Jean-Marie EBEL, President of the Housing Real Estate Observatory, confirms it during the presentation of the first semester results: “The market seems to be experiencing an upswing in this first semester of 2015.” Before adding, “However, these results should be nuanced.”
Indeed, the rebound in listings (+54%) and, in parallel, the increase in transactions by nearly a third should be considered in relation to the very poor results recorded in the first semester of 2014, when the level of sales was at a historically low level.
Over four consecutive quarters (rolling year), while the new supply shows an increase of +25%, which is something to be welcomed, sales only progress by 3%…
The new Pinel scheme has renewed buyers’ interest in rental investment, which largely explains this improvement in the market. Nonetheless, difficulties remain, primarily a decrease in the number of building permits and construction starts.
The resale market also shows a better performance than in the first semester of 2014, with the volume of resold properties up by 11%. At the same time, the price level remains slightly under the 4,000-euro mark.
As for the new housing market, the volume of new listings has decreased compared to the first semester of 2014, which already recorded a low production level.
In this context, and despite strong demand, sales remained stable over the period.
The stock, although it has grown by nearly a third, still remains below the needs, especially in the price segments below €4,500 per square meter.
In this new market, sales prices are relatively stable, with averages lower than departmental averages, but they remain high.
The resale market, for its part, has recorded significant growth compared to the first semester of 2014, as seen across the entire department.
Meanwhile, the price level has slightly decreased during the period considered, to a level below the average of the Alpes-Maritimes.
