Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. Romanians' appetite for lending returns, interest rates fall,...

Romanians' appetite for lending returns, interest rates fall, housing becomes more expensive 

March 10, 2024

The volume of mortgage loans in RON granted by banks doubled in the last three months of 2023, compared to the same period in 2022, and exceeded RON 10 billion, according to the latest data published by the National Bank of Romania, quoted in a press release by Imobiliare.ro Finance."The lending market is coming back strongly after an extremely difficult period marked by uncertainty and high financing costs. More and more Romanians are now looking to take out a loan and are increasingly interested in working with a credit broker to obtain the most advantageous financing conditions," says the source.At the same time, 187,500 properties were transacted nationwide, up 3% from 2022, data from the National Agency of Cadastre and Real Estate Publicity, cited in the same release, show.Of the total, 49,700 were apartments, a segment where an advance of about 9% can be observed compared to the end of the previous year.For the whole of last year, there was a 31% increase in the volume of mortgage loans in RON, up to RON 31 billion. In the case of consumer loans, the advance was 13% in this period, up to about RON 28.7 billion.Specialists of the credit brokerage division of the real estate company estimate reductions in variable interest rates starting with the middle of this year, provided that the forecast decline in inflation will further reduce the existing pressure on interest rates.On the other hand, they forecast an increase in the price of housing in 2024, amid the increase in the reduced VAT rate from 5% to 9% for housing up to EUR 120,000, the alarming decline in the supply of available properties on the residential market, but also a potential increase in demand amid the reduction in interest rates.    

Read in full - click here
Nhood Romania strengthens management team with the appointment of Mihaela Petruescu as Country Director for Property Services Romania & Poland

Nhood, an integrated real estate services and solutions company present in 10 European countries, including Romania, has appointed Mihaela Petruescu as the new Country Director for Property Services Romania & Poland as of October. With nearly 20 years of experience in the real estate sector, Mihaela brings robust expertise in property management and leasing, operational […]

Romanian film “Catane” to have first screenings in the country after international festival run

“Catane,” a dark comedy inspired by real events and directed by Ioana Mischie, is set to have its first special screenings in Romania after a successful festival circuit.  The film had its world premiere at the IFFI Goa festival in India and was nominated this year at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards for Best […]

Water reserves in Romania decreasing at alarming rates, report shows

Romania is among the European countries where water reserves are decreasing at an alarming rate, according to an analysis carried out by researchers from University College London in collaboration with The Guardian and Watershed Investigations.  Scientists analyzed data from the period 2002–2024 provided by satellites that monitor changes in the Earth's...

British teenager goes missing while hiking in Romania

George Smyth, 18, went missing on a hike near Romania’s famous Bran Castle more than a week ago. On November 23, the British citizen started to suffer from hypothermia and exhaustion and called the emergency services.  Trying to locate him, mountain rescue services conducted searches over the next few days but were only able to […]

Water crisis in Romania's Prahova, Dâmbovița counties impacts over 100,000 people

Over 107,000 people in Prahova and Dâmbovița counties, in southern Romania, have been without drinking water since Friday, November 28, due to problems at the Paltinu Dam. According to local authorities, the problems are set to persist until next week. The dam registered a drop in water levels, leading to problems in the water distribution system. […]

Reduced noise and lights planned for inclusive ‘Silent Day’ at Bucharest Christmas Market

A special ‘Silent Day’ event will be held at the Bucharest Christmas Market in Constituției Square on Wednesday, December 3, aimed at creating a quieter and more accessible environment for children with sensory disabilities. The initiative is designed to make the festive market manageable for children who may struggle with loud noise, bright lights, and […]