Ho Chi Minh City leads the nationwide real estate search demand
According to Batdongsan. com. vn, the level of interest in real estate in the two largest markets in the country changed in the first 5 months of 2026.
According to data from Batdongsan. com. vn, Ho Chi Minh City accounts for nearly 50% of the national real estate interest rate, an increase of 8.5 percentage points compared to the same period and is leading the search demand nationwide.
Conversely, Hanoi decreased to 27.6%, equivalent to a decrease of 5.9 percentage points. This development shows that cash flow and the interest of buyers and investors are tending to return to the Southern market after a long period of the Northern market increasing in price.
Considering the national scale, real estate search volume in May decreased by about 5% compared to April. However, if considered separately by type, apartments are still the leading segment in the market in terms of interest, while other types of real estate such as land plots or villas are under greater downward pressure.
Apartment market: reducing asking prices, increasing rental demand
In Hanoi, the level of interest in apartment sales in May increased slightly by 4% compared to the previous month, showing local recovery; but still decreased compared to the same period in 2025. In Ho Chi Minh City, the level of interest in apartment sales decreased by 3% monthly and decreased by 11% annually.
On the contrary, apartment rentals have more positive developments. Rent demand has increased in both Hanoi (up 6%) and Ho Chi Minh City (up 24%) compared to the same period. This shows that apartments are still products with high real use demand, especially in the context that house purchase prices exceed the financial capacity of a part of urban residents.
Regarding prices, the apartment market is differentiated by region. The average asking price for apartments in Q2/2026 in Hanoi is expected to be about 85 million VND/m2, down 2% compared to the previous quarter, while in Ho Chi Minh City it is 69 million VND/m2, unchanged compared to the previous quarter. The asking prices for apartments in Hung Yen and Bac Ninh both decreased by 3%.
This development can be considered a necessary adjustment after the period when apartment prices in major cities increased too high.
Conversely, many localities have apartment asking prices rising, such as Hai Phong increasing by 8%, Quang Ninh increasing by 6%, Dong Nai increasing by 5% compared to the previous quarter. Provincial markets such as Da Nang, Quang Ninh, Hung Yen also recorded increased interest in apartment sales from 9% - 13% compared to April. This shows that demand for apartments in provinces is improving, opening up new price levels and opportunities outside of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
