LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – According to Eurostat, the European Union experienced a 4.7% rise in house prices during the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. Rents also went up by 3.0% over this timeframe. The data further indicates that, when comparing with the first quarter, EU property prices increased by 1.2%, while rental costs grew by 0.7%. These figures suggest that both homeownership and rental expenses continued their upward trend across the bloc between April and June.
The eurozone similarly saw an increase in residential property values in the same quarter. House prices there climbed 4.0% from the second quarter of 2025 and rose 1.1% from the previous quarter. The annual growth rate in the euro area slowed slightly from 4.6% in the first quarter. Across the broader EU, the yearly pace of house price appreciation also decelerated, decreasing from 5.1% in the first quarter to 4.7% in the second.
Most EU member states reported higher house prices compared to a year earlier. Of the countries with available data, 23 experienced annual gains while three saw declines. Portugal led the increases with a 16.5% rise, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5% and Lithuania at 14.3%. Finland recorded the steepest decline at 2.7%. Additionally, prices fell 2.2% in Luxembourg and 0.8% in France during the same period.
Majority of EU Markets Show Quarterly House Price Growth
Across various national housing markets, quarterly changes also pointed to widespread price gains. House prices increased in 24 EU countries where data was available, with only two countries experiencing declines. Lithuania posted the most notable quarterly jump at 5.0%, followed by Bulgaria at 4.5% and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary saw a decrease of 1.4% from the first quarter. France was the only other country to report a quarterly drop, with prices down 0.8%.
A separate comparison assessed second-quarter prices against the average levels recorded throughout 2025. Based on this, EU house prices were 4.1% higher, with rents increasing by 2.6%. Bulgaria recorded the largest house price increase at 14.3%, closely followed by Portugal at 14.2%. Lithuania ranked third with a 12.8% rise. Conversely, Finland and France experienced declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively, in this comparison.
Rental Costs Rise in Every Member State
When comparing with the 2025 annual average, rental prices increased across all EU member states. Romania saw the largest jump at 41.2%, with Croatia following at 22.1%. Slovenia posted a third significant rise at 10.2%. Estonia and Finland recorded the smallest increases, both at 0.1%. Rents in Luxembourg grew by 1.2%, illustrating the wide variation in rental market movements throughout the bloc’s nations.
Eurostat monitors residential property values through its House Price Index, which includes both new and existing homes purchased by households. This measure encompasses flats, detached houses, and terraced properties, regardless of their previous ownership or intended use. Since the first quarter of 2024, EU house prices have consistently recorded quarterly increases. The upcoming release will cover data for the third quarter of 2026, scheduled for January 11, 2027.