Reading DLD transaction data

Why use the official data

Listing portals show asking prices. DLD records what was actually registered. For buyers, that is the best defence against overpaying; for sellers, it is the basis of a realistic asking price. It is also what professional valuers and many agents start from. If you are pricing a home, pair this guide with pricing your property to sell.

Where to find it

• DLD open data. The DLD website publishes transaction records that you can search and, in some views, download. Interfaces change over time, so look for the open data or real estate data section.
• Dubai REST app. DLD's app gives transaction lookups and other services, including developer and project checks.
• Dubai Pulse and government data portals. Some DLD datasets are also published through Dubai's government open data platforms.

All draw from the same registry, so differences you see are usually down to filters and timing, not different truths.

What the main fields mean

Field names vary between tools, but you will typically see:

• Transaction date. When DLD registered the deal, which can trail the agreement.
• Procedure or transaction type. Sale, mortgage registration, gift, inheritance and other procedures. For price evidence you want sales.
• Registration type. Off-plan (often pre-registration) or ready.
• Area, project and building. Use the most specific level available.
• Property type and sub-type. Unit, villa, land, and room count where provided.
• Size. Usually in square metres; convert carefully if you think in square feet.
• Amount. The registered transaction value.

Not every field is filled for every record. Treat blanks as unknown, not zero.

Filtering for true comparables

A good comparable is the same type of property, in the same building or cluster, of similar size, sold recently. Practical steps:

• Filter to sales only. Remove mortgages, gifts and other procedures.
• Separate off-plan from ready. Off-plan prices reflect payment plans and future delivery; ready prices reflect what you can live in now.
• Narrow to the same project or building before widening to the area.
• Compare by size bands, then look at price per unit area as a sense check, not a final answer.
• Look at a run of transactions, not one. Single records can include unusual deals.

Common mistakes

• Area averages. A district can contain luxury towers and modest buildings; an area average says little about a specific unit.
• Ignoring view and floor. Records rarely tell you floor or view. Two sales in one tower can differ for reasons the data does not show.
• Bulk deals. Some records reflect several units or unusual arrangements. Exclude outliers you cannot explain.
• Timing. Off-plan contracts can be registered well before handover, so they reflect market conditions at launch.
• Size units. Mixing square metres and square feet is a common and costly error.

Pairing it with other official sources

Transaction data tells you about prices. For rents, use the Dubai rental index and Ejari-based data. For project status and escrow registration, use Dubai REST; see how to verify a developer on Dubai REST. For running costs, use Mollak service-charge figures. Together they give a sound picture without relying on anyone's marketing.

If you would like a broader explanation of how these pieces fit together, read how the Dubai property market works.