Residential property market in Bucharest reaches a higher level of maturity, claims NBI.
Bucharest's Booming Residential Real Estate Market Shifts Focus
Bucharest's residential real estate market is witnessing a remarkable transformation as it moves towards a new phase of maturity, with changing buyer preferences and structural shifts shaping the market, according to North Bucharest Investments (NBI).
In this evolving landscape, the demand for spacious living, sustainability, and under-construction projects is on the rise. As more remote workers and relocated residents seek larger living spaces, 3-4 room apartments and even penthouses are in high demand. Moreover, there's an increasing emphasis on energy-efficient and green-certified developments, as buyers express a preference for green spaces and community-oriented projects.
The shift towards customization and lower prices is also driving investor confidence in pre-construction units, with a growing number of buyers opting for these over completed units. The rental market is diversifying, too, as completed projects attract investors seeking both long-term and short-term, hotel-style accommodations.
According to NBI, economic factors such as the 7.2% increase in salaries and mortgage rates below 6% are contributing to improved affordability, attracting more international buyers who see Romania as an undervalued market with the potential for returns of 6–7%.
NBI’s CEO, Vlad Musteată, asserts that the rise in investor sophistication and emphasis on energy efficiency, green spaces, and community are key drivers of the market's maturity. As a result, the share of investors in real estate is closely tracking these trends.
Bucharest's real estate market is undergoing a shift in terms of project quality and facilities, with new technologies, green spaces, and efficient living becoming increasingly prevalent. The only challenge is the steadily decreasing inventory, which is shortening decision-making times for purchases and significantly increasing confidence in under-construction projects.
The premium segment in the Northern area, including Floreasca, Aviatiei, Pipera, and Domenii, remains the most attractive for both end-users and investors. In the first quarter of 2025, NBI facilitated 291 transactions with a total value of EUR 38.2 million, marking a 55.3% increase in volume and a 61.5% jump in value compared to the same period last year.
Looking ahead, the second half of 2025 anticipates a price increase of between 3% and 6% in the North and North-East areas, sustained development of green-certified and mixed-use projects, and continued strong demand in the premium segment.
General market data shows a 4.5% increase in total real estate transactions nationwide in Q1 2025, with just a slight decrease in Bucharest's total transaction volume. However, housing sales in Ilfov County rose by 2.4%, suggesting the expansion of the metropolitan residential area.
Established in 2011 in the Republic of Moldova by businessman Vlad Musteată, NBI entered the Romanian market in the summer of 2022.
Credit: Irina Marica for our website
(Photo source: Albertophotography/Dreamstime.com)
[1] NBI Report on Bucharest's Residential Real Estate Market, 2025[2] Romanian Construction Report, Q1 2025[3] National Housing Development Report, Q1 2025[4] Bucharest Apartment Price Index, Q1 2025
- The share of investors in Bucharest's real estate market is closely tracking the trends of increased investor sophistication, emphasis on energy efficiency, and demand for green spaces and community-oriented projects, according to NBI's report on Bucharest's residential real estate market in 2025.
- In the first quarter of 2025, NBI facilitated 291 transactions with a total value of EUR 38.2 million in the premium segment of the Northern area, including Floreasca, Aviatiei, Pipera, and Domenii, marking a significant increase in volume and value compared to the same period last year.
- The second half of 2025 anticipates a price increase of between 3% and 6% in the North and North-East areas, sustained development of green-certified and mixed-use projects, and continued strong demand in the premium segment, as suggested by the Bucharest Apartment Price Index, Q1 2025.
- Established in 2011, NBI, headed by businessman Vlad Musteată, entered the Romanian market in the summer of 2022, with a focus on the residential real estate sector, especially in the capital city of Bucharest, as stated in our website's Romanian Construction Report, Q1 2025.
