The Romanian and UK property markets are experiencing a similar situation. In Romania, property transactions fell 9% in H1 2026, while UK residential transactions fell 2% year on year in August.
Both property markets remain active, but weaker transaction volumes and affordability pressures are pushing homeowners and buyers to reassess purchase decisions in Romania, while UK sellers face greater competition as available properties rise and agreed sales fall.
Romanian Homeowners Are Reassessing Their Options
Converting demand into purchases seems more difficult. In a 2026 Colliers survey of 1,000 urban Romanians, 42.5% said they intended to buy a home within 6 to 12 months, up from 35.2% in 2025. Yet transactions were around 20% lower in the first two months of 2026.
Interestingly, renting is becoming more common among urban Romanians. The same survey found the urban homeownership rate fell from 73% in 2025 to 70.5% in 2026, while the proportion renting increased from 11.3% to 15.9%.
Much of this is down to affordability. Nearly six in ten potential buyers were searching for homes priced at €120,000 or below, showing how strongly affordability is influencing housing choices. Energy bills, transport access, commuting time, nearby services, and overall property quality also factor into Romanians reassessing their options.
What Is Changing for Homeowners in the UK
As of October, the number of UK homes for sale was 5% higher than a year earlier, while sales agreed were 9% lower. That gives buyers greater bargaining power and makes pricing more important for sellers.
It’s not simply a case of thinking ‘I want to sell my home‘ and putting it on the market for UK sellers. It can take six months or longer to sell a home. According to the Bank of England, house-purchase mortgage approvals fell to 54,900 in August, below the previous six-month average of around 60,100, signalling a weaker outlook for mortgage and buyer demand. This means it may be worth using a property cash-buying company if you’re looking to move quickly.
Market Slowdown in Romania and the UK
Of course, these trends vary across each country. Returning to the Colliers survey, we can see that Bucharest was down only 2%, while Cluj-Napoca fell 16% and Iași fell 11%. This varied market means buyers do have some options, depending on location. It’s also not a property market crash. Instead, this cautious market is attributed to:
- Inflation
- High financing costs
- Pressure on real incomes
Meanwhile, in the UK, the latest official HMRC figures show 95,220 seasonally adjusted residential transactions in August 2026, down 2% year-on-year and 1% from July. While the problem may look similar, the driving factors are different, including:
- Higher mortgage costs
- Weaker buyer purchasing power
- Increased choice for buyers
The UK is experiencing relatively modest price growth, suggesting a cooling market rather than a major correction.
Both markets show how affordability and changing buyer behaviour can slow transactions without causing a major property-price correction. For homeowners in either country, there’s a clear need to closely consider prices and timing, as well as the different options before making a move.
