Overview of Key International Real Estate News: March 19–25

New episode on our YouTube channel. We explored different real estate formats and examined how they performed during the three largest global crises.

New trends in the real estate market continue to focus on tighter regulations. Leading this week is Spain, which fined Airbnb a massive amount. Second is Cyprus, where new rules for developers were introduced, and third is Kaunas, Lithuania, which outpaced the country’s capital in housing price growth.

Airbnb Platforms Receive Record Fine in Spain

The Madrid Supreme Court ordered the short-term rental service to pay €64 million for violations in the housing market. The decision increases pressure on platforms and signals further tightening of rental regulations in major Spanish cities—posing risks to investor returns and reducing supply.

New Construction Rules in Cyprus Change the Real Estate Market

Cypriot authorities require higher energy efficiency standards for properties and are strengthening quality control. Risks for buyers may decrease, but costs for developers and owners will rise.

Kaunas Breaks Records in Housing Prices in Lithuania

The average apartment price in Kaunas rose 13.6% to €2,080 per square meter. A 60-square-meter apartment costs about €125,000. Meanwhile, the most expensive housing is sold in Vilnius at €2,150 (+12.9%).

Japanese Housing Market Enters a New Phase

Apartment prices in Japan increased 2–3% over the past year. In Tokyo, the average apartment costs ¥60 million ($445,000), in Osaka ¥45 million ($335,000). The number of transactions rose by 5%.

Foreigners Are Buying Real Estate in Batumi

Housing sales in Georgia are growing. In Tbilisi, apartments in central districts are the most popular. In Batumi, half of the properties were bought by foreigners. The average price exceeds $1,300 per square meter, while residential yield is decreasing.

Saudi Hotels Shift to the Premium Segment

The hotel market in Saudi Arabia is restructuring: most of the future supply will target high-end categories—luxury, upscale, and upper-upscale. By 2030, the total number of hotel rooms may reach 362,000.

US Mortgage Rates Hit a Five-Month Record

The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage in the US rose to 6.43%—the highest level in five months. Higher loan costs increase monthly payments and reduce housing affordability for new buyers.

Africa Moves from Slums to Smart Cities

Africa faces a housing deficit of 51 million units. The main drivers of the market will be demographic growth and new government programs. The real estate market could grow from $233.5 billion to $347.3 billion by 2034. Investors are preparing for new opportunities in construction and rental markets.

Singapore New Housing Sales Plunge

In February 2026, private new home sales in Singapore fell by 47%. The decline coincided with the seasonal effect of the Chinese New Year and deteriorating global investor sentiment, affecting buyer and developer confidence.

Watch our new episode to learn how the largest office startup lost over $40 billion during the pandemic, why Hilton nearly went bankrupt, and how San Francisco hippies made billions renting out beds.

In the International Investment catalog, you’ll find properties managed by international hotel operators.

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