Emaar, DAMAC and Sobha: how do their off-plan launches compare?

On their own published figures, Emaar says it has delivered more than 125,600 homes since 2002 (February 2026), DAMAC around 50,000 (January and September 2026), and Sobha, a smaller developer by volume, completed about 3,000 units in 2025 and plans 6,819 handovers in 2026. Their typical plans differ: Emaar's standard is 80/20, DAMAC's recent launches are 60/40 or 50/50, and Sobha's towers are mostly 60/40.

This is a comparison of published facts, not a ranking. The right developer depends on the project, the price and the plan, and any developer's project can be checked the same way: through the Dubai Land Department's project status and escrow records.

How do the three developers compare on published figures?

Each developer reports its own numbers, in its own way, at different dates. Emaar's figure is from its 2025 results release (12 February 2026). DAMAC's comes from its January 2026 sales announcement and a September 2026 handover update, both reported by Gulf News and Khaleej Times. Sobha's comes from its FY 2025 investor update (January 2026) and its July 2026 handover release.

The figures are not directly comparable. Emaar's total covers Dubai and other global markets over more than two decades; DAMAC's covers its history since 2002; Sobha's investor update reports annual completions rather than a cumulative total. Sales figures are company-reported and include different scopes, for example Sobha's includes its Umm Al Quwain joint ventures. Read the table as each company's own published position on the date shown.

Emaar results release, 12 Feb 2026; Gulf News, 20 Jan 2026; Khaleej Times, 1 Sep 2026; Sobha FY 2025 investor update and 22 Jul 2026 release.

What are they launching now, on our site?

We cover seven launches by these three developers, each with verified prices, plans and dates on its project page. Emaar has four: The Valley townhouses and villas on Dubai-Al Ain Road, The Oasis villas and mansions in Dubailand, Golf Fields and Golf Trails apartments at Emaar South, and the Valia tower at Dubai Creek Harbour. DAMAC has two: DAMAC Lagoons, now mainly Morocco Phase 2 townhouses and Sorrento apartments, and Chelsea Residences in Dubai Maritime City, whose final tower launched in July 2026. Sobha has one: Sobha Hartland II in MBR City, with Skyvue and Skyscape towers and the Sobha Estates villas.

These are the launches we have verified, not each developer's full catalogue. All three launch new projects often, so check the developer's own site for what is on sale today.

Our project pages, checked 31 Oct 2026.

What payment plans does each developer usually offer?

Emaar's standard plan on the launches we cover is 80/20: 10% on booking, 70% in instalments during construction (some tied to construction milestones) and 20% on handover. Emaar's Q4 2026 agent notice says its Standard Payment Plan applies across The Valley and The Oasis; two Valley clusters, Vindera and Rivera, launched on 90/10.

DAMAC's plans vary more by project. Chelsea Residences Tower C is 60/40: 5% on booking, instalments adding up to 60% over 41 months and 40% on completion. At DAMAC Lagoons, Sorrento is 50/50 (5% on booking, 45% during construction, 50% on completion) and Morocco Phase 2 is 20/40/40.

Sobha's towers at Sobha Hartland II are mostly 60/40, with a 70/30 option at Skyvue Stellar; the Sobha Estates villas launched on 80/20. Sobha's FY 2025 investor update says recent projects collect about 60% during construction.

The practical difference is the balance due at handover: 20% on an 80/20 plan, 40% on 60/40 and 50% on 50/50. Add the 4% DLD fee to any plan.

Payment plans from our project pages; AED 2.5M is an illustration only.

What price bands do their launches cover?

Across the launches on our site, all three developers sell from below AED 2M up to villas priced in the tens of millions, so the brand alone doesn't set the price band.

Emaar's entry points are Emaar South 1-beds from AED 1.26M and Valia 1-beds from AED 1.96M. Its townhouses at The Valley start at AED 2.48M, and its villas run from AED 7.25M (Avelia at The Valley) and AED 8.5M (Palmiera at The Oasis) to mansions from AED 36M at The Oasis.

DAMAC's lowest price on our site is a Sorrento studio at DAMAC Lagoons from AED 680,000. Chelsea Residences 1-beds start at AED 2.56M, Morocco Phase 2 townhouses are listed on portals from about AED 3.1M, and its largest Morocco villas are quoted at AED 19M–35.7M; DAMAC shows villa prices as on request.

Sobha's Skyvue Altier entry price at Sobha Hartland II is AED 1.83M, and the Sobha Estates 5-bed villas launched from AED 30M.

Our project pages, 31 Oct 2026.

How does each developer build its projects?

Sobha's model is the most distinctive. In its July 2026 handover release, Sobha says its Backward Integration model keeps design, engineering, construction, interiors, façades, glazing, joinery, furniture manufacturing and quality control in-house, rather than with outside contractors. Its FY 2025 investor update describes the same chain from design and engineering through manufacturing, construction and post-handover services.

Emaar's 2025 results describe its UAE business as build-to-sell property development. It appoints main contractors by project or package; on our The Oasis page, for example, we list the contractor awards reported by MEED.

DAMAC also works through construction contracts. In September 2026 DAMAC said it had awarded more than Dh10 billion of construction contracts in the first half of 2026 (Khaleej Times).

Either model is regulated the same way: every off-plan project in Dubai must be registered and sell into its own escrow account.

What are the developers' delivery plans for 2026?

Two of the three have published 2026 handover targets. DAMAC said in September 2026 that it had passed 50,000 homes handed over and was targeting more than 8,800 more in 2026, including about 6,300 at DAMAC Lagoons and more than 1,500 villas at DAMAC Hills 2 (Khaleej Times, 1 September 2026). Sobha said in July 2026 that it plans to hand over 6,819 units in 2026, worth about AED 21.6 billion, across Sobha Hartland, Sobha Hartland II, Sobha Reserve, Sobha One and Verde by Sobha, its largest annual programme to date.

Emaar's February 2026 results release gives cumulative deliveries (125,600+ since 2002) and a revenue backlog of AED 155 billion, but no 2026 handover target in the text we read.

Targets are company statements, not completions. For a specific project, the DLD's project status record and your SPA date are what count.

How do you check any developer's project status?

The same way for every developer, through the Dubai Land Department. Under Law No. 8 of 2007, a developer must apply to the DLD to open an escrow account before selling off-plan units (Article 6), each project needs its own account (Article 9), and the money in it is dedicated exclusively to building that project. Advertising off-plan units needs the DLD's written permission (Article 5), and 5% is retained in escrow for a year after completion (Article 14).

The DLD's FAQ says project completion status can be tracked on its website or smart app by plot number, project number or project name, including the completion percentage. Before paying an instalment, you can ask the developer for a letter from a DLD-approved project consultant confirming the completion stage, and you can request a completion report from RERA's technical auditor for a fee.

In practice: ask for the DLD project number, check it on the DLD website or Dubai REST app, and pay only into the escrow account named in your SPA.

Law No. 8 of 2007 (Dubai Legislation Portal); DLD Frequently Asked Questions.

So which developer suits which buyer?

That depends on the project in front of you rather than the logo. A few published facts help frame it. If you want the smallest balance at handover, Emaar's standard 80/20 plan leaves 20% to pay then; DAMAC's and Sobha's recent tower plans leave 40% to 50%. If you want the lowest entry price on our site, DAMAC's Sorrento studios start at AED 680,000. If how a project is built matters to you, Sobha's in-house model and the contractor model used by Emaar and DAMAC are different approaches to the same regulated process.

For any of them, compare the exact unit: price per sq ft against nearby launches and resale, the handover date in the SPA, the payment plan and the DLD project status. Our project pages set these out for each launch.

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