Renting becomes a long-term alternative as fewer people can afford to buy a home

A 73% percent of Romanians living in urban areas own their home, significantly below the official 95% statistic, according to a survey

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Interest in homeownership has dropped from around 44% in previous years to 35% in 2025, driven by rising property prices and stricter lending conditions. Meanwhile, only 6% of non-renters plan to move.

Home ownership remains an important goal for most Romanians, but declining affordability in central areas and tight credit conditions have led to a decline in purchase intentions. At the same time, the limited supply of new housing and the shrinking number of housing developments under construction have accelerated price increases, further reducing interest in buying into rented housing, down from approximately 10% in past years.

In a housing market dominated by homeowners, only 11% of city dwellers report living in rented accommodation. In major urban centers, this percentage rises to 15%, reflecting a growing openness to renting, as well as a more favorable cost balance between rent and mortgage payments.

At the national level, 16% of urban residents live with parents, relatives, or friends without owning property or paying rent, according to a survey conducted earlier this year by Unlock Market Research for Colliers.