Article by Corina Vârlan – Published on Thursday, 14 May 2026, 16:25 / Updated on Thursday, 14 May 2026 16:25
House prices are very high and will continue to rise until the end of 2026, according to most Romanians interested in buying real estate. Although they dream of a better home, especially in terms of space or area, buyers are afraid that the amounts they have to pay do not reflect the real value of the properties, according to the results of a survey conducted by Imobiliare.ro among buyers from its own platform.
Bad news about the economy is having a significant impact on many home owners this year. The Romanians who are now waiting could be convinced to act immediately either in the case of identifying an excellent offer, or if housing prices would drop overnight by at least 15%.
“At the moment, buyers are rather reluctant to act. Doubt about tomorrow, reinforced by the immediate effects reflected in the exchange rate evolution of the recent government crisis, joins a series of anxieties caused by high inflation, interest rates, changes in the labor market. Buyers need time and facts to regain their confidence in the economy and the security of tomorrow. On the other hand, it is precisely at times like these good purchases can be made, because, objectively speaking, apartments in Romania remain affordable, and the power of negotiation lies with the determined buyer.” said Daniel Crainic, Imobiliare.ro marketing director.
Rising costs for buyers
The average asking price for apartments put up for sale by owners and developers has reached, at the national level, 2,025 euros/useful square meter, after an advance of 12% at an annual rate, according to the Imobiliare.ro Index – a tool that has been monitoring the evolution of the residential market in the main urban centers for over 15 years through the most extensive database in the country.
In the last year, the people of Bucharest felt the price increases the most. Postponing the purchase decision by one year has become equivalent to a 26% increase in the average asking price for new apartments and 12% for those in old blocks. Added to all this are the recent fluctuations in the leu/euro exchange rate, which made housing more expensive by tens of thousands of lei from one week to the next.
Approximately 90% of the respondents to the Imobiliare.ro survey are of the opinion that, at the moment, housing prices are very high. Only 6% consider them fair, and 4% of those interviewed still believe that housing is quite affordable in Romania.
The optimism of those who expected an imminent burst of the “real estate bubble” and the dramatic drop in prices seems increasingly tempered (16%). Currently, most Romanians who are actively looking for a property (33%) believe that houses will continue to become more expensive until the end of 2026. Another 27% expect to see only a slight price correction, while 24% of respondents cannot figure out where house prices will evolve, which makes them hesitate to make a final purchase decision.
What do buyers fear in 2026?
The main reasons for concern that Romanians have who want to make a real estate purchase are also related to prices. About 76% of those interviewed in the survey carried out on the Imobiliare.ro platform say that they fear that the asking price does not reflect the real value of the property they are interested in. Another 13% are worried that if they continue to postpone the purchase, they will end up not being able to afford the much-desired home. Of the total, 7% of respondents fear that prices will drop immediately after buying a property. Only 4% of respondents have no concerns about house prices.
The dream of the Romanian, a better home
Most people who are actively looking for a property during this period (44%) want to make a real estate upgrade, whether we are talking about a home that gives them more space or one located in a better area.
A significant proportion also has those who want to become owners for the first time (32%). Property investment is still seen as a great way to protect savings by 14% of respondents, while 10% even want to generate rental income from their purchased homes.
Approximately 41% of those who took part in the Imobiliare.ro survey say that negative news about the economy has a great influence on them when it comes to the decision to purchase a home. For another 13%, this is an aspect that prompts them to negotiate the price more aggressively. There is also a large number of active potential buyers in the market (35%) who prefer to base their purchase decision on their own information, without considering negative news. In addition, for 11% of respondents negative news about the economy is not relevant, these people consider real estate to be safe investments.
Most potential buyers would make the final purchase decision without hesitation either if they found a great deal (44%) or if house prices fell overnight by at least 15% (42%). For 9% of those interviewed, the clarification of the economic and geopolitical context could be the decisive factor for completing the purchase of a home. Only 5% believe that they would buy a property faster if the credit offers available in the market were more advantageous.
In the survey carried out by Imobiliare.ro, during the month of May, 1,420 respondents took part among the users of the platform, potential buyers who are actively looking for an apartment or a house in Romania, interested both in the new homes listed for sale by developers, as well as in the properties available on the old market.
What are the people of Bucharest looking for on the residential market?
Despite the price increases, the people of Bucharest remain some of the buyers who make the purchase decision the fastest. If in the first quarter of last year the average duration from entering the market of an apartment to its trading was 52 days, in the similar interval of this year things have not changed significantly, the average sales period being 54 days, according to Imobiliare.ro data presented at the national conference Imobiliare.ro HUB 2026. For comparison, in Brașov the duration needed for owners to identify buyers increased from 64 to 72 days, and in Constanta from 68 to 78 days.
The interest of potential buyers has grown strongly (26%) in the Capital in the case of old homes, if we refer back to the beginning of last year. New homes lost some ground (-11%) in the context of falling supply and rapidly rising prices, to which VAT is added.
Among the most effervescent areas in the city we meet Timpuri Noi. For every apartment listed for sale here, on average, 6 potential buyers showed interest, which translates into a 22% increase in demand compared to the first quarter of 2025.
The apartments in Drumul Taberei attracted, on average, 4 potential buyers, with demand increasing locally by 10%, just like the homes in Dristor. In the case of the latter, however, the demand increased more, precisely by 13%. The București Noi neighborhood has also become a point of attraction on the real estate map. On average, 4 potential buyers showed interest in each property listed for sale, with demand up 31% compared to the start of last year.
Rent, an option for Bucharest residents?
During this waiting period, the demand for rental housing has increased by 20% in the Capital both in the case of old and new housing. The big hurdle faced by those who wanted to move to rent, however, was the dwindling number of properties available on the market. The total supply of housing decreased by 27% compared to the first quarter of 2025.
The Militari district, the cheapest in the city, has remained a point of attraction for Bucharest residents. On average, 6 potential tenants showed their interest in each apartment put on the market. The demand thus increased by 13% compared to the beginning of last year. Another 5 potential tenants showed their interest in each apartment for rent in the Dristor area, which resulted in a 35% advance on the demand level. For each home in the Piața Iancului area, 4 potential tenants showed their interest, and for those located in the Constantin Brâncoveanu area, another 3 potential tenants. The demand increased here by 20%, respectively by 18% at an annual rate.
