More than 10 years ago, when I was scraping together money to buy an apartment in Hanoi, I faced a difficult choice.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has proposed imposing a high level of taxes on vacant land and short-term property transactions as part of efforts to curb speculation, improve land-use efficiency and stabilise the real estate market.

Vietnam's Ministry of Finance is stepping up tax enforcement in the property sector following inspections of 30 major developers.

Hanoi aims to bring 25,000-27,000 social housing units to the market in 2026, exceeding the minimum target of 18,700 completed units assigned by the Prime Minister.

Vietnam's Ministry of Construction has removed a controversial proposal to introduce time-limited ownership of apartment units from the latest draft of the revised Housing Law submitted to the government.

Vietnam's Ministry of Construction has proposed ending apartment ownership when residential buildings reach the end of their service life or must be demolished, prompting objections from the Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association.

Hanoi has broken ground on one of its largest social housing projects, a development expected to provide about 4,700 affordable homes as the city works toward its long-term housing targets.

It is expected that Vietnam’s housing system will be divided into four categories: commercial housing, rental housing, official residences, and policy housing.

The trend of naming projects in foreign languages is becoming increasingly prevalent in the real estate market. For many residents, however, these names have led to awkward and sometimes amusing situations.

Rental housing is now a strategic pillar and a central component of national housing policy.

One of the biggest barriers to the rental housing market is Vietnamese people's strong preference for homeownership. Many still view renting as a sign of instability or a lack of financial success.

Vietnam is preparing a new wave of incentives aimed at accelerating the development of long-term rental housing, as policymakers seek to address affordability challenges and rebalance the housing market.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) highlighted HCM City's dominance in green-certified building floor space in Vietnam.

With only a few weeks remaining before new land pricing regulations come into force, many localities and valuation firms are still struggling to determine land prices that accurately reflect market conditions.

Demand for rental housing is rising rapidly, yet the market still lacks professionally developed rental projects.

Many shophouses in HCMC have remained vacant for extended periods despite landlords repeatedly lowering rental rates. High selling prices coupled with weak leasing performance are putting significant pressure on many investors.

Vietnam is accelerating efforts to revive stalled property projects as part of a broader strategy to boost growth and stabilize housing prices.

International experience proves the State cannot single-handedly fund and run rental housing. Expanding large-scale rental housing in Hanoi requires a robust public-private partnership framework to prevent decay and ensure long-term stability.

Hanoi is considering an unprecedented move in the real estate market by restricting commercial (market-rate) housing in multi-purpose urban areas from being transferred for the first three years, with the goal of serving housing demand.