If you’re renting in the UAE and wondering whether you should just buy instead, you’re far from alone. A new survey from property portals Bayut and dubizzle found that 45 per cent of renters have seriously considered making the jump to homeownership.
The numbers come from more than 2,000 completed responses across the two platforms, giving a decent snapshot of what’s on people’s minds right now. And the big driver behind this shift? Mortgage payments are starting to look a lot like rent in many parts of the UAE property market.
Why UAE renters are suddenly eyeing the property market
For years, renting felt like the easier, more flexible choice for a lot of residents. But as monthly mortgage costs edge closer to what people already pay in rent, that calculation is changing.
When a mortgage instalment roughly matches a rent cheque, the logic of “why not just own it” starts to make sense to a lot of people. That’s exactly the shift this survey is picking up on, with nearly half of renters now at least weighing the switch.
It’s not just about monthly payments either. Buyers are also thinking about financial requirements like down payments and eligibility, which the survey says remain a key piece of the puzzle for anyone moving from renting to owning.
This trend matters beyond individual households too. It ties into a wider pattern of emirates real estate activity picking up pace, as more residents across Dubai and the broader UAE reassess long-term housing decisions rather than just renewing another lease.
What buyers expect next for UAE property prices
The survey didn’t stop at renters. It also asked people who are already looking to buy what they expect from the market ahead.
Around 46 per cent of these prospective buyers think UAE property prices will rise over the next 12 months. That’s a fairly significant chunk of buyers who seem to believe waiting longer could mean paying more later, which adds another layer of motivation for renters sitting on the fence.
Put together, you’ve got nearly half of renters open to buying, and nearly half of buyers expecting prices to climb. That combination could nudge more people to act sooner rather than later, especially if mortgage rates stay competitive with rental costs.
Of course, it’s worth being careful about how far to stretch these numbers. The survey itself notes that it reflects the views of people using Bayut and dubizzle specifically, not the entire renter population across the UAE. So while the trend is real among those surveyed, it shouldn’t be read as a nationwide verdict on every renter’s plans.
Still, the findings point to something useful for anyone currently renting and curious about their options. Clear, upfront information on pricing, financing and what it actually costs to own a home seems to matter more than ever, especially as the gap between renting and buying continues to narrow for a growing number of households. You can read the original survey details via Arabian Business.
What’s worth watching next is whether mortgage rates and property prices keep moving in a direction that makes buying even more attractive than renting. If that gap keeps shrinking, more of these renters who “considered” buying could turn into actual buyers in the coming months.
