According to ANCPI, Romania recorded 159,879 residential transactions in 2025, down 5.4%.
Transactions in Bucharest-Ilfov fell 8.5% in 2025. Fewer buyers are competing for the same properties.
Imobiliare.ro forecasts another two to three quarters of slower transactions and intensive negotiation.
Announcement, works and opening day. The M6 airport metro line is at the works stage today.
Price per m², no time pressure, a payment structure under the law, written answers, your own lawyer, a signing plan.
"So is now the time to buy?" The question I don't answer
Investors ask me this in almost every conversation. And I refuse to answer with a yes or a no.
Not because I am dodging, but because perfect timing is not what makes a good deal. What makes a good deal is the quality of the property, the right legal structure and staying power.
But there is one thing we can do: read the market. And 2026 presents a situation you do not often see in property, one that Colliers economists call a transition year for Romanian real estate. In this article we explain what that means, what the data shows, and how to act in a year like this.
What a "transition year" means for Romanian real estate
Colliers Romania defined 2026 as a "transition year": moderate growth and consolidation pressure, alongside easing inflation and potential interest rate cuts.
In plain language, it is the period when sellers are already flexible, and buyers have not yet returned.
Sellers are flexible because there are fewer buyers. Buyers have not returned because rates are still high and mortgages are expensive. We covered the economic background, the deficit and austerity, in our article on Romania's economy in 2026.
And it is important to understand what "flexibility" means in practice. It is not necessarily a lower price. Sometimes it looks like a more convenient payment schedule, an upgraded finish, parking or storage included in the deal, or clearer clauses on the handover date. In a negotiation market, every clause in the contract is part of the price.
The data: fewer transactions, not lower prices
Here is what the official data shows:
| Indicator | 2025 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Residential transactions, all of Romania | 159,879 | ANCPI |
| Change on the previous year | Down 5.4% | ANCPI |
| Change in Bucharest-Ilfov | Down 8.5% | ANCPI |
And Imobiliare.ro forecasts another two to three quarters of slower transactions and intensive negotiation.
Note what this figure does not say. It does not say prices are falling. Housing prices in Bucharest actually rose, as we detailed in our article on what is happening to Bucharest prices.
What it does say: fewer buyers are competing for the same properties. And that is the difference between buying in an auction and buying in a negotiation.
The three stages of every infrastructure line
In every city, each infrastructure project has three moments the market reacts to: the announcement, the works, and opening day. Urban history shows that markets start pricing infrastructure before it opens. That is a pattern, not a promise.
In a negotiation market, every clause in the contract is part of the price.
Where is Bucharest on that timeline today?
- The M6 metro line to the airport: works are in full swing, and the declared delivery is later this decade. In other words, between announcement and opening.
- The A0 ring motorway: completed in stages. Some sections are already open, others are still under construction.
- 2026 is the final year of the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), with public investment at a record of about 8% of GDP.
The right question is not "is there infrastructure?", but at which stage you are entering, and what you will do if the timetables slip.
Two scenarios, side by side
There is no single right answer here. There are two options, and each has a price.
| Entering in 2026 | Waiting for 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you buy against | Fewer buyers, real negotiation | If rates fall, leveraged buyers return to compete |
| Supply | Limited | Still limited, and now you are competing for it |
| Infrastructure | At the works stage | Closer to opening day |
| Certainty | Lower on the economy's direction | Higher |
The table is not symmetrical, and we do not pretend it is. Waiting has a real advantage: more certainty. That advantage is legitimate, and it has a price. Everyone decides how much it is worth to them.
How to negotiate in a transition year: a checklist
If you are looking at a property now, the market gives you time to ask questions. Use it:
- Ask for the price per m², not only the total price. And check it against real transactions, not listings. How to do that is in our article on the "foreign buyer premium".
- Refuse artificial time pressure. In a negotiation market, "there's another buyer until Friday" is usually a tactic.
- Check the payment structure. Under Law 207/2025 (the "Nordis law"), advance payments go into a dedicated project account, with caps tied to construction stages.
- Get every answer in writing. What the price includes, when handover is, what happens if there is a delay.
- Hire your own lawyer before signing the preliminary contract, not after.
- Plan the signing. The signing before a Romanian notary cannot be done remotely, but you can grant a power of attorney.
What could close the window from the other side
Fairness requires saying this too: a window can also close downwards.
A deviation from the fiscal path, political instability, delays in EU funds or infrastructure projects: any of these could extend the slowdown. And anyone who bought assuming the market will recover in 2027 may find that recovery takes longer. So build your plan to hold up even in a scenario where the slowdown lasts another year or two.
So the rule stays the same: buy a property that makes sense today, not one whose only logic is "the price will go up". A location that holds demand, a clean legal structure, and a use you actually need. For the wider comparison between Romania and other destinations abroad, see "Is investing abroad still worth it in 2026?".
Frequently asked questions
What is a "transition year" in the Romanian property market?
It is the term Colliers Romania used to describe 2026: moderate growth and consolidation pressure, alongside easing inflation and potential rate cuts. In practice, fewer buyers and more negotiation.
Are apartment prices in Romania falling in 2026?
The data does not show falling prices. What fell is the number of transactions: 159,879 residential transactions in 2025 according to ANCPI, down 5.4%, and down 8.5% in Bucharest-Ilfov.
How long is the slowdown expected to last?
Imobiliare.ro forecasts another two to three quarters of slower transactions and intensive negotiation. That is a forecast, and it may change.
What is the status of the M6 metro line to the airport?
Works are in full swing, and the declared delivery is later this decade. Infrastructure timetables can change, so it is wise to assess a property without assuming a specific opening date.
Should I wait for 2027?
That is a personal decision. Waiting gives more certainty about the economy's direction, at the cost of possible competition from buyers who return when rates fall.
The bottom line
A transition year is neither a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" nor a reason to panic. It is a period in which a prepared buyer has more time, more questions and more negotiating power.
What makes it good or bad is not the timing, but the property, the contract and the checks you did before signing.
If you are looking at a property in Romania now, in our project in Balotești or anywhere else, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the checklist and your specific deal together.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI) · Colliers Romania · Imobiliare.ro · National Institute of Statistics, Romania (INS) · Law 207/2025, Romanian legislation portal · Metrorex
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Market forecasts may change and do not guarantee future prices. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
