Diaspora and foreigners: record property investment in 2026, and how to buy from abroad

Albanians living abroad and foreign buyers are no longer a small corner of the property market. Bank of Albania data for the first half of 2026 shows that more than half of all foreign direct investment went into real estate, while emigrants sent a record amount home. In this article we look at what the figures say and what you need to know if you are planning to buy property in Albania from abroad.

Cover photo: bleronsalihi / Unsplash

Real estate takes half of foreign investment

According to Ekofin, citing Bank of Albania data (25 September 2026), foreign direct investment (FDI) in the first half of 2026 reached €1.14 billion, up 50.8% from €759.1 million in the same period of 2025. The real-estate share was €609.6 million, up 141.1% from €252.9 million, which is more than half of the total.

The increase was concentrated in the second quarter, when FDI reached €741.1 million, against €403.2 million in the first quarter. According to Monitor, the Bank of Albania says the jump was "significantly influenced by flows related to an important development project in the real estate sector". The bank did not name the project. That means a large part of the increase comes from a single investment and should not automatically be read as broad-based growth in demand.

Remittances at a record

According to Ekofin (10 September 2026), citing balance-of-payments data, emigrants sent €621 million to Albania in the first half of 2026, up 16.7% on a year earlier and a record. In the second quarter alone, remittances were €347 million, up 24%.

Remittances, H1 2026 (record)

€621 m

Year-on-year growth in remittances

+16.7%

FDI into real estate, H1 2026

€609.6 m

Share of home sales to non-residents, H1 2026

20%

Buyers from abroad are visible in the housing market too. According to Bold News, citing the Bank of Albania's survey, about 20% of residential sales in the first half of 2026 went to non-resident buyers, mostly EU citizens.

Photo: Avi1111 dr. avishai teicher / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Clearer transfers

For those sending money from abroad to buy, there is practical news as well. As reported by Hashtag.al, on 2 September 2026 the Bank of Albania's Supervisory Council approved two changes: banks must tell customers the exchange rate in advance for card payments (POS/ATM) and online transfers, and the paperwork for routine transfers between residents and non-residents is being simplified. Check with your bank how the changes are being applied.

Farmland: still off-limits to foreigners

One point that is often misunderstood: foreign citizens cannot buy agricultural land in Albania (they may only lease it, for up to 99 years, under Law no. 8337/1998, art. 4). According to Monitor (May 2026), a draft law would allow foreigners to buy it only 7 years after Albania joins the EU, with a limit of 2 hectares per municipality. Public consultation ran from 14 May to 11 June 2026, and there has been no news since. For context, on 14 July 2026 Albania provisionally closed its first three EU negotiating chapters, according to the Council of the EU. If you hold dual citizenship or your case is unusual, confirm your position with a notary or lawyer.

Photo: Thomas Quine / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

How to buy from abroad safely

Buying at a distance takes more discipline than buying in person. These are the steps worth following. You will find the full guide on buying property from abroad.

For flats that are still under construction, see also our guide on buying an apartment off-plan.

Frequently asked questions

The record figures show confidence in the Albanian market, but a successful purchase from abroad depends on the checks you do, not on the trend. With your paperwork in order and a trusted person on the ground, buying at a distance can be as safe as buying in person.

Sources

• Law no. 8337/1998 on agricultural land ownership, art. 4 (Official Gazette)

• Ekofin: 53% of foreign investment in H1 2026 went into real estate (in Albanian), 25 Sep 2026
• Monitor: Major real-estate project drives strong rise in foreign investment (in Albanian), 10 Sep 2026
• Ekofin: Remittances hit new record, €621 million in six months (in Albanian), 10 Sep 2026
• Bold News: House-price growth slows in 2026, 23 Sep 2026
• Hashtag.al: Bank of Albania, more transparency on foreign-currency payments (in Albanian), 2 Sep 2026
• Monitor: Draft law lets foreigners buy farmland 7 years after EU accession (in Albanian), 14 May 2026
• Draft law on ownership of agricultural land, public-consultation portal (in Albanian), consultation 14 May–11 Jun 2026
• Council of the EU: Albania and EU provisionally close negotiations on three chapters, 14 Jul 2026