Speaking at a press conference for the Vietnam Real Estate Forum 2026 (VREF 2026) on November 21, Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Realtors and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Real Estate Association, noted that 2025 has marked a clear recovery phase for the sector.

Investment activity has been vigorous, driven in part by abundant and easily accessible capital since 2024.

Dr. Dinh cited government directives encouraging regulatory reform - especially around taxation and credit policies - as a key contributor. However, he warned that without clearly distinguishing between speculative and genuine demand, regulatory interventions could backfire and unintentionally hinder real homebuyers.

The Vietnam Real Estate Association has proposed tailored policy frameworks that define distinct investor categories to ensure fairness and prevent unintended consequences.

As of September, nearly 18 quadrillion VND (approximately USD 730 billion) had been injected into the economy, with real estate absorbing about 25% - equivalent to USD 180 billion.

“This reflects significant effort from the banking system to stimulate economic recovery,” said Dr. Dinh. “However, cheap capital has also fueled speculative behavior. The government’s current measures aim to cool this trend, fostering a more sustainable and higher-quality property market in 2026.”

Standardized benchmarks to reshape the market

VREF 2026, themed “Defining standards for sustainable development,” will mark a major step toward formalizing new norms in Vietnam’s property sector.

One key highlight of this year’s forum is the unveiling of multiple evaluation frameworks and standardized criteria developed by the Vietnam Real Estate Market Assessment Institute (VARS IRE).

Phạm Thi Mien, Deputy Director of VARS IRE, presented five key standardization initiatives:

National standards for real estate project quality in Vietnam
A provincial real estate competitiveness index
Bank participation standards in property development
Professional competency standards for real estate agents
A code of ethics and conduct for the brokerage industry

Dr. Dinh emphasized that these frameworks will bring greater transparency to the market, helping weed out low-quality projects and raising accountability across the board - from developers and investors to regulatory bodies and end users.

“These standards will serve as a reference point for policymakers, businesses, and consumers. They also bring us closer to international norms and support the long-term goal of a safe, responsible, and sustainable real estate market,” he said.

Nguyen Le