The Cyprus Property Market in Numbers

Real estate statistics Cyprus for the first quarter of 2026 show a busy sales market and faster annual price growth for apartments than for houses. The Department of Lands and Surveys recorded 4,709 deposited sale contracts from January to March, including 1,761 in March. The Central Bank of Cyprus reported annual apartment price growth of 10.8% for the quarter, compared with 3.0% for houses. These figures describe different parts of the market and should be read separately.

What’s Happened Since the Start of the Year

Deposited sale contracts increased in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. March recorded 1,761 contracts, up about 18% year over year, bringing the quarter’s total to 4,709. These are contracts lodged with the Department of Lands and Surveys, not a count of completed ownership transfers.

Why These Numbers Matter for Buyers and Investors

Housing market stats 2026 show activity across the market, but a higher national contract count does not prove that every property faces stronger competition. A buyer still needs to compare the available homes in the relevant district, property type and price range.

For an investor, the district breakdown is more useful than the national total alone. The district with the most contracts may differ from the one with the fastest annual growth. Neither measure, by itself, establishes rental demand or a likely return.

Limassol Remains the Largest District

Limassol recorded 572 deposited sale contracts in March 2026 and 1,499 across the first quarter, placing it ahead of the other districts by contract volume in that period. Its March count represented about one-third of the national total of 1,761.

That scale makes Limassol significant in the national figures. It does not mean that prices or demand moved at the same rate in every Limassol neighbourhood or property segment.

How Growth Breaks Down Across the Other Regions

March contract counts were 442 in Nicosia, 365 in Larnaca, 282 in Paphos and 100 in Famagusta. Comparing annual percentage changes gives a different ranking from comparing volumes: a smaller district can record a large percentage increase from a relatively low starting point.

The practical distinction is between scale and rate of change. Both are useful, but neither should be treated as a direct measure of how easy it will be to sell one particular property.

What Share of the Market Goes to Foreign Buyers

Property sales data Cyprus also includes separate Department of Lands and Surveys statistics on foreign buyers. The figures in the draft cite 732 foreign-buyer records for March and 2,044 for the first quarter. A percentage of the whole market is meaningful only when the foreign-buyer figure and the national total count the same type of event and use the same period. The Department publishes both transfers and deposited sale contracts in its foreign-buyer tables, so these measures must not be mixed.

Foreign-buyer activity is an important part of the market picture. It cannot, on its own, explain price changes or identify which property types foreign buyers preferred.

How Home Prices Are Moving

The Central Bank of Cyprus reported that its residential property price index rose 7.5% year over year in the first quarter of 2026. Apartment prices increased by 10.8%, while house prices rose by 3.0%.

The CBC index is based on valuation data and measures price movements. It is different from the Department of Lands and Surveys’ contract count. Anyone assessing a purchase should look at the relevant property type and location rather than applying the national index to an individual home.

What Building Permit Data Shows

Building permits offer a view of potential future supply, not homes already delivered. For January–November 2025, CYSTAT reported 14,401 dwelling units covered by authorised permits, up 36.1% from the corresponding period of 2024. That is growth in the number of planned units; it does not mean the number of permits rose by 36.1%.

The permits do not establish when those homes will be completed or whether new supply has caught up with demand in any particular apartment market.

Where to Find Official Data

Four sources answer different questions:

1. Department of Lands and Surveys: deposited sale contracts by month and district, plus separate foreign-buyer statistics.
2. Central Bank of Cyprus: residential price indices for apartments and houses, based on valuation data.
3. CYSTAT: building permits and other construction statistics.
4. RICS Cyprus Property Price Index with KPMG: a separate property index and market commentary to compare with official series while accounting for differences in method.

What This Looks Like in Practice

An analyst preparing an investment brief sees a headline saying that Cyprus residential prices rose about 7%. The headline does not show whether apartments and houses moved alike. The CBC’s first-quarter breakdown shows annual growth of 10.8% for apartments and 3.0% for houses. DLS data then shows where sale contracts were deposited, while CYSTAT permits indicate potential future construction.

The analyst can use those series to identify questions for further research. Before recommending a particular investment, they still need comparable properties, local demand and a property-level financial assessment.

What to Keep in Mind When Using This Data

Each figure has a period and a definition. The sales figures here refer to deposited contracts in the first quarter of 2026. The CBC price figures refer to annual changes in a first-quarter valuation-based index. The permit figures cover January–November 2025 and describe authorised construction, not completed homes.

Newer releases may be available when a reader uses this article. Check the relevant series and compare like with like before treating a percentage as a current market-wide baseline.

The Bottom Line

The first quarter of 2026 brought more deposited sale contracts than a year earlier, with Limassol leading by volume. Apartment prices rose faster than house prices in the CBC index. Foreign-buyer and construction figures add context, but their definitions and reporting periods differ. A useful market comparison starts by separating district, property type and the measure each source actually reports.

How MLS RealtyHub Helps You Work With This Data

Official statistics describe wider market activity; they do not establish whether a particular property is available today. MLS RealtyHub provides participating agencies and developers with a structured place to maintain listing information, including prices and statuses.

A current listing record helps with a property-level search, but its details should be confirmed with the responsible party before a viewing, offer or investment decision.