The recently booming Albanian real estate market, mainly propelled by low rices, strong demand and high yields, faced a slowdown in 2009 and the beginning of 2010 under the effect of the global economic crisis and the restrictive regime for issuing of building permits in the capital Tirana. In 2010 the market revived, driven by the residential segment and the efforts of the Government to attract foreign investors. The office and retail
real estate markets however experienced a standstill with lack of new supply and fall in rental rates.