investment.

DHL Aviation, the air freight arm of DHL Express, today announced the launch of ‘Xcelerate’, a new premium airport-to-airport cargo service designed to provide priority shipping and enhanced customer experience.

The “must-fly” offering aims to meet the growing demand for expedited logistics solutions, providing the fastest available shipping options with guaranteed capacity and reduced transit times.

Key features of DHL’s Xcelerate

1. Immediate booking confirmation: Customers receive instant confirmation for guaranteed service, accommodating late bookings efficiently.
2. Last-minute acceptance: Cargo can be accepted close to flight departures with high loading priority, enabling urgent dispatches with guaranteed capacity.
3. Priority release at destination: Shipments arriving last will be the first to be recovered, enhancing efficiency.
4. Dedicated customer service: A specialised team will oversee shipments end-to-end, providing proactive email notifications.

Ingrid Raj, global head of Aviation Commercial at DHL Express, stated, “We are excited to now offer our cargo customers a premium option similar to the experience offered to passengers by certain airlines.”

She added that the service was developed based on customer feedback and cross-departmental collaboration.

Paul Ennis, VP of Global Operations at DHL Aviation, emphasised the company’s commitment to customer service, noting that Xcelerate “further living up to our customer promise of ‘Excellence, Simply Delivered’ by providing the highest levels of flexibility and attention for their cargo with a standardised, easy-to-access service”.

In line with DHL’s environmental commitments, Xcelerate includes a mandatory sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) surcharge.

This initiative supports DHL’s target of achieving over 30 per cent SAF blending by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050.

Read: DHL to invest over EUR500m in Middle East growth markets by 2030

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced a 9 per cent increase in public transport ridership in the first half of 2025, with nearly 395.3 million riders using various transit modes, up from approximately 361.2 million in the same period in 2024. The daily average ridership climbed to 2.18 million, compared to 1.98 million last year.

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The RTA’s multi-modal transport network includes the Dubai Metro, Tram, public buses, marine transport, taxis, and shared mobility services such as app-based vehicles, hourly rentals, and on-demand buses, a Dubai Media Office report said.

Confidence in the system

Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, said the consistent growth reflects the public’s growing confidence in the reliability and quality of Dubai’s transportation services.

“The continued growth in public transport ridership reflects users’ confidence in the system’s efficiency and the quality of services provided across all modes. We remain committed to delivering safe, comfortable, and sustainable mobility solutions for every segment of society,” Al Tayer stated.

He highlighted the transformation of the public transport sector, describing it as the “backbone of mobility” across the emirate. Since 2006, the share of journeys made using public and shared transport has increased from 6 per cent to 21.6 per cent by the end of 2024.

Vision for growth

Al Tayer emphasized the authority’s long-term vision to make public transport the first choice for commuters by improving accessibility and connectivity across Dubai.

“We are moving forward with a clear vision to make public transport the preferred choice for daily commuting by smartly expanding transport lines and networks, strengthening connectivity between stations and key destinations, and offering flexible, inclusive mobility solutions.”

Dubai Metro Blue Line and green mobility push

One of the major projects under development is the Dubai Metro Blue Line, which is currently under construction. Spanning 30 kilometres and comprising 14 stations, the new line is expected to serve nine key districts with a combined population of one million. The project is aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.

In line with its sustainability goals, the RTA also announced the procurement of 637 buses, including 40 electric vehicles, compliant with Euro 6 low-emission standards, the first and largest such fleet in the UAE. The buses are expected to be delivered between 2025 and 2026 and will support the expansion of the bus network.

“They also align with our strategic objective to convert the entire public bus fleet to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2050,” Al Tayer added.

As part of ongoing efforts to improve service quality, the RTA has completed the development of 16 bus stations and six depots this month.

Mode share and ridership trends

The Dubai Metro accounted for the largest share of riders in the first half of the year, at 36.5 per cent, followed by taxis at 26 per cent, and public buses at 24 per cent.

May emerged as the busiest month, with 68.8 million riders, while other months saw between 61 and 68 million users. Al Tayer noted that the ridership growth reflects Dubai’s economic recovery and the effectiveness of RTA’s strategic transport initiatives.

“Dubai’s public transport network, with all components operating in full integration, serves as the backbone of mobility across the emirate. It has succeeded in fostering a positive shift in public attitudes toward mass transit,” he said.

