LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – During the second quarter of 2026, house prices throughout the European Union experienced a 4.7% increase from the same period last year. Concurrently, rental rates went up by 3.0%, based on data from Eurostat. When comparing with the first quarter, the EU saw a 1.2% rise in home prices and a 0.7% increase in rents. The latest statistics reveal that both ownership and rental expenses continued upward trends across the bloc from April through June.
The eurozone also observed growth in residential property values for the quarter. House prices grew by 4.0% compared to the second quarter of 2025 and were up 1.1% relative to the previous quarter. Growth rates for the euro area slowed 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.
Most EU member states reported higher house prices compared to the previous year. Out of those with available data, 23 countries recorded annual gains, while three experienced declines. Portugal led with a 16.5% increase, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5% and Lithuania at 14.3%. Finland experienced the largest decrease at 2.7%. Prices in Luxembourg and France fell by 2.2% and 0.8%, respectively, during the same period.
Majority of EU housing markets show quarterly price increases
The quarterly data also demonstrated widespread upward movement in house prices across national markets. House prices increased in 24 EU countries with available data, while only two experienced declines. Lithuania led the quarterly gains with a 5.0% rise, followed by Bulgaria at 4.5% and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary saw a 1.4% decrease from the first quarter. The only other nation with a drop was France, with prices down 0.8%.
A different comparison assessed second-quarter prices against the average level recorded in 2025. Based on this, EU house prices increased by 4.1%, and rents rose by 2.6%. Bulgaria again had the largest house price increase at 14.3%, with Portugal close behind at 14.2%. Lithuania’s rise was 12.8%. Finland and France experienced declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively, under this same comparison.
Rental costs expand in all EU countries
Compared with the annual average of 2025, rental prices increased in every EU member state. Romania saw the most significant jump at 41.2%, with Croatia following at 22.1%. Slovenia posted a 10.2% rise, while Estonia and Finland recorded the smallest growths, both at 0.1%. Luxembourg rents increased by 1.2%, emphasizing the significant variation in rental price trajectories across the bloc’s nations.
Eurostat monitors residential property prices through its House Price Index, which encompasses both new and existing homes bought by households. The index includes flats, detached houses, and terraced properties, regardless of previous ownership or intended purpose. Since the first quarter of 2024, EU house prices have consistently risen on a quarterly basis. The upcoming release will report on the third quarter of 2026, scheduled for January 11, 2027.