Romania has steadied itself politically and economically over the last few years. The country is now in a position to offer good deals to off plan buyers, with reliable transactions and incredible potential for capital appreciation. According to a number of sources, the residential real estate sector in Romania “has probably the biggest opportunity in terms of future growth and development” (Colliers 2005 report), showing that those in the know are backing the country. Prices are still low when compared to other countries in the region, whereas levels of direct foreign investment are high in comparison to the nation’s neighbours.

Bucharest is obviously a very popular area for off plan property investors, and the prices in the city reflect this. It certainly isn’t as cheap as one would expect, but it won’t put too much of a strain on a wallet either. Areas such as Transylvania are almost as popular as the capital and there are still some real gems available for a steal – mountainside cabins with acres of land can be had for a fraction of what they would cost elsewhere. This is not to say, however, that Romania is ridiculously cheap. It is more than reasonable, but the recent growth over the last few years has seen prices skyrocket.

Romania has a relatively young real estate market for foreign investors. Interest in the country has yet to peak, and the market has not yet been saturated, as it has in neighbouring lands. The steady economic growth shown over the last few years and the stable political situation means that now is the time to invest in Romania – when EU accession is attained in the near future, the country will be guaranteed more prosperity and stability, and those who invest now will reap the rewards – property prices increased by a reported 700 percent in the last year alone in some areas, and Romania was listed as number one in Channel 4’s poll of the top 20 places to make money. Isn’t that incentive enough?