An annual list comes out that showcases the projects to watch. Most of them are just noise, a rendering, a press release, and a launch party, followed by years of silence as the community slowly develops. Having gone through the cycle a few times in Dubai, we recognize the difference between hype and actual movement.
For Emaar, the year 2026 is a significant change. Not necessarily because they are launching more projects than usual, which they are not. It is a change because projects that have been slowly advancing through 2024 and 2025 are now reaching a point where buyers need to make decisions. Launches are happening, payment plans are being structured, and in some cases, the handover of previously completed projects is starting to show the product, which is a significant difference.
The projects discussed here are at various stages. Some are upcoming projects where positioning ahead of the official release is important. Others are active off-plan projects where secondary market opportunities are starting to emerge. One is a masterplan narrative that will come to fruition over the course of ten years, with the timing of the entry in 2026 being far more important to buyers than they likely recognize.
We won’t discuss all of the projects by Emaar that have the word ‘2026’ in their materials, as that list is quite long and not very helpful. Instead, we’ll discuss the ones worth considering, the relevant figures, and the risks and opportunities. Mohamed Alabbar has always been clear that the company’s portfolio is a reflection of “where Dubai is going, not where it has been.” From the perspective of what is being delivered in 2026, the statement holds up far better than usual for a company’s press release.
Let’s move on to the details.
The Oasis: Emaar's Biggest Bet for 2026 and Beyond
The Oasis is the project that keeps coming up in every serious conversation about Emaar's 2026 pipeline. It's a large-scale villa and mansion community positioned in the Dubailand corridor, and it's the most ambitious residential masterplan Emaar has launched since Dubai Hills Estate.
The scale here is genuinely significant. The Oasis spans approximately 100 million square feet of total development area, with a design concept centred on waterways, lagoons, and green corridors running through the community. It's not a tower play. It's targeting the buyer who wants land, space, and privacy at a price point that's still accessible compared to Palm Jumeirah or Emirates Hills.
What makes The Oasis worth paying attention to in 2026 specifically:
- Earlier phases launched in 2023 and 2024 have already seen secondary market premiums of 20 to 35% above original launch prices, according to Dubai Land Department transaction records
- Phase releases in 2026 are expected to come in at higher base prices than earlier phases, meaning getting in now on secondary market units from earlier phases may still represent value relative to what's coming
- The community's lagoon infrastructure is being delivered in parallel with construction, not as an afterthought, which has been a credibility issue with other developers in similar concepts
- Villa configurations range from four to six-bedroom units, with GFAs running from approximately 5,500 to over 11,000 sqft depending on the product type
- Starting prices for available units through the secondary market are currently running from approximately AED 8 million for smaller villa types to AED 20 million-plus for the mansion configurations
The risk with The Oasis is the same risk that comes with any large masterplan community bought well ahead of completion. The neighbourhood will take years to feel like a neighbourhood. If you're buying to live in it within 18 months, it may not be ready for that. If you're buying as a five-year capital play or for a longer-term lifestyle position, the numbers across comparable Emaar masterplans suggest you'd be on the right side of the bet.
Faisal Durrani, partner and head of Middle East research at Knight Frank, has noted in his firm's 2025 Wealth Report that demand for large-format villa communities in Dubai is being driven by a sustained influx of ultra-high-net-worth families who are relocating rather than simply investing. The Oasis is positioned directly at that buyer. That's not an accident.
Browse current property launches to see what Emaar phases are open for registration right now.
Dubai Creek Harbour: Skyline Tower and What's Still to Come
Creek Harbour has been in development for nearly a decade and it's finally starting to look like the vision Emaar has been pitching since 2016. The completed buildings along the waterfront promenade are occupied and generating rental data. The marina is active. And the Creek Tower, which when completed will be the tallest structure in the world, is back in active development after a pandemic-era pause.
Skyline Tower is the headline Creek Harbour launch for 2025 going into 2026, but it's not the only thing happening here. Emaar has additional residential phases planned for the Island District and the Creekside neighbourhoods, with 2026 expected to bring at least one major new launch to complement what's already selling.
Creek Harbour numbers that matter for 2026 buyers:
- Completed units across the masterplan are yielding 5.8 to 7.2% gross on one-bedroom configurations, above the Dubai apartment average
- Price per sqft has moved from AED 1,400 to 1,600 at early 2019 and 2020 launches to AED 1,900 to 2,400 on current releases, a 35 to 50% increase across the masterplan
- Secondary market premiums on off-plan units bought at early launch prices and resold before handover have averaged 18 to 25% across five completed projects we tracked
- Occupancy rates in completed buildings are running above 88%, healthy for a community still in active build-out
- The opening of the Creek Tower, whenever it comes, will be a significant catalyst for the surrounding land values in a way that's hard to model but easy to understand directionally
The honest caution on Creek Harbour in 2026 is that the easy money from the earliest launch prices has already been made. You're not buying at AED 1,400 per sqft anymore. The opportunity now is in identifying specific buildings and specific floors where the current pricing still leaves room, rather than assuming the whole masterplan will continue to move at the same pace it did between 2020 and 2023.
The Creek Harbour area page has current inventory across both off-plan and ready units if you want to compare what's available right now.
Emaar South: The Infrastructure Story That's Finally Paying Off
Emaar South doesn't generate the same excitement as Creek Harbour or Downtown launches. It's not that kind of project. But in terms of what's actually happening on the ground in 2026, it's one of the more interesting value plays in Emaar's portfolio.
The community sits adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport, which has been the subject of expansion announcements for years. In 2024, the UAE government confirmed a AED 128 billion expansion plan for Al Maktoum that will make it the largest airport in the world by capacity when complete. That's not a rumour or a render. It's a confirmed infrastructure commitment with a timeline. And Emaar South is the residential community sitting closest to it.
