Vietnam's GDP grew an estimated 9.01 per cent year on year in the first nine months, with growth accelerating from 8.15 per cent in the first quarter and 8.81 per cent in the second to 9.95 per cent in the third.
As of September 30, total registered foreign investment, including newly registered capital, additional investment and foreign investors' share purchases, reached USD 50.36 billion, up 76.4 per cent year on year.
Additional investment in 948 existing projects totalled USD 14.15 billion, up 25.1 per cent. Real estate attracted USD 6.94 billion, accounting for 16 per cent of total registered FDI.
Disbursed FDI reached an estimated USD 21.07 billion in the first nine months, up 12.1 per cent year on year and the highest level in five years. Of this, USD 1.59 billion, or 7.5 per cent, went into real estate.
The number of newly established real estate businesses rose 10.9 per cent to 4,535 during the period, underscoring the sector's continued appeal as the economy expanded.
Trang Le, country head and senior director of research and consultancy at JLL Vietnam, said international companies' efforts to diversify supply chains were creating additional demand for industrial property.
Companies diversifying supply chains are increasingly looking to Vietnam, driving demand for manufacturing, logistics and related property.
Le added improved transport and logistics infrastructure was also reshaping industrial property, with interconnected manufacturing hubs emerging in both northern and southern Vietnam.
Demand is also expanding beyond traditional manufacturing to electronics, electrical equipment, high technology, automobiles, data centres, pharmaceuticals, research and development, and modern logistics.
Northern Vietnam is expected to add about 5,000 hectares of industrial land by 2030. Haiphong leads the future supply pipeline, with four industrial parks breaking ground in May, while Hanoi has started work on two new industrial parks.
The south is expected to add more than 6,000 hectares by 2030, supported by major infrastructure projects including Long Thanh International Airport, HCM City Ring Road 3 and the Cai Mep-Thi Vai port complex.
Experts said FDI in real estate was not only bringing additional capital into the market but was also tied to expanding production, new facilities and logistics networks, supporting further growth in industrial property.
Efforts to unblock stalled projects
According to Truong Gia Bao, vice chairman and general secretary of the Vietnam Industrial Real Estate Association, Vietnam had made significant changes in its approach, expertise and infrastructure preparations to attract investment.
While foreign investors previously focused largely on Hanoi, HCM City and Danang, they are now considering a wider range of locations and their individual advantages.
Bao noted localities needed to identify the types of investors they wanted to attract, as European, US and Chinese investors differed in their decision-making processes and investment preferences.
Despite rising investment inflows, substantial resources remain tied up in projects stalled by legal obstacles.
According to the Ministry of Finance, 5,012 projects nationwide, covering 213,581 hectares and involving total investment of VND 3.6 quadrillion, are facing difficulties.
Of these, 1,131 projects covering 56,405 hectares and involving VND 779.05 trillion are being handled by ministries and local authorities within their jurisdiction, accounting for 23 per cent of the total.
Another 158 projects covering 13,073 hectares and involving VND 229.41 trillion have been proposed for consideration by the National Assembly, government, prime minister, ministries and other central agencies.
The ministry said most of the remaining projects involved complex legal issues spanning different regulatory periods or specific obstacles that could not yet be resolved under existing mechanisms.
