Vietnam is becoming a strategic destination for many international real estate consulting firms, thanks to an increasingly mature development foundation…

According to the latest data, as of July 31, 2026, total registered foreign investment in Vietnam, including newly registered capital, adjusted capital, and the value of capital contributions and share purchases by foreign investors, reached US$38.06 billion, up 58% year-on-year. Of this, FDI flowing into real estate business activities reached US$5.23 billion, accounting for 16.6% of total registered capital and surging by 380% compared with the same period in 2025.

These figures show that real estate continues to be one of the sectors attracting substantial foreign capital inflows. However, according to the Vietnam Association of Realtors’ Institute for Real Estate Market Research and Evaluation (VARS IRE), the market’s attractiveness is now reflected not only in financial investments but also in the movement of another type of capital: international knowledge, technology and real estate development expertise.

TRANSFORMATION

For many years, when discussing the attractiveness of Vietnam’s real estate market, people often thought of investment funds, real estate developers and foreign FDI inflows.

Recently, however, a new trend has become increasingly evident. Vietnam is becoming a destination for globally recognized consulting, planning, architecture and design firms. Whereas international partners previously came to Vietnam mainly at the invitation of, or based on orders from, domestic developers, they are now proactively seeking out the market to conduct research and explore opportunities for long-term cooperation.

According to observations by VARS IRE, many companies from the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, China and other markets are actively surveying Vietnam’s market, assessing its development potential and establishing connections with domestic real estate companies.

These partners have strengths in a wide range of areas, including urban planning, architectural design, residential development, housing finance advisory, property operations and management, and technology solutions for the real estate sector. Rather than participating only in individual project components, these firms seek to work alongside Vietnamese developers throughout the entire project development process, from planning and design to operations and management.

According to VARS IRE, this shift reflects the transformation of Vietnam’s real estate market following a period of restructuring. The market is no longer developing according to the “rapid growth” model of the past but is entering a new cycle in which competition is increasingly driven by quality.

In the previous period, many projects could attract buyers simply by having a favorable location. Today, however, that is no longer sufficient. Following market fluctuations, both homebuyers and investors have become more cautious. Instead of focusing on the prospect of short-term price appreciation, they are paying greater attention to product quality, income-generating potential, operational efficiency and the ability to generate stable cash flow over the long term.

This trend is forcing real estate companies to change their development mindset. Rather than pursuing speed, developers are increasingly focusing on planning and design quality, living experiences, amenities and the added value of their projects.

The market’s changing demand has consequently opened up significant opportunities for international consulting firms. Their role is no longer limited to architectural design but has expanded to include master planning, product development, living-space design, operational optimization, technology applications, green urban development and the enhancement of sustainable development standards.

This demonstrates that Vietnam’s real estate market is attractive not only because of its large population, rapid urbanization and substantial development headroom, but also because of growing demand for specialized consulting services, modern management capabilities and development models aligned with international standards.

MULTIPLE FACTORS DRIVING MARKET ATTRACTIVENESS

According to VARS IRE, several factors are making Vietnam’s real estate market increasingly attractive to foreign partners.
The first is the gradual improvement of the legal framework. In recent years, numerous new policies concerning land, housing and real estate business have been introduced to enhance market transparency, strengthen investor confidence and establish a foundation for the sustainable development of cities.

At the same time, accelerated investment in transport and urban infrastructure is bringing about significant changes. The development of numerous expressways, ring roads, airports, seaports and interregional connectivity projects has expanded development areas, created new growth poles and increased the value of real estate projects.

Urbanization also remains a key driver. This process is generating strong demand for new urban areas, industrial zones, commercial real estate, logistics properties, social housing, rental housing and integrated urban development models. These are all segments in which international consulting firms possess considerable experience and competitive advantages.

Another factor is the changing expectations of customers. Whereas selling price and location were previously the two top priorities, buyers are now increasingly concerned with planning quality, design, living spaces, amenity systems, operational and property management capabilities, and long-term utility value.

This trend creates substantial room for international consulting companies to leverage their strengths in planning, design and project management.

In addition, domestic real estate companies themselves are proactively changing. Many developers have chosen to cooperate with leading global consulting, architecture and design brands to improve product quality, enhance project value and strengthen their competitive position in the market.

A VARS IRE expert said that the growing number of international consulting firms showing interest in Vietnam creates opportunities for domestic companies to gain access to new development approaches, modern technologies and international standards in planning, design, operations management and sustainable urban development.

However, opportunities always come with challenges.
The presence of international partners also places greater demands on domestic developers to strengthen their management capabilities, standardize project development processes and formulate product strategies with a long-term vision.

Against the backdrop of increasingly intense competition, a company’s advantage will no longer lie simply in owning a large land bank or prime locations. Instead, the decisive factor will be its ability to create high-quality products that meet genuine customer needs and deliver sustainable value throughout the project lifecycle.

Vietnam’s Real Estate Market Is Becoming Increasingly Sophisticated

According to VARS IRE, the fact that international consulting, planning and design firms are proactively seeking cooperation opportunities in Vietnam is a positive signal, reflecting the growing perception that Vietnam’s real estate market is developing into a more mature and sophisticated market.

In the new development cycle, a project’s competitive advantage will no longer derive solely from its location or land bank. It will also be determined by the quality of its planning and design, its operational capabilities and the sustainable value it delivers to end users.

This is also considered a favorable time for Vietnamese developers to leverage cooperation with international partners to improve product quality, gain access to advanced development standards and gradually bring Vietnam’s real estate market closer to regional and global benchmarks.