New-build or older apartment in Albania: price, renovation and risks

An apartment in an older building in Albania usually costs less per m² and, in most cases, already has an ownership certificate (title deed) at ASHK (the State Cadastre Agency, Agjencia Shtetërore e Kadastrës), but it often needs renovation, rarely has a lift or parking, and its structure must be checked carefully. A new-build apartment costs more, has better insulation standards and usually a lift, but you get the title only once the building receives its occupancy certificate. The right choice when you buy an apartment in Albania depends on the year of construction, the condition of the building and how much money you have left for renovation, not only on the asking price.

Occupied conventional dwellings in Albania, Census 2023

726,325

Of these, built before 2001

63.6%

Built in 2011 or later

12.3%

Reduction of the reference price for age, up to 30%

1% a year

How much cheaper is an apartment in an older building?

There is no official statistic that separates the prices of new and old homes. The indicators that are published, such as the Keydata index for Tirana, mix resales with new-builds: in the second quarter of 2026 the city average was 2,116 €/m², with big differences from one area to another, as the map of prices by area in Tirana shows.

A market guide from a property portal, published in 2026, puts the gap at about 20 to 40% for buildings from after 2015 compared with older buildings in the same area. This is a market estimate, not official data, but it matches what you see in listings: the neighbourhood sets the price level, while the year of construction, the lift and parking push it up or down within that level.

There is also a legal reason why age matters. When the tax on the sale is calculated, ASHK reduces the reference price by 1% for each full year since the property first received its title, but by no more than 30% (Joint Instruction no. 34/2023). The reference price is the price per m² that the government sets for each area (Council of Ministers Decision, VKM, no. 457/2023) and that is used for the tax when the price in the contract is lower. For apartments privatised under Law no. 7652/1992, on the first sale the reference price is 50% of the area price. More on this in the reference price for property.

Example: 75 m² in the same neighbourhood

Imagine two 75 m² apartments in the same neighbourhood: one in a 1980s building at 1,500 €/m² and a new one at 2,000 €/m². The figures are illustrative.

So, even after renovation, the older apartment can come out 15,000 to 25,000 € cheaper. The gap disappears quickly if the building has structural problems, damp or a leaking roof. The full costs of the works, item by item, are in the cost of renovating an apartment in 2026.

How do buildings differ by construction period?

The year of construction tells you which rules the building was designed to and what you can expect inside. Albania applied, in turn, the seismic codes KTP-63, KTP 2-78 and KTP-N.2-89. According to the report of the British EEFIT mission after the earthquake of 26 November 2019, KTP-N.2-89 was still the official seismic design code, while Eurocode 8 was used by many engineers as a reference without yet being a national code.

The table shows tendencies, not the rule for every building. The same report notes that after 1990, especially until 2000, weak enforcement of the law meant many buildings went up without a permit, while illegal alterations to existing buildings, such as openings in load-bearing walls and added floors, were widespread. The 2019 earthquake, of magnitude Mw 6.4, caused 51 deaths, 47 of them from the collapse of 9 buildings, including a six-storey building in Durrës built in 1996 (EEFIT). So "from the 1990s" does not necessarily mean safer than "from the 1970s".

How to check the structure before you buy is explained in the article earthquakes and building safety.

How old are homes in Albania?

Most of the homes Albanians live in were built before 2001. According to the INSTAT 2023 Census, of 726,325 occupied conventional dwellings, 26.1% were built before 1981 and 37.5% from 1981 to 2000. In Tirana county (qark) the housing stock is younger: 17.7% before 1981 and 16.6% from 2011 onwards.

For the buyer, this means that the supply of apartments for sale in older buildings is large, especially outside Tirana, and that many buildings are reaching the age when major repairs are needed: roof, water risers, sewers and facade.

What are the risks of an older building?

The main risks are the structure, the installations and the illegal changes residents have made over the years. Most of them can be spotted before buying, if you know where to look:

• Cut load-bearing walls. In brick buildings, new openings for a kitchen or living room weaken the structure.
• Floors or extensions without a permit. A floor added on the roof or an enlarged balcony may not be registered and adds load to the building.
• Old installations. Iron pipes and the old electrical wiring usually need replacing completely.
• Damp and the roof. On the top floor and the ground floor, check the ceiling and the corners of the walls.
• Building management. Ask whether there is an administrator, how much is paid and whether there is money for shared repairs. The rules are in the building administration.

A full checklist for the viewing is in checking an apartment before buying.

What are the risks of a new-build apartment?

With a new-build, especially with off-plan apartments, the main risk is not the structure but the paperwork and the deadlines. Under Law no. 107/2014 (Article 42), at the end of the works the authority issues the occupancy certificate, and only on that basis is the building entered in the property register. The occupancy certificate (certifikata e përdorimit) is the document confirming that the building was completed according to its permit and can be lived in; how to check it is explained in the building's occupancy certificate. Until then you have a contract with the builder, not an ownership certificate.

Photo: SHOX ART / Pexels

Check the building permit and the number of floors allowed, the handover date and the penalty for delay in the contract, and when the occupancy certificate is expected. The steps are explained in the guide how to buy an off-plan apartment, while what the latest INSTAT permit figures show is in more building permits, less value.

Monthly costs are also higher in new buildings: the lift, the concierge, cleaning and green areas are paid for by the residents. On the other hand, the insulated facade lowers heating and cooling bills.

What about the energy certificate?

Law no. 37/2025 "On the energy performance of buildings", which replaced Law no. 116/2016, requires an energy performance certificate for homes that are sold or rented out, but this obligation applies only once the Council of Ministers approves the scheme of renovation passports (Article 16, point 4), which had not happened by 20 October 2026. That is why most homes for sale do not yet have this certificate.

Ask for this certificate both for a new-build and for an older building. If it does not exist, at least ask the owner for the winter and summer energy bills.

How to decide: a checklist

Before you make an offer, you can compare the price with the free property valuation for the same area and floor area.

Frequently asked questions