Metro station performance

The Dubai Metro saw nearly 143.9 million riders during the first half of 2025 across both the Red and Green Lines.

• BurJuman Station, serving both lines, recorded the highest ridership at 6 million.
• Al Rigga Station followed with 8 million, and Union Station with 6.6 million.
• On the Red Line, Mall of the Emirates (5.6 million), Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall (5.4 million), and Business Bay (5.3 million) were top performers.
• On the Green Line, Sharaf DG Station led with 1 million riders, followed by Baniyas (4.1 million) and Stadium Station (3.6 million).

Other transit modes

The Dubai Tram carried 4.9 million riders, while public buses transported 95.7 million. Marine transport services, including water buses, ferries, and abras, served 9.7 million passengers.

Shared mobility options — including ride-hailing apps, hourly rentals, and on-demand buses — accounted for 37.6 million riders. Meanwhile, taxi services transported 103.5 million riders, making them the second-largest mode by usage after the Metro.

Building an integrated ecosystem

RTA’s strategy hinges on developing an integrated and sustainable transportation network that connects all transit modes — from metro lines to marine services, first-and-last-mile solutions, and shared mobility.

This includes not only expanding the physical infrastructure, such as roads and stations, but also investing in smart transport systems that increase the efficiency of traffic and public transport management.

Other key initiatives include:

• Enhancing pedestrian and cycling facilities.
• Improving connectivity between different modes.
• Implementing policies that encourage the shift away from private vehicle use.

Looking ahead to 2030

As part of its long-term strategy, the RTA aims to increase the share of trips made using public and shared transport from 21.6 per cent today to 25 per cent by 2030.

These goals are aligned with broader sustainability objectives, including emissions reduction, improved air quality, and efficient land use across Dubai.

Saudi Arabia has officially published the full text of a new law regulating real estate ownership by non-Saudis, following cabinet approval earlier this month.

The legislation, released in the Umm Al Qura official gazette on Friday, July 25, will come into effect 180 days from publication and marks a significant shift in the country’s real estate and investment policy, a Saudi Gazette report said.

Read-Saudi’s property ownership law for foreigners: What you need to know about it

The new law grants non-Saudis, including individuals, corporations, and non-profit organisations, the right to own property or obtain other real rights within designated zones to be defined by the Council of Ministers.

These rights include usufruct (beneficial use), leaseholds, and other interests, but will be subject to geographic and usage-based restrictions.

Importantly, all legal property rights held by non-Saudis prior to the law’s enactment will remain protected.

Key restrictions remain

Despite the liberalization, the law maintains a firm stance on property ownership in the holy cities. Ownership remains prohibited in Makkah and Madinah, except under specific conditions for individual Muslim owners. Foreign individuals legally residing in the country may own a single residential property outside restricted zones for personal housing purposes.

A central provision mandates that the Council of Ministers, based on recommendations from the Real Estate General Authority and with approval from the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, will designate the permissible zones for foreign ownership. These zones will include limits on ownership percentages and the duration of usufruct rights.

Foreign-owned non-listed companies, licensed investment funds, and special-purpose entities may acquire real estate throughout the Kingdom, including in Makkah and Madinah, provided the ownership is for operational needs or employee housing. Listed companies and investment vehicles are permitted to own property in line with Saudi financial regulations.

Diplomatic missions and international organisations will also be allowed to own property for official use, subject to Foreign Ministry approval and reciprocity.

Mandatory registration and oversight

Non-Saudi entities must register with the relevant authorities prior to acquiring real estate. Legal ownership or rights will only be recognised following registration in the national real estate registry.

To enforce compliance, the law introduces a real estate transfer fee of up to 5 per cent for transactions involving non-Saudis. Violations could incur fines of up to SAR10m, with penalties including forced sales in severe cases such as the use of falsified documents. Proceeds from such sales will be transferred to the state after necessary deductions.

A committee under the Real Estate General Authority will be established to monitor violations and impose sanctions. Affected parties can appeal committee decisions to the administrative courts within 60 days.

Repeal of previous rules for GCC citizens

The new law also revokes a previous ban on real estate ownership by Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens in Makkah and Madinah, thereby aligning the rules for all non-Saudi individuals and entities under a single legal framework.

Executive regulations, including geographic boundaries and implementation procedures, are expected to be issued within six months.

The law replaces the previous foreign ownership legislation issued under Royal Decree No. M/15 in 2000.