Buyers in Romania will continue to look for properties this year as well, but they will favour new, well-built, energy-efficient projects reflecting current economic realities, with 2026 being a year of maturation and selection, according to an analysis of the local real estate market carried out by an agency specialising in new and premium residential properties.
The residential market in Romania is expected to undergo recalibration in 2026, marked by higher tax pressures, rising construction costs and a demand that remains active but more cautious.
The List Estates specialists say that there are no premises for a generalised decrease in prices, but rather individual adjustments and targeted commercial strategies, depending on the stock and the objectives of each developer.
"We are witnessing a slower, more selective, but fundamentally stable market. Buyers exist, but they make decisions more difficult and analyse more carefully the total cost of housing, not just the purchase price," says Claudia Negru, CEO of The List Estates, quoted in the company's press release.
In fact, the year starts under the impact of important changes: an increase in the Value-Added Tax (VAT) that has been felt as far back as August 2025, an increase in local taxes starting on January 1, 2026, stricter rules on advances in transactions with developers and new taxes om raw materials. All this will influence the cost composition, both for buyers and developers.
A factor that adds pressure on construction costs in 2026 is the introduction of a carbon tax on raw materials imported from outside the European Union. In practice, basic materials widely used in construction - generated by the tax. Prices will appear gradually, as new production enters the market with updated costs, but the overall effect will be an aggregate increase in construction costs, including influencing the final prices of new homes or developers' margins.
From direct discussions with developers in the company's portfolio, the conclusion is that the real room for price cuts is limited, without affecting the sustainability of projects.
After a 2025 marked by a moderation in the pace of trading, 2026 is shaping up to be a year in which the time taken to make the purchase decision will increase, and the trading time will be extended as buyers will become more demanding in the valuation of properties.
"We are not talking about a lack of demand, but about a more careful demand. People are looking for new, quality, energy-efficient homes with modern technologies and predictable monthly costs. This is the new standard," says Negru.
According to the analysis, in 2026 no large-scale price decreases are expected on the new residential segment; there may be offers, promotions or individual adjustments for certain units, where developers want to accelerate the sale or complete project stages and the market will become more differentiated, but not all properties will perform the same.
On the segment of old properties, a moderate adjustment of prices is anticipated in the first 6 months of the year, where the owners fail to sell within a reasonable time; there would be greater pressure on homes with energy efficiency problems, high maintenance costs or outdated technical standards.
In Bucharest, where a large part of the housing stock is built before the year 2000, this differentiation is becoming increasingly more evident.
"The market will not be defined by generalised discounts, but by real value. In 2026, projects that offer quality, efficiency and long-term predictability will win," says Negru.
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