How much negotiating room does 70 days on market create in Dubai?

G

green_garden

Property investor
What surprised me was seeing several Dubai condo listings remain available for about 70 days without clear signs of broad market weakness. I am considering properties priced between AED 4,125,000 and AED 6,188,000, while apparently similar units sometimes move faster, particularly when issues such as insurance are already clear.

The listing histories show price cuts, withdrawals and relaunches, but not the final amounts paid. That makes 70 days useful as a possible sign of seller motivation, yet weak evidence for changing the valuation by itself.

My calmer approach would be to find recent completed sales first, narrow them by building and condition, and then check when any asking-price reductions occurred. I would also like to know whether the eventual buyers required financing, since that may explain timing without proving the units were overpriced. Is there anything else in the history that would distinguish a motivated seller from a property with a lasting problem?
 
Seventy days alone wouldn’t determine my offer. It could mean an unrealistic seller, poor condition, financing difficulties or simply a duplicated listing. I’d first compare genuinely similar completed sales, then use the listing age to judge seller motivation rather than value.
 
I agree that listing age can indicate motivation, but I’m hesitant to compare discounts before narrowing the area and building tier. Two condos separated by one road can have different outlooks, facilities and buyer pools, so the apparent bargain may disappear once the comparison is tightened.

I’d group the evidence by building or genuinely comparable nearby buildings, then split renovated and vacant units from dated or occupied ones. After that, the 70-day history becomes more useful as negotiating context rather than a substitute for value.
 
The missing piece is price-cut timing. A condo listed for 70 days but reduced last week is effectively new to buyers at that price. One sitting unchanged for 70 days tells you more about the seller’s expectations—or lack of urgency.
 
I partly disagree that reductions reset the clock. They may renew buyer interest, but the seller has still experienced 70 days without completion. If the reduction followed weak viewing activity, that history can strengthen a credible offer, especially if financing and timing are straightforward.
 
Are you counting one advertisement per unit? Multiple agents can make available stock and listing age look larger than they are. Withdrawn stock matters too: disappearance does not necessarily mean a completed sale, so I wouldn’t treat every vanished listing as evidence of the clearing price.
 
My buyer position is financed, so certainty depends on valuation and approval rather than cash completion. I’m also seeing some units advertised again with changed photos or descriptions, which is why the 70-day figure feels unreliable. How would you present an offer without overclaiming what the listing history proves?
 
Keep the argument property-specific: comparable completed prices, condition differences, likely repair or renovation costs, and your financing timetable. Then state one offer figure and the period it remains open. Listing age can support the offer, but shouldn’t be the headline evidence.
 
Also ask the agent a neutral question before bidding: what matters most to the seller besides price? A seller needing a particular completion date may accept less from the buyer most able to meet it. Another seller may have no deadline and simply wait.
 
That makes sense. I can document my financing progress and avoid saying “70 days means you must discount.” I’ll group only units in the same immediate area and building category, then adjust for condition. Insurance clarity will be a separate question rather than an assumed price penalty.
 
Be careful with “recent completed” comparisons if the agreement was reached much earlier. In a changing market, the completion date and the date the price was actually negotiated may tell different stories. If that timing is unavailable, note the limitation rather than treating every result equally.
 
New-listing volume is useful context. If several close substitutes have appeared since this unit was listed, the seller faces more competition even if headline demand remains healthy. Conversely, low fresh supply can let a patient seller ignore a lower offer despite the long advertising period.
 
Condition can outweigh the public price history. Two visually similar condos may differ in maintenance needs, included fittings or readiness to occupy. I’d inspect first, list the material differences, and avoid applying one average percentage reduction across everything in the AED 4,125,000–AED 6,188,000 range.
 
I’ve started a table with original ask, current ask, first-seen date, relisting signs, condition, occupancy information and whether the listing disappears. I’m leaving “completed” blank unless there is credible confirmation. That already shows why a single 70-day average was too blunt.
 
Good approach, but don’t let the table create false precision. Public asking histories can miss private changes, and relisted units may not be identifiable with confidence. Record unknowns explicitly. A smaller set of strong comparables is better than a large set joined by assumptions.
 
On insurance, ask exactly what the concern is and who can confirm it for that particular property. A vague “clear answer” is difficult to price. The significance may vary with the building, property details, insurer and lender, so forum comparisons could easily send you the wrong way.
 
I would make two calculations: estimated market value from the best completed comparisons, and your maximum price after condition and financing constraints. The offer can be below both to leave negotiating room, but decide the maximum beforehand. Otherwise a counteroffer can pull you back toward the seller’s anchor.
 
There is a caveat to short offer deadlines: they can look artificial when the property is still under consideration and the buyer has unresolved financing questions. Use a deadline only if you are genuinely ready to proceed. Credibility is more useful than manufactured urgency.
 
Agreed. Another practical step is to compare the seller’s counter with competing units, not merely with the original ask. A large nominal discount may still leave the property expensive relative to a newer listing in better condition.
 
The thread seems to land on a sensible hierarchy: establish value from the closest credible completions, verify condition and insurance questions, understand seller priorities, then use the 70-day history as supporting leverage. It is evidence of exposure, not an automatic discount formula.
 
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