According to the Ministry of Construction, Vietnam currently has around 2,991 real estate projects that are stalled or facing unresolved difficulties, with a total investment value of nearly $100bn. This represents an enormous pool of resources that has yet to be mobilised to serve socio-economic development.

Speaking at the Vietnam Real Estate Market Forum (VREF 2026) held on January 9 by the Vietnam Association of Realtors, Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Van Sinh said many projects remain entangled in legal issues or have been left half-built, resulting in significant waste.

Official figures show that the 2,991 stalled projects nationwide account for total investment of about $100bn. While this capital has yet to contribute to economic growth, it has also placed considerable strain on businesses involved.

The deputy minister noted that in recent years, the government has issued strong directives to address these bottlenecks. Initial results show that 926 projects, with total capital of around $30bn, have already been resolved.

In 2026, relevant authorities will continue efforts to remove obstacles for the remaining stalled projects. Preliminary assessments indicate that among more than 2,000 unresolved projects, about 248 are related to land issues, 479 involve legal provisions under the authority of the National Assembly, and 208 fall within the jurisdiction of the government, the prime minister, and ministries.

In addition, roughly 1,104 projects are subject to resolution by local authorities in areas such as land, investment and planning. Central agencies will issue guidance to help localities address these problems. About 80 projects are also facing difficulties linked to build-transfer (BT) arrangements.

Sinh added that several key laws have been amended, including the Land Law, Housing Law, Law on Real Estate Business and Investment Law. The revisions aim to cut administrative procedures, reduce compliance costs, create more favourable conditions for businesses, and strengthen decentralisation to local governments.

The government has also proposed, and the National Assembly has passed, a series of resolutions introducing breakthrough mechanisms. These include Resolution 201 on special policies for social housing development, and Resolution 171 on piloting commercial housing projects through agreements on land-use rights. These measures have had a strong impact on boosting housing supply.

At the same time, the National Assembly has approved Resolution 254 to address difficulties encountered during the implementation of the Land Law.

“In recent times, the government has paid particular attention to correcting distortions and adjusting property prices in a way that improves affordability,” Sinh said. “The key solution is to accelerate the development of social housing.”

So far, there are 698 social housing projects underway nationwide, with a total scale of about 657,000 apartments. Of these, 193 projects have been completed, while many others are continuing.

In 2026, the government aims to bring 160,000 social housing units to the market, with an average price of around $830–$1,040 per square metre. Compared to prevailing market prices, this level is considered affordable, according to the deputy minister.

On the supply side, Pham Thi Mien, deputy head of the Vietnam Institute of Real Estate Research and Evaluation (VARS IRE), said that in 2025 the market recorded more than 128,000 newly launched housing products, up 88 per cent year on year and the highest level in the 2019–2025 period.

However, she stressed that the imbalance between supply and demand persists. In several southern localities, the supply of more affordably priced commercial housing has increased sharply, helping to partially rebalance the market.

By contrast, in Hanoi, Da Nang and the former Ho Chi Minh City administrative area, the mismatch has become more pronounced. Despite strong growth in social housing supply, it still lags far behind the volume of commercial housing priced at over $3,300 per square metre.

Data show that in 2025 the market saw more than 80,000 new apartment units, double the figure in 2024. About 25 per cent of this new supply, equivalent to over 20,000 units, was priced above $4,170 per square metre, nearly ten times higher than the previous year.

In Hanoi and the former Ho Chi Minh City area alone, around 85 per cent of newly launched apartments were priced above $3,300 per square metre. The market structure continues to shift strongly towards luxury and ultra-luxury segments, while affordable commercial housing has all but disappeared.

Nguyen Le