While the Romanian residential market shows signs of resilience, experts highlight a lack of comprehensive regulation for developers and contractors. Panellists taking part in the “Sector-Specific Trends part 2” panel discussion held at CEDER 2025 argued that this absence of clear standards creates uncertainty and risks, particularly for end buyers. Adrian Stoichina, Co-CEO & Partner at Prima Development Group, stated: “I think that the thing that is missing today in the Romanian market is that there is absolutely no regulation”. He elaborated that this allows anyone to buy land, get a permit, create marketing, and ask for money without a guaranteed outcome regarding quality. Stoichina argued that good projects are predicted by the experience of the developer and general contractor, not just marketing. He firmly believes that this situation “can be only sorted out by doing regulation in the market. And I think the market is mature enough to have regulation both for general contractors and for developers”, suggesting a system similar to the public sector, where previous experience is required for contracts. Simona Guțiu, Founding Partner at the Notarial Office EQUITY, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for legal certainty and buyer protection. She asserted, “I think we are in a stage where a piece of legislation is absolutely necessary. We cannot grow and grow without having a regulating market”. Guțiu highlighted a critical vulnerability: “I cannot accept from legal setup that the developer may establish a company with 1000 RON […] and start selling stories [...]. So, a minimal equity, a minimal credential is absolutely required”. This lack of minimal standards leaves end users, who invest significant lifetime savings, unprotected. Beyond developer credentials, other regulatory aspects were discussed. Yannick Van de Parre, Country Manager at Speedwell, described the hurdles within the permitting process, noting: “I think the most challenging thing with permitting currently in Romania is that you need to go yourself to all the different ministries [...] and that they all have different opinions”, and contrasting this process with more centralized systems in other European countries. Victor Terheș, Sales Director at Bellemonde, pointed to the impact of upcoming regulatory changes like the P100 and P118 norms, calling them “truly game changer in the residential development” and affirming that they will fundamentally alter projects and likely increase prices. While the built-to-rent sector already offers significant tenant protection through valid contracts, Luciana Giurea, Head of Residential at AFI Europe Romania, believes legislation will for sure adjust accordingly, as the market grows. She followed this up by noting that established developers with strong backgrounds, like AFI, are less concerned by potential regulation. In conclusion, experts agree that, while the market itself may be resilient, stronger regulation is needed to ensure developer and contractor credibility, streamline processes like permitting, and provide essential protection and legal certainty for buyers.