Buying an Apartment in Romania: What Americans Get Wrong

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I bought a brand-new apartment in Timișoara, Romania, before it was even built. This is everything an American should know before buying or renting an apartment in Romania: why "2 rooms" means one bedroom, why the first floor is upstairs, the 21% VAT, what a parking spot costs, and why a new build comes as an empty shell.

We toured six or seven developments (City of Mara, Nord One, Alenia, Paltim and more) before we found one where the layout actually made sense: BEGA Homes. Along the way I found a lot of things that will surprise anyone coming from the US.

**What does "2 camere" mean on a Romanian listing?** Romanian listings count the living room. 1 cameră (a garsonieră) is a studio, 2 camere is one bedroom, and 3 camere is two bedrooms. Book an Airbnb "with 2 rooms" and someone may be sleeping in the living room.

**Which floor is the first floor in Romania?** Like the rest of Europe, the ground floor is the parter. Etaj 1 is one flight of stairs up, what Americans call the second floor.

**Do you pay VAT on a new apartment in Romania?** Buying new from a developer, yes: 21% on top of the price. Romania's standard VAT rate went from 19% to 21% on August 1, 2025. A $200,000 apartment becomes $242,000.

**How much does a parking space cost?** In the developments we looked at, an underground spot averaged €20,000 to €24,000. Buying early, mine was €12,500.

**Are apartments in Romania furnished?** Rentals usually come furnished, down to the bed. Buying new is the opposite: you get a shell, with no kitchen counters and no appliances.

**What else looks different to Americans?** Power outlets are few and far apart (US code wants one within 6 feet of any point along a wall), gas pipes stay exposed on the wall, there are rarely closets, walls are drywall on steel studs, light fixtures and ceiling fans are up to you, and fridges are about half the size.

The furnished rooms in this video are concept mockups, AI-generated from my own walkthrough footage. They are not the final design.

I'm an American living in Romania, married to a Romanian, raising a kid here, and building a house as well. If you're thinking about moving here or just visiting, this channel is for you.

Why won't contractors here give three blind quotes? Tell me what you think in the comments.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Buying an apartment in Romania as an American
1:09 Why the 1st floor isn't the 1st floor
2:11 2 rooms ≠ 2 bedrooms
2:53 What we looked for
3:08 The complexes we toured
3:28 Why every layout felt wrong
7:02 The one we bought: BEGA Homes
7:33 Buying before it's built
8:37 Picking finishes (and the toilet)
9:30 The 21% VAT
10:12 Parking: €12,500 vs €24,000
10:51 Renting here comes furnished
11:50 Buying gets you an empty shell
12:28 Custom furniture, and no three quotes
14:18 Paperwork: translated and notarized
15:42 Power outlets
17:00 Exposed gas pipes
17:44 No closets
18:41 Drywall, light fixtures, ceiling fans
20:00 Tiny fridges
20:46 Recap and move-in date


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IMAGE CREDITS
Rendering, floor plan and apartment specifications: BEGA Homes
City of Mara, Nord One and Paltim: developer project images
Gas pipes along a hallway ceiling: Neoclassicism Enthusiast, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons


#Romania #Timisoara #ExpatLife #LivingInRomania