European transaction times reach a plateau – Drooms

The Drooms Real Estate Trends Report 2026 suggests a stagnation in transaction times, despite stable overall durations across Europe. 

Alexandre Grellier

For the first time, the average transaction duration in Europe remained steady at 363 days, matching the previous year’s figures.
However, this stability masks significant country-specific variations. The UK saw transaction times increase to a record 577 days (up from 499), while France rose to 336 days (from 329) and Spain climbed to 244 days (up from 206). Conversely, Germany saw a slight decrease to 398 days (down from 405).
A majority (53%) of the 80 real estate experts surveyed reported longer transaction durations over the past year. Looking ahead to 2026, 36% of respondents plan to invest up to €20 million, while 14% are targeting investments exceeding €250 million.
Spain (43%) remains the most attractive market, followed by the DACH region (37%), CEE (34%), and Benelux (22%).
Residential (43%) and logistics (15%) remain investor favourites. Infrastructure (14%), including data centres, is gaining traction, with 62% of investors looking to increase their exposure.
The primary obstacles for firms include securing financing (46%) and restructuring existing liabilities (16%). For international investments, regulatory differences (47%) and a lack of market access (28%) remain significant hurdles. Despite these challenges, 60% of those surveyed intend to be more active in the transaction market in 2026, while only 15% plan to scale back.
Nearly half of respondents (49%) believe Artificial Intelligence will allow them to process more deals with existing staff. There is also an expectation that AI will lead to quicker, cheaper deals and reduced transaction costs.
Alexandre Grellier, co-founder and CEO of Drooms, commented: “Transaction times in Europe have been racing from record high to record high for years. Now, for the first time, we are seeing stagnation. This could be an indicator of an improving transaction environment. However, it should also be noted that despite the slight recovery, deal certainty is declining and transaction times remain high. AI has the potential to make the transaction market fairer.”