In a move that’s generating waves across Vietnam’s property sector, the government has unveiled a sweeping new decree aimed at bringing unprecedented transparency to the real estate market. Decree No. 357/2025/ND-CP, issued recently, is designed to build and manage a comprehensive information system and database for housing and real estate transactions. This digital infrastructure is set to uniquely identify every property—whether it’s a standalone house, an apartment, or a commercial building—making it much harder for fraud and murky dealings to slip through the cracks.
The urgency for such reform is palpable. For years, buyers—those who arguably need the most accurate information about planning, legal paperwork, and mortgage status—have often found themselves in the dark. According to Thời báo Tài chính Việt Nam, Dr. Tran Xuan Luong, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Real Estate Market Research and Assessment Institute, put it bluntly: "A complete, accurate, transparent, and regularly updated land and housing data system will reduce overlapping disputes, shorten transaction times, and increase investor confidence."
But the push for reform started long before this decree’s arrival. Experts have called for such measures since the amendments to the Land Law, Housing Law, and Real Estate Business Law in 2013, and these calls only intensified with revisions in 2023 and 2024. The new decree is expected to "clean up" the legal map, clarifying ownership and usage rights, and shedding light on long-abandoned or misused land parcels. The goal? To synchronize all legal, financial, land use, ownership, and asset data—making it continuous and accessible.
The need for clarity is not just a technical matter. For years, the government has issued regulations requiring information disclosure, like publishing lists of future housing projects allowed to sell and mortgage statuses. Yet, as Thời báo Tài chính Việt Nam notes, the process has been hampered by inconsistent execution and patchy oversight. Some investors have begun to proactively share project information, but the number of projects doing this remains low. Worse yet, there’s been little in the way of strict rules to ensure the accuracy of what’s disclosed, leaving buyers wary and, at times, misinformed.
Problems don’t stop at paperwork. There are persistent issues with incomplete infrastructure, questionable construction quality, and even fire safety lapses. Public trust has taken a hit, especially when lists of mortgaged projects or those lacking fire safety approval are released—sometimes causing more confusion than reassurance. Some business leaders have vented their frustration to Thời báo Tài chính Việt Nam, arguing that slow paperwork updates between government departments have led to misunderstandings and hindered sales.
Dr. Tran Xuan Luong sees the new decree as a game changer: "When asset information is verified and digitized, the steps for registration, transfer, mortgage, or inspection become simpler and faster. In the long run, this could streamline the roles of intermediaries and reduce social costs. Decree No. 357/2025/ND-CP is not just a technical data solution, but a crucial foundation for restructuring the real estate market towards modernity, transparency, and sustainable development."
The decree’s impact doesn’t stop at transparency. By making all legal records, financial obligations, land use rights, and property ownership data available and consistent, it’s expected to clear up legal uncertainties and illuminate “data shadows” that have plagued the market for years. Abandoned plots, unclear ownership, and misuse of land will be brought into the open, making it easier for both officials and the public to track what’s happening where.
Vietnam isn’t alone in this push for openness. Globally, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan have long used data-driven transparency to reduce fraud and boost market efficiency. In the U.S., the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development provide comprehensive real estate information. The U.K. relies on its Land Registry and disclosure requirements for agents, maintaining a transparent marketplace that bolsters trust among buyers and sellers. There, the Economic Crime Act also compels foreign entities with property interests to register and disclose their true owners. In Japan, the Real Estate Information Network System (REINS) and strict disclosure rules for real estate transactions have similarly increased public confidence and reduced fraud. The Japanese government is even working to create public records of all property transactions, including past sale prices, for anyone to access.
Nguyen Quynh Trang, Head of Valuation and Advisory Services at Savills Hanoi, believes that when land and housing data is synchronized, accurate, and nationwide, administrative procedures become much more manageable. "For example, creating detailed land price tables for each plot becomes feasible. This is a major reform that contributes to transparency in valuation and speeds up administrative procedures related to real estate," she told Thời báo Tài chính Việt Nam. Trang adds that effective pricing policies can only work when state regulation and market factors are combined within a modern governance framework.
The implications stretch beyond government offices and real estate agencies. The decree opens the door for proptech companies—those blending property and technology—to harness centralized data for automated valuation, asset management, risk analysis, and even tokenized real-world assets. Technologies like artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain will finally have the foundation they need to deliver on their promises. In other words, unique property identifiers are more than just a tech buzzword; they’re the prerequisite for these innovations to take root.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has also stepped up regulatory clarity by issuing Document No. 90/VBHN-BNNMT on January 8, 2026. This document consolidates the decrees guiding the implementation of the Land Law into a single set of 10 chapters and 113 articles. It provides detailed instructions for executing various provisions of the Land Law, ranging from public land services and land use planning to dispute resolution and enforcement. The move is expected to streamline the legal framework and make it easier for all stakeholders to navigate the complexities of land management.
Vietnam’s journey toward a transparent and efficient real estate market is at a pivotal moment. With Decree No. 357/2025/ND-CP laying the groundwork for digital transparency and Document No. 90/VBHN-BNNMT consolidating legal guidance, the sector is poised for a new era. The reforms promise not just cleaner paperwork, but renewed trust, faster transactions, and fertile ground for innovation—making the property market a safer, smarter place for everyone involved.
