The traditional December shopping surge has weakened across Europe, with Romania recording a 20% increase in non-food sales during the holiday month compared to the previous 11 months, according to Colliers analysis of Eurostat data from 2015-2024.

Romania's construction sector represents nearly 8% of GDP in the past four quarters, the highest share in the European Union, according to Eurostat data analysed by Colliers. This level significantly exceeds the EU-27 average of 5% and confirms construction's growing importance in the local economy. Romania also recorded the second-fastest post-pandemic growth in construction activity within the EU.

Romania's construction industry maintained a high level of activity in 2024, despite a slight 4% decrease compared to the previous record year, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics (INS). However, compared to 2018, the volume of construction works was 78% higher during 2024.

The total volume of investments from six CEE countries reached €5 billion in the first three quarters of 2024, and next year the regional real estate investment market could exceed €10 billion, according to a Colliers report.

CEE property investment volumes hit €5.0 billion in the first three quarters of 2024, up 24% year-on-year, according to a Colliers report.

Real estate investment transactions in the Romanian commercial real estate sector totaled €419 million in H1 2024 and could reach around €700 million by the end of the year, surpassing 2023 levels, according to an analysis by Colliers.

The investments transaction market in Romania totaled around €500 million in 2023, down from a record of more than €1.2 billion in the previous year, in line with lower deal volumes that have been recorded across region and the major international markets, according to a Colliers Romania report.

The retail sector has been leading the investment activity in the first half of 2023 across CEE, having a share of 35% of the total volume of transactions that reached around €2.02 billion, according to a Colliers report.

The investment transaction activity in Romania recorded total volumes of close to €170 million in the first half of 2023, which is down by around 50% compared to the same period, but the transactions could reach around €700 million by the end of 2023, according to Colliers data. 

The rising share of domestic investors has kept volumes high in CEE property markets in the last year and this trend will continue. The overall market outlook is quite optimistic as further declines are expected for inflation and construction costs, concluded panellists of Property Forum's recent online event.