Rental market splits in Emirates as Dubai cools while north heats up

• Dubai lease deals down 20%
• RAK rents rise 10% in a year
• Abu Dhabi under pressure

The UAE property rental market shows sharply different trends for the first half of the year, with lease values and deal volumes cooling in Dubai, static in Abu Dhabi and climbing in parts of the northern emirates, led by Ras Al Khaimah.

The divergence reflects local market conditions, from government intervention and new housing supply to tourism-driven demand. The fallout from the Iran war is also reshaping rental markets, although its impact…