Bucharest’s residential market closed the first half of 2026 with clear signs of recovery after a slow start to the year marked by declining transaction volumes. According to data analysed by Crosspoint Real Estate, the international associate of Savills in Romania, the second quarter delivered three consecutive months of rising home sales, reducing the overall first-half decline to just 1.7% compared with the same period in 2025.

More than 21,000 residential units were sold in Bucharest during the first six months of the year, while transactions across the Bucharest–Ilfov metropolitan area exceeded 25,600 homes.

Location Is Becoming More Important Than Price

Demand Focuses on Well-Connected Areas

According to the analysis, homebuyers are making increasingly pragmatic purchasing decisions, giving priority to access to transport infrastructure, public services, and urban amenities, even if this means paying higher prices.

Districts such as Sector 1 and Sector 3 continue to record the highest transaction volumes, although for different reasons. Sector 3 benefits from the large number of new residential developments completed in recent years, while Sector 1 remains highly attractive despite limited supply, driven by stricter permitting conditions and the scarcity of available land.

Buyer interest also remains strong in areas such as Theodor Pallady and northern Bucharest, where access to public transport, schools, hospitals, and green spaces increasingly influences purchasing decisions.

Prices Continue to Rise at a Moderate Pace

Following the strong growth recorded in 2025, the market has entered a period of stabilisation. The average price of new homes in Bucharest exceeded €2,600 per square metre during the first half of 2026, representing an increase of around 5% compared with the end of last year.

However, price differences between districts remain significant. Western and southern parts of the city continue to offer the most affordable housing, with prices ranging between €1,850 and €2,200 per square metre, while values in northern Bucharest exceed €3,650 per square metre, supported by steady demand and limited supply.

Economic Factors Are Changing Buyer Behaviour

High inflation, increased financing costs, tax changes, and new regulations affecting residential developments are encouraging buyers to evaluate property purchases more carefully.

Against this backdrop, Bucharest’s residential market is evolving into a more mature environment in which purchasing decisions are increasingly driven by project quality, location, and long-term value potential, while price is no longer the only decisive factor.