The price for a house or renting a place in Tirana has risen recently. According to real estate agencies, buying a home already costs a lot more than what it did 2 years ago.

Esi Basho is a student and has been looking for a new apartment for three months.

“It’s been 3 months that I am searching for a place in Tirana, but I’ve been unable to find anything that is below €350-€400 “, she said.

Currently, she shares the rent with 3 friends as she cannot afford a place of her own with the salary she receives.

Real estate agencies say rents have risen by 24% in the last 2 years, meanwhile, landlords claim that this is a result of renovations carried out during the pandemic.

The price for an apartment has also gone up, especially in the last 2 years.

In 2021 alone, about 1,400 new building permits were issued.

The question that arises is who is buying the houses and raising their prices?