The number of unoccupied homes in Bucharest has grown 2.4 times over 10 years to over 218,000 units, according to a Storia analysis of Romania's 2011 and 2021 census data. Nationwide, over 2.5 million homes remain unoccupied, representing a quarter of Romania's total housing stock.
Cluj county recorded the lowest share of unoccupied urban homes at 19.3%, followed by Bucharest at 21.1%. Meanwhile, Iași and Bihor counties registered the highest urban vacancy rates at 33.9% and 28.2% respectively.
The data reveals concerning trends amid rising property prices. Storia's recent analysis showed Bucharest home prices increased 70% from 2019 to 2025, reaching approximately €2,000 per sqm. Other cities saw even steeper increases, with prices doubling in Brașov and Sibiu to around €2,200 and €1,900 per sqm respectively, while Cluj-Napoca prices rose 93% to approximately €3,200 per sqm.
"In a real estate market characterised by constant price increases in all major cities, utilising unoccupied homes could help improve housing affordability by increasing the supply of available properties for sale and rental," said Monica Dudău, Head of Marketing Real Estate Europe, Storia and OLX Imobiliare in Romania.
The analysis identifies several causes for vacant properties: migration abroad leaving homes empty, internal migration from rural areas to major cities, inherited properties left unused after owners' deaths, and investment purchases without rental intentions. Some properties may also be rented informally, with tenants declaring residence at their birth addresses during census collection.
