HOME BUYING BEHAVIOR IN 2026: MARKET INSIGHTS AND TRENDS

Market Shift: From Speculation to Real Demand

One of the biggest turning points in the 2026 real estate market is the shift from speculative investment toward genuine housing demand. According to recent surveys, 64% of homebuyers purchase properties for residential purposes, while only 36% buy for investment. This reflects a more mature and healthier market.

The era of widespread land speculation and irrational market fever is fading. The 2025–2026 period marks the return of capital flows with greater caution, focusing on products with real usability and transparent legal status.

Implications for Buyers:

• Reduced risks from market instability
• Property prices reflecting real value rather than speculation
• Better opportunities for long-term homeowners

Transparent Legal Status: The Number One Deciding Factor

As the market experiences fluctuations, legal transparency has become the top criterion for buyers when selecting projects. This marks a significant shift in buyer mindset.

Today’s buyers prioritize projects that offer:

• Ready ownership certificates or complete legal documentation
• Clear and transparent planning information
• Reputable developers with proven project delivery records
• Transparent and publicly disclosed construction progress

Transparent legal status not only gives buyers confidence regarding construction timelines but also helps them save costs. Projects with complete legal documentation often have more reasonable pricing compared to those with unresolved legal procedures due to lower associated risks and costs.

Benefits for Buyers:

• Avoiding legal disputes and financial losses experienced in the past
• Better legal protection for ownership rights
• Faster handover timelines and more competitive pricing

Buyer Psychology: From Cautious to Optimistic

Market surveys indicate that 83% of respondents believe the real estate market in 2026 will remain stable, grow moderately, or experience strong growth. This is a positive signal reflecting the recovery of market confidence.

This optimistic sentiment is driven by several factors:

• The implementation of new laws: Land Law, Housing Law, and Real Estate Business Law
• Increased housing supply, especially affordable apartments
• Lower lending interest rates, improving buyers’ financial accessibility
• Improved infrastructure, enhancing real estate value

Younger age groups (18–44 years old) show particularly strong signs of confidence recovery. Among married individuals with children who are currently renting, 93% stated that purchasing a home within the next five years is a primary goal, despite price concerns remaining a challenge.

Within this group, 86% are willing to use bank loans covering 30–50% of the property value, demonstrating an increasingly practical mindset toward financial leverage.

Segmentation Across Property Types

Buyer behavior is no longer uniform across all segments. The 2025–2026 period is expected to witness clear differentiation among property categories.

Apartments – The Brightest Segment

• 44% believe prices will rise slightly, while 17% expect strong growth
• Apartments are the most preferred product type, with 63% of buyers intending to purchase
• Genuine housing demand is increasing as buyers shift from private houses to apartments
• Premium apartment supply continues pushing average prices upward

Private Houses – A Waiting Phase

• Transaction volume has declined, though asking prices remain relatively high
• Land plots remain in a waiting phase and may recover once macroeconomic conditions become clearer

Social Housing – An Emerging Force

• Approximately 160,000 social housing units are expected to be added in 2026
• Helps address housing demand for low-income groups
• Contributes to price stabilization through market mechanisms

Entering 2026, homebuyer behavior will likely remain cautious but no longer pessimistic. As legal frameworks become increasingly transparent, genuine housing demand continues to dominate, interest rates remain reasonable, and infrastructure investments expand in a synchronized manner, the real estate market is gaining a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

Buyers are prioritizing projects with clear legal status, strategic locations, reputable developers, reasonable pricing, and amenities that support long-term living quality.

In this context, real estate developers with well-structured strategies focused on transparency and real value creation will hold a competitive advantage. With a sustainable development orientation emphasizing legal clarity, construction quality, and operational efficiency, Victory Group is steadily accompanying the market by delivering products aligned with genuine housing demand while creating long-term growth opportunities for visionary investors.