With less than a month remaining, prospective homeowners are in a race to find a suitable property, sign a preliminary contract, pay a minimum 20% deposit, and secure a mortgage.

Andrei Cazacu, Franchise Network Director at Imobiliare.ro Finance, said: “The rise in VAT on new homes from 9% to 21% directly affects access to a mortgage. Practically, for the same home, a buyer will need a larger down payment and a monthly income up to 15% higher to obtain the same financing.” 

This shift is expected to influence the entire real estate ecosystem, potentially leading to price increases in both new and old housing segments. 

For instance, a home in Cluj-Napoca demands the highest income, with an average price of €135,786 for a 42 sqm apartment. A mortgage of RON 585,170 (€117,994) with a 15% down payment requires a minimum monthly income of approximately RON 8,500 (€1,715).

Bucharest follows, with a required monthly income of approximately RON 6,000 (€1,210) for a similar property.

Romania's residential market experienced a notable downturn in H1 2025, with national home sales decreasing by 3.4% compared to the same period last year.