LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to recent data, house prices within the European Union increased by 4.7% in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. Over the same timeframe, rents also experienced a rise of 3.0%, as reported by Eurostat. When comparing with the first quarter, EU residential property prices went up by 1.2%, while rental costs grew by 0.7%. These latest figures reveal a persistent upward trend in both homeownership and rental prices across the bloc during April through June.
The eurozone experienced similar upward movements in residential property values during the quarter. House prices increased by 4.0% from the second quarter of 2025 and showed a 1.1% rise from the previous quarter. The annual growth rate in the euro area slowed down from 4.6% in the first quarter. Across the broader EU, annual house price growth decelerated from 5.1% in the first quarter to 4.7% in the second quarter.
Most EU nations reported higher house prices compared to the previous year. Of the countries with available data, 23 experienced annual increases, while three saw declines. Portugal led the annual gains with a 16.5% rise, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5% and Lithuania at 14.3%. Finland experienced the most significant decrease at 2.7%. Additionally, prices dropped 2.2% in Luxembourg and 0.8% in France during the same period compared to the previous year.
Quarterly gains in house prices observed across most EU nations
Across different countries, housing markets showed widespread quarterly increases. House prices went up in 24 EU countries with data available, with only two nations experiencing declines. Lithuania recorded the highest quarterly growth at 5.0%, with Bulgaria at 4.5% and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary’s prices fell by 1.4% from the first quarter. France was the only other country with a decrease, experiencing a 0.8% drop in prices during the quarter.
Another comparison examined second-quarter prices against the average level recorded throughout 2025. Under this measure, EU house prices were 4.1% higher, with rents increasing by 2.6%. Bulgaria saw the most substantial house price surge at 14.3%, closely followed by Portugal at 14.2%. Lithuania ranked third with a 12.8% increase. Finland and France both experienced declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively, under this comparison.
Rental prices have risen universally among EU member states
Compared to the 2025 annual average, rental costs increased in every EU member country. Romania experienced the largest rise at 41.2%, with Croatia following at 22.1%. Slovenia also posted a significant gain of 10.2%. Estonia and Finland recorded the smallest increases, both at 0.1%. Rents in Luxembourg increased by 1.2%, illustrating the broad variation in rental market movements across national housing sectors within the bloc.
Eurostat’s House Price Index monitors residential property values, encompassing both new and existing homes purchased by households. The index includes flats, detached houses, and terraced properties regardless of previous ownership or intended use. Since the first quarter of 2024, EU house prices have shown consistent quarterly growth. The upcoming release will cover the third quarter of 2026, scheduled for January 11, 2027.