Keeping you up to date with the French property market, news, travel and events
PROPERTY SALES STARTING TO PLATEAU
In their half-yearly review, French estate agency association FNAIM reports that, while transactions have reached almost 1.2 million, sales are starting to plateau, attributed largely to the increase in interest rates and the economic crisis.
House prices have risen by 9.2% over the past year, although in Paris they have dropped by 2.1% (no other department has seen a fall in prices). Highest increases have been away from the main metropolitan areas, following the post-pandemic trend of swapping the city crush for more rural space.
Areas along the Atlantic coast have seen the highest price increases, on average 10%. House prices outside of the capital range from €890/m2in Creuse (Nouvelle-Aquitaine region) to €8,526/m2 in Hautsde-Seine (Ile-de-France region).
Looking at five-year trends, several departments have risen by 40+%, mostly in Brittany, and including Finistère (47.5%), Morbihan (45%), Côtes d’Armor (43.5%), Charente-Maritime (41.6%, ) Landes (41.4%), Ille-et-Vilaine (41.(%), and Maine-et-Loire (40.8%). Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Vendée also performed well at 39.9% and 38.8% respectively. The lowest five-year increases were seen in Indre (Centre-Val de Loire) at 10.3% and Nièvre (Burgundy) at 11.4%.
The report also suggests that supply is starting to pick up, which could reduce pressure on property prices.
Meanwhile, a quarterly overseas European property market tracker based on Kyero property portal user data has shown that enquires for properties in France are up 81% compared to the same period last year. Average asking prices for European properties remains fairly static, with the average price in France rising slightly to €249,900.
EXPAT SURVEY
Where does France perform well in the Internations Expat Insider 2022 survey – and where does it get a ‘could do better’ report?
Out of the 64 expat worldwide destinations in the survey, France scores highly in Health and wellbeing (5th), Quality of life (11th), Work and leisure (14th), Environment and climate (16th) and Leisure options (18th).
Clearly this reflects the way of life that is so appealing to many expats, offering a good work-life balance and a healthy environment in which to live. France’s worl-famous healthcare system also gets a tick.
However, France does less well in Language (45th),
