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Cyprus Sees Rise In Auctions Of Homes Priced Below €350,000

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 20, 2026

A confidential report from the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) reveals a striking upward trend in the auction of primary residences, particularly those valued below €350,000, marking a significant financial shift in the local property market.

Overview Of Auction Trends

The lifting of a moratorium on the sale of properties valued up to €350,000 in early 2024 led to a noticeable rise in auctions. Data obtained by Stockwatch shows a steady increase in the number of primary residences entering the auction process following the policy change. In the third quarter of 2025, most of the 98 homes auctioned fell within this lower-value category.

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Data Reveals Sharp Increases

Q3 2025 figures show that 93 of the 98 auctioned homes were valued below €350,000, while only five exceeded that threshold. This represents a sharp increase compared with earlier quarters in 2024, when only five to six primary residences were auctioned. The data also shows that 77 of the lower-value properties were repurchased by mortgage lenders after the first auction, indicating growing financial pressure on borrowers.

Loan Repossession And Legal Implications

Under the Immovable Property (Transfer and Mortgage) Law, the auction process typically allows four to six months between initial notice and sale, although legal objections and restructuring efforts can delay proceedings. During Q3 2025, authorities issued 731 auction-related notices to borrowers with properties valued below €350,000, compared with 81 notices for higher-value homes.

Legislative Efforts And Future Outlook

Legislative measures aimed at protecting borrowers remain pending. A law passed at the end of 2023 to establish a specialized court for foreclosure cases has not yet been implemented. Recent changes expanding the powers of the Financial Commissioner allow more borrowers to seek out-of-court restructuring, although decisions remain non-binding. Around 30 legislative proposals are currently under discussion, with parliamentary debate expected as elections approach.

The rise in lower-value property auctions highlights increasing pressure on households and the wider property market. Policymakers now face growing calls to balance financial stability with stronger protections for vulnerable borrowers.

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EU Services Production Grows As Information And Communication Lead

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

November 10, 2026

Services production continued to expand across the European Union in August 2026, with information and communication recording the strongest annual growth. However, performance varied significantly between industries and member states, while Cyprus reported a mixed picture, with business services expanding and hospitality-related activities declining.

Information And Communication Leads Sector Growth

Compared with August 2025, services production increased by 5.9% in the euro area and 5.8% across the EU in information and communication. Transportation and storage also recorded growth, rising by 2.1% and 1.9%, respectively.

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Real estate activities increased by 1.6% in the euro area and 1.1% in the EU. Professional, scientific and technical activities grew by 1% in both areas, while administrative and support services advanced by 1.1% and 1.3%.

Accommodation and food services was the only major sector to record an annual decline, falling by 0.1% in both the euro area and the EU.

The monthly figures were more mixed. Information and communication remained the strongest performer, increasing by 1.2% in the euro area and 1% across the EU. Real estate activities rose by 0.4% and 0.9%, respectively, while transportation and storage edged up 0.1% in the euro area but declined by 0.2% in the EU.

Administrative and support services recorded modest gains of 0.2% in the euro area and 0.1% in the EU. Accommodation and food services fell by 0.3% and 0.4%, while professional, scientific and technical activities declined by 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively.

Slovakia And Greece Record Strongest Annual Growth

Romania recorded the largest monthly increase in services production, at 5.2%, followed by Malta at 1.8% and Portugal at 1.7%. Luxembourg experienced the steepest decline, with output falling by 5.1%, followed by Bulgaria at 2.3% and Denmark at 1.9%.

On an annual basis, Slovakia led with growth of 10%, followed by Greece at 9.3% and Malta at 7.5%. Hungary recorded the weakest performance, with services production declining by 5.6%. Denmark fell by 5.3%, while Italy recorded a smaller decrease of 0.3%.

Cyprus Sees Growth In Business Services But Weakness In Hospitality

Cyprus’ latest figures show a similar divide between expanding business services and weaker hospitality-related activities. According to the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat), professional, scientific and technical activities recorded the strongest annual growth among the covered sectors in the second quarter of 2026, increasing by 3.4%.

Transportation and storage and information and communication both grew by 2.1%, while real estate activities rose by 1.6%. In contrast, accommodation and food services declined by 3.1% year on year, and administrative and support services fell by 2.2%.

First-half results were more favourable for several sectors. Between January and June, professional, scientific and technical activities grew by 3.5%, transportation and storage by 2.8%, real estate by 2.1% and information and communication by 1.3%.

Nevertheless, administrative and support services contracted by 1% over the six-month period, while accommodation and food services declined by 0.7%.

How Cyprus’ Figures Differ From Eurostat’s Data

The Eurostat and Cystat figures measure different aspects of economic activity and are not directly comparable. Eurostat’s services production index tracks changes in the volume of output, whereas Cystat’s Turnover Value Index for Services and Transport measures the value of sales at current prices.

The reporting periods also differ: Eurostat’s figures cover August, while the cited Cypriot data relate to the second quarter and first half of 2026.

Cystat transmits services production data to Eurostat but does not yet publish a separate national production index. Turnover figures therefore remain the main publicly available national indicator for the sector.

Taken together, the data point to continued growth in several of Cyprus’ business-oriented services, alongside persistent pressure on accommodation, food and administrative support activities.