LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In the European Union, house prices experienced a 4.7% rise during the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. Rents also grew by 3.0% within this timeframe, according to Eurostat. When comparing to the first quarter, EU home prices increased by 1.2%, with rents climbing 0.7%. The latest statistics indicate that both ownership and rental expenses continued their upward trend throughout April to June across the bloc.
The eurozone also saw a notable increase in residential property values during the same quarter. House prices went up by 4.0% from the second quarter of 2025 and grew 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, annual house price growth decreased from 5.1% in Q1 to 4.7% in Q2.
Most EU nations reported higher house prices compared to the previous year. Out of those with available data, 23 countries showed annual increases, while three countries experienced declines. Portugal led the surge with a 16.5% rise, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5% and Lithuania at 14.3%. Finland experienced the most significant decline at 2.7%. Additionally, prices dropped 2.2% in Luxembourg and 0.8% in France during the same period.
Majority of EU markets report quarterly house price gains
Quarterly data reveals widespread increases in national housing markets. House prices increased in 24 EU countries with available data, with only two nations experiencing declines. Lithuania saw the strongest quarterly growth at 5.0%, followed by 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 to record a quarterly decrease, with prices down 0.8%.
Another comparison examined second-quarter prices against the average throughout 2025. Based on this, EU house prices were 4.1% higher, with rents increasing by 2.6%. Bulgaria recorded the largest house price rise at 14.3%, closely followed by Portugal at 14.2%. Lithuania experienced a 12.8% increase. Finland and France saw declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively, in this comparison.
Rental costs climb in every member state
Across the EU, rental prices increased when compared to the 2025 annual average. Romania saw the highest jump at 41.2%, with Croatia at 22.1% and Slovenia at 10.2%. Estonia and Finland reported the smallest increases, both at 0.1%. Rents in Luxembourg rose by 1.2%, demonstrating the significant variations in rental market movements among the member states.
Eurostat measures residential property values through its House Price Index, encompassing both new and existing homes bought 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 data release will cover the third quarter of 2026 and is scheduled for January 11, 2027.