The central bank’s survey showed that its Fisher House Price Index was unchanged from the second half of 2025 but rose 10% year-on-year.

The annual increase was significantly lower than in previous periods, after prices rose 28% in the second half of 2025 and 41.7% in the first half of that year.

In Tirana, house prices rose 10% from the second half of 2025 and were up 9% year-on-year.

Demand remained active, with the number of unsold residential and commercial properties continuing to decline for several consecutive six-month periods.

However, the average time needed to sell a property increased nationwide to 9.9 months from 9.1 months previously. In Tirana, the average rose to 9.7 months from 8.1 months.

In coastal areas, by contrast, the average selling period fell to 8.2 months from 9.9 months, while in other areas it edged up to 10.6 months from 10.1 months.

Bank lending remained an important source of financing, with agents reporting that about 58% of residential and commercial properties sold through their agencies were purchased using bank loans. In 34% of cases, loans covered up to 60% of the property value.

Non-resident buyers accounted for about 20% of residential property purchases in the first half of 2026, with EU citizens making up around 85% of foreign buyers. The central bank said the share of transactions involving non-residents has been rising over the past five years.

Most transactions continued to be completed at the initial asking price or with discounts of up to 5%, while larger price reductions remained uncommon.

Real estate agents also reported positive expectations for the market in both the short term and over the next two years.

The survey covered 230 real estate agencies and construction companies whose sales represent around 75-80% of the total turnover of businesses operating in the sector.

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The new reference values show significant increased property prices, both in cities and coastal areas across the country, with the average property price in Tirana edging up to 24,300 lek per square metre.

The newest property reference prices were published on the Official Gazette on Friday.

In Tirana, the most expensive areas are near the Artificial Lake, where a square metre can cost up to 227,400 lek. Meanwhile, Paskuqan is one of the more affordable areas, with a price of 62,500 lek per square metre. However, Farka, a suburban area, now has the highest property prices in the country, reaching 257,000 lek per square metre.

In Durrës, the average price has risen to 71,200 lek per square metre, up from 67,500 lek in 2023. Other major cities have also seen prices go up by as much as 14,000 lek per square metre.

In Vlora, the average property price is estimated at 68 680 lek per square meter, whereas in Dhermi the property prices have reached 186,400 lek per square metre.

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