May 2010

Housing Constructions Continue To Fall
Last April, 3686 construction permits were issued for residential buildings, ad announced by the Romanian Statistics Office INS. This is a decrease of 9.5 percent over the same month of the previous year, but also an increase of 7 percent over the previous month. 63.9 percent of the permits were issued in rural areas. Compared to March 2010, more construction permits were issued mainly in the southern developing region (+116) and the northeast (+70). Decreases were recorded only in the center and northwest of the country. Compared with April 2009, however, the largest decrease reported was in the development region of Bucharest-Ilfov (-105), only the center region recorded an increase (+13). Since the beginning of this year, 11 307 building permits were issued for homes, representing a decrease by 22.8 percent over the last year's corresponding period.

April 2010

Prices For Old Apartments To Rise For The First Time In Months
Last March, the prices for old apartments in Bucharest rose for the first time in months again. While still lacking an official price index, an analysis of the offers published on the Internet showed that the required prices have increased at one- and two-room apartments by 1.8 and, respectively, 2.6 per cent. For one-room apartments the average price start at 43,000 Euro, two-room apartments start from 68,000 Euro. Only three-room flats further reduced prices, they were sold on average 92,000 Euro. For four-room apartments the prices are at 118,000 Euro average, a price increase by a hefty 4.3 per cent. Compared to the first quarter of last year, the current rates are approx. 25 per cent lower. For a one-room apartment in 2009 the average price was more than 52,000 Euro.

March 2010

43.5 Million Euro For Swimming Facilities As Help For Construction Industry
The construction of 19 swimming pools, funded by the state, damp contractor can earn a total of 183 million lei (43.5 million Euro). This much has the National Investment Agency CNI, subordinated to the Ministry of Tourism and Development, available to spent. The pools should have been built already in 2008. The lengthy analysis of the tender documents is to be blamed for the delay, CNI officials said. Across Romania, there are supposedly 40 indoor swimming pools. In the absence of the announced infrastructure projects and a housing market, swimming facilities appear to be highly welcome for the industry.

February 2010

Construction Volume Decreased By 12.2 Per Cent
As the Romanian Statistical Office INS announced, the volume of construction work in the past year compared to 2008 decreased by 12.2 per cent. Considering the types of construction, the largest decrease was recorded by housing construction, namely by 13.3 per cent. Compared to the previous month, however, the construction industry recorded even a slight increase in volume in last December up 6.9 per cent. Hopefuls were there engineering structures with a volume increase of 19.6 per cent. Housing construction and non-residential construction showed further decline (from 7.7 per cent and 1.3 per cent). Seen on a yearly basis, the volume of construction work declined in December 2009 by 13.1 per cent. Even so, housing construction is leading with a volume decrease of 40.9 per cent.

January 2010

Number Of Building Permits In November Decreasing
The number of building permits in Romania has decreased in the first eleven months compared to the same period of last year by 20.8 per cent, as the Romanian Statistical Institution INS announced. In November, 2009 a total of 3463 building permits were issued, that was 15.4 per cent less than the month before. Compared with October, the decline was 15.6 per cent. Approximately 62.1 per cent of the building permits were issued for the rural areas. Since the beginning of the year up to November a total of 45,324 building permits were issued. The metropolitan area and southern Romania recorded the largest decreases (-2942 or -1847).