IPS 2026: Dubai Developers Move From Peak Sales to Selective Growth

Sep 11, 2026
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The International Property Show (IPS 2026) attracted 35,000 participants from 190 countries to the Dubai World Trade Centre in line with continued interest in Dubai property market. It also indicated how developers are adjusting their approach towards the improvement in 2026. This was especially important for potential investors interested in Dubai properties since the event showcased important developments including the growing emphasis on sustainability, creative ideas and advanced technology in the field of property investment and development.

Discussions reflected how Dubai real estate is shifting from the focus on sales that characterized the previous year. According to Dawood Al Shezawi, IPS president, the focus of this year's conference is industrial real estate investment, as well as technology trends, including the global economy and future trade.

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International Investments are Still at the Center Stage of IPS

IPS 2026 acted as a platform for attracting foreign investments to Dubai. Al Shezawi mentioned that the exhibition acts as a bearer of investments, and he said that it is oriented towards the world economy and trade in the future.

Theme of investments at the event included:

Real estate
AI and high technologies
Industrial investments
International trade
The future economy

For those considering property investment in Dubai, there is an international presence bringing together developers, investors, brokers, and others engaged in the industry at one place. The event provided a good opportunity to showcase products targeted at different buyer segments, including furnished 3 bedroom apartments for sale in Dubai, as developers are starting to realize what clients expect from their new developments.

Developers Enter An Era of Filtering

According to one of the most significant points communicated by IPS 2026, developers are becoming finickier in their pursuit of progress. Sergey Avayan, the founder of Holm Developers predicts that 2025 will be focused solely on intense rivalry conditions and a host of selling chances. According to him, 2026 has entered the period of filtration, when sustainability, creativity, and healthy use of leverage become higher priorities.

For developers, the essence is to focus on:

Creativity in product development
Sustainability of development
Rational application of leverage
Enhanced long-term approach
More precise consumer understanding

The shift has a significance throughout the Dubai real estate market, where buyers can select from numerous projects. Even developers who target luxury townhouses for sale in Dubai face challenges since unusual offerings gain the upper hand against multiples of alternatives available to consumers.

Technology Becomes Part of the Product

Yet another theme visible at the exhibition was technology. ANAX Developments has used IPS 2026 to present itself as a specialized developer with a goal of finding opportunities in the experiential residential housing market rather than competing with mass-market companies.

The technologies used by ANAX include:

Advanced technology
Automatic ambient lighting
Face recognition
AI-driven building management systems

For investors looking for real estate investment Dubai, these technologies illustrate the point that technology can represent an integral part of the property offering rather than just another selling point. The same can be said about buyers interested in buy ready properties in Dubai in a way that ready homes allow buyers to experience the technologies and evaluate design and functionality.

Niche positioning Gains its Significance

ANAX uses the modern way of defining development. Instead of looking for the mass-market quantity, the company performs in the segment of experience living and technology.

This exhibition involved over 300 exhibitors, consisting of:

Developers
Institutional investors
Brokers
Designers
Operators working in the fields of new developments

Names of the participants were such companies as Azizi Properties, Binghatti, Danube, Fakhruddin Properties, SanZen, and Union Properties, which enabled investors to get in touch with luxury properties for sale, as well as various development concepts. It also brought awareness in terms of the residential properties, like properties for rent in Dubai where the needs of the end users can help developers to gain more feedback on the market.

IPS Links the Property to the Larger Economy of Dubai

The first day of IPS 2026 was marked by some important property announcements, such as the Tréppan Vision from Fakhruddin Properties and recent deliberations by the DLD leadership on the KPIs for the year 2033. The second day was more focused on exhibitions, as developers and real estate agents explored projects and planned for the upcoming expectations. As the discussions around investment properties unfolded, other parts of Dubai such as Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estate and Jumeirah Village Circle were also relevant to the talks.

As the international nature of the event provides an opportunity for a real estate company in Dubai to meet with investors and gauge the changing preferences of the market. Not to mention, the expo can also be quite beneficial for buyers looking for offers like apartment for rent where they can easily compare different alternatives as the demands of specific sectors of the market are studied by both developers and investors.

What Does the 2026 Communication Imply for Developers

The messages put forth by IPS 2026 indicates that Dubai’s real estate sector is about to enter a phase of selectivity. The goal has now shifted from just maximizing sales to also creating projects that provide advantages from a design, sustainability, technology and long-term value point of view. Holm Developers’ comments indicate discipline stemming from the challenging competition of 2025. At the same time, ANAX exemplifies how niche positioning and technology help create an exceptional living environment.

The new reality may mean buyers will be more focused on the quality of the projects. For those interested to buy off plan villas in Dubai, there will be more room to assess the developer’s approach to designing and delivering the projects and their strategic positioning instead of just paying attention to prices at the moment of launch. This approach is applicable to villa in Dubai in general, as all aspects of functionality and technology as well as sustainability and lifestyle features can play significant roles in separating one property from others.

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