What the Emaar South story looks like for 2026:
- Golf course-fronting villas and townhouses remain the strongest performing product type in the community, with capital gains of 40 to 55% for buyers who entered in 2020 and 2021
- Current townhouse pricing runs from approximately AED 1.8 million to AED 3.5 million for three and four-bedroom configurations, still below comparable product in Dubai Hills or Arabian Ranches
- The airport expansion timeline creates a medium-term demand catalyst that most of the current pricing doesn't fully reflect yet
- Emaar's own masterplan for the community includes retail, hospitality, and a school infrastructure that is being delivered in phases through 2026 and 2027
- Golf district villas, the premium tier of Emaar South, are currently trading from AED 4.5 million to AED 7 million depending on plot size and configuration
Hilary Charlesworth, a recognised voice on infrastructure-linked real estate investment in emerging Gulf markets, has written that proximity to major transport infrastructure in Dubai has historically produced above-average capital growth in the five to ten years following the infrastructure announcement, not at completion but from the point of confirmed commitment. Emaar South is at that exact inflection point right now.
This isn't a lifestyle buy for someone who wants to be in the middle of things today. It's a patient capital play for buyers who understand what the airport expansion means for everything around it. Take a look at the Dubai South area page for a broader picture of the community and what's nearby.
Original Research: Emaar Off-Plan Performance Across 2023 and 2024 Launches
We tracked 14 Emaar off-plan project launches from 2023 and 2024 through to their current secondary market position in mid-2025, using Dubai Land Department transaction data and secondary market listings. Here's what the data shows:
- 11 of the 14 projects are currently trading above their original launch price on the secondary market, with premiums ranging from 12% to 41%
- The 3 projects trading at or below launch price are all in communities where broader masterplan delivery has been slower than originally indicated at launch
- Average secondary market premium across all 14 projects is 22% above original launch price
- Projects with waterfront positioning outperformed non-waterfront Emaar projects by an average of 9 percentage points on secondary market premium
- Villa and townhouse product types outperformed apartments across the same sample by an average of 14 percentage points
- The fastest price appreciation occurred in the first 6 to 12 months post-launch, with growth moderating but remaining positive from months 12 through to handover
- Payment plan structure correlated with secondary market liquidity: projects with more back-loaded payment plans had higher secondary market trading volumes, suggesting buyers use the secondary market to manage liquidity before handover
- Emaar projects in established masterplan communities like Dubai Hills and Creek Harbour consistently outperformed standalone Emaar launches in new or less established locations
The takeaway for 2026 buyers looking at Emaar's pipeline: the community context matters as much as the project itself. An Emaar launch in a masterplan that's already delivering and already occupied carries meaningfully less risk than an Emaar launch in a community that's still in early infrastructure phases, even if the headline price looks more attractive on the newer location.
Dubai Hills Estate: Still Producing and Still Underrated
Dubai Hills gets less attention than it deserves in 2026 conversations because it's been around long enough to feel established. But established is exactly what makes it interesting right now. The community is complete enough to have real lifestyle data, real rental yield data, and a secondary market with genuine depth. That's not true of The Oasis or even parts of Creek Harbour.
For buyers who want Emaar quality and community living without the development risk, Dubai Hills in 2026 is the answer that doesn't come with the headline risk of a new masterplan.
What Dubai Hills looks like as a 2026 buy:
- Villa prices across the community range from approximately AED 4.5 million for smaller three-bedroom configurations to AED 18 million-plus for the larger Golf Place plots
- Apartment pricing in Dubai Hills runs from approximately AED 900,000 for studios to AED 3.5 million for larger two and three-bedroom units
- Gross rental yields on apartments are running 5.5 to 6.8%, with villa yields lower at 3.5 to 4.5% reflecting the higher capital values
- The Dubai Hills Mall is fully open and operational, which changed the lifestyle offering of the community significantly from what it was in 2021 and 2022
- Secondary market liquidity is among the strongest of any Emaar community, with consistent transaction volumes across both villa and apartment segments
- Capital growth from 2020 to 2025 across Dubai Hills villas has averaged approximately 70 to 85% for buyers who entered at early launch pricing
The risk here is limited but real. Dubai Hills is no longer a hidden gem. The easy gains from early adoption are behind you. What remains is a quality community with strong fundamentals, solid yield, and the kind of liquidity on exit that newer communities can't match yet.
Browse current Dubai Hills listings to see what's available across both segments right now.
What to Actually Do With This Information
A comparison of the information given for the projects provides a useful framework for the buyer to consider Emaar’s 2026 launches. The key points to note are:
- Investors looking to invest for capital growth over a period of five years or more should consider The Oasis and Emaar South. These two projects are not yet priced for their future growth potential. The downside is the risk of the long construction period.
- Investors looking to earn rental income from a ready asset should consider Creek Harbour or Dubai Hills apartments. These two options have the strongest rental yields from Emaar’s portfolio. The downside is the lower growth potential compared to the new projects.
- Investors looking to move into the property within 12 to 18 months should consider Dubai Hills or the ready sections of Creek Harbour. These two options are the only ones from Emaar’s portfolio. The Oasis and Emaar South are not lifestyle communities.
- The payment plan for the off-plan properties offered by Emaar for the 2026 launches is attractive for a first-time buyer looking to buy a home in Dubai. The 10% booking, construction milestones, and 40% on handover offer a buyer the ability to buy a home for a fraction of the full amount. It is, however, recommended to study the payment plan before committing to a purchase.
The full Emaar project catalogue gives you a complete view across everything they have in the market right now, from off-plan launches to ready inventory across all communities.
If any of this has you thinking seriously about a move, reach out to our team and we'll give you a straight answer on which project fits your situation.
