The reference prices of housing in the districts will be reviewed again. While the process of revaluation of properties with a 5% tax continues, the Government has decided to change the prices that were determined by the working group and put out for public consultation in July 2025, but were never approved.
Ekofin.al has the Prime Minister's order reactivating, with some changes, the inter-institutional working group for determining average values per square meter. The new decision also extends the deadlines for completing the market analysis.
This development follows a previous attempt to revise the references, which was put out to public consultation at the end of July 2025, but failed to be approved.
In that case, according to the methodology, the division of zones for setting average reference prices is based on the following factors:
– cadastral data on sales;
– structure and hierarchy of the urban system with a special focus on areas with residential use categories, based on the definitions of local general plans;
– linking spatial hierarchy and market prices to define a segmentation logic that can predict future real estate market trends.
The new review aims to rely on a broader data base and have a stronger focus on the real market. According to the order, the inter-institutional group will consider not only official data, but also information submitted by interested parties and real estate market actors.
In this context, a comparative analysis of prices by cadastral zones and subzones is envisaged, the use of real purchase contracts administered by the State Cadastre Agency, as well as the reflection of market dynamics in determining reference prices.
The document also foresees the involvement of external experts and representatives with experience in the real estate market, construction and asset valuation, who are expected to contribute to deepening the analysis and increasing the credibility of the process.
In the previous case, interest groups, such as the NAREA association, stated that they had not been part of the working group and had not been consulted on the preparation of new references in the districts.
The main change is related to the deadlines. Instead of the previous deadline of March 2025, the working group must now deliver its results by April 20, 2026. The postponement signals an attempt at a more in-depth and sustainable process, in response to the criticisms that accompanied the previous draft.
The July 2025 draft decision aimed to update reference prices in all regions to bring them closer to real market levels, providing for detailed breakdowns by area and differences between urban centers, suburban areas and coastal areas. However, it was not approved, with market actors and experts raising concerns about strong discrepancies between reference prices and reality in some areas, as well as a lack of transparency in the methodology.
The new revision is expected to have a direct impact on the tax on buildings, the fiscal assessment of real estate, and the way in which purchase and sale transactions are carried out and declared.
Editorial
