As a result, the official statistics now provide a more accurate picture of the actual activity in the residential real estate market in Chișinău and its suburbs.
During the first half of 2026, a total of 5,493 apartments were sold in Chișinău and its suburbs, representing a 26.6% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. However, the quarterly analysis reveals a positive trend. After reaching a low of 2,529 apartments sold in the first quarter, the market recovered in the second quarter, when the number of transactions increased to 2,964 apartments, representing a 17.2% increase compared to the previous quarter.
These results suggest that the residential real estate market has moved beyond the period of lowest activity recorded at the beginning of the year and is gradually entering a phase of stabilization. At the same time, the growing interest from homebuyers observed at the beginning of the third quarter indicates favorable conditions for a gradual market recovery during the second half of 2026.
During the first six months of 2026, a total of 5,493 completed apartments were sold in Chișinău and its suburbs.
Although the number of transactions remains below the level recorded during the same period of the previous year, the second quarter marked a positive shift in market momentum.
Compared to the first quarter, 435 more apartments were sold in the second quarter, representing a 17.2% increase.
This trend suggests that the market has passed the lowest point of its current cycle and that some buyers who postponed purchasing a home during the first months of the year have gradually returned to the market.
Mortgage lending continues to be the primary driver of the residential real estate market in Chișinău. During the second quarter of 2026, both the number of mortgage-financed purchases and their share of total apartment transactions increased.
Compared to the first quarter, 220 more apartments were purchased through mortgage financing in the second quarter of 2026, representing a 13.9% increase.
These figures confirm that bank financing continues to play a crucial role in supporting housing demand. More than half of all homebuyers rely on mortgage loans to purchase a property, highlighting the importance of accessible financing for the stability and development of the residential market.
View Apartments for Sale in Chișinău.
A comparison of the first six months of 2025 and 2026 shows a decline in the number of apartment transactions in Chișinău and its suburbs.
In absolute terms, 1,990 fewer apartments were sold during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, representing a 26.6% decrease.
However, the positive momentum recorded during the second quarter, together with the growing interest from buyers observed at the beginning of the third quarter, suggests that residential market activity may continue to improve throughout the second half of 2026.
One of the factors that could support this trend is the ongoing discussion of the new fiscal policy package, which proposes higher property-related taxes and the introduction of additional taxes affecting real estate. Anticipation of these fiscal changes appears to be encouraging some buyers to accelerate their purchasing decisions in order to avoid potential future costs. The first signs of this behavior are already reflected in the increased transaction activity recorded at the beginning of the third quarter.
If this trend continues, the residential real estate market could recover part of the decline recorded during the first half of the year, and the total number of apartment transactions in 2026 could approach the level recorded in 2025.
The data for the first half of 2026 show that the residential real estate market in Chișinău and its suburbs continues to go through a period of adjustment, with transaction volumes remaining below the level recorded in the previous year. Nevertheless, the 17.2% increase in apartment sales during the second quarter compared to the first quarter is one of the first clear signs that the market is beginning to recover.
An increasing number of buyers who had postponed purchasing a home while waiting for prices to decline are gradually returning to the market. So far, transaction trends do not indicate a significant weakening of demand that would create substantial downward pressure on property prices. At the same time, the supply of newly completed housing remains limited relative to existing demand, reducing the likelihood of a major price correction in the near future.
Mortgage lending continues to strengthen its role as the primary driver of the residential market, with more than half of all apartment purchases being financed through bank mortgages. This confirms that access to mortgage financing remains one of the key factors supporting housing demand and overall market activity.
The market's performance during the second half of the year will depend on several factors, including housing price trends, mortgage interest rates, household income growth, and the impact of fiscal policy changes on buyers' purchasing decisions.
Overall, the available data indicate that the residential real estate market in Chișinău is gradually entering a phase of stabilization. If current trends continue, 2026 is likely to end with stronger results than those suggested by the statistics from the first half of the year, confirming that the market is steadily returning to a more balanced and sustainable level of activity.
Author: Victor Cernomorcenco
Realization of the analysis by Victor Cernomorcenco, specialist in real estate in Chisinau and representative of Acces Imobil.
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