The real estate market in the Alpes-Maritimes shows contrasting movements in the second quarter of 2025. Transaction volumes in the old sector are increasing, and prices remain at a high level. The rental supply is decreasing, and rental tension is evident. Promoters and local actors are alerting to the decline in building permits.
Old apartments registered 18,430 transactions during the period from June 2024 to 2025. The volume grew by 5.2% compared to the previous year. The median price reached €4,750 per square meter in the department. Old houses had 3,321 transactions over the same period. The median price rose to €540,000 and increased by 3.8% year-on-year. These figures from the Chamber of Notaries and the Observatoire Immobilier d’Habitat relate directly to the Nice and Alpes-Maritimes territory.
The sales of new homes grew by 20% on a year-over-year basis. This movement is partly explained by a catch-up effect. Block sales increase faster than retail sales. The share of investors fell sharply from 65% in the second quarter of 2024 to 35% in the second quarter of 2025. The average price per square meter for collective housing in the open sector is around €6,712, according to local reports. These data reflect the commercial context encountered on the Côte d’Azur.
The rental supply is decreasing in Nice and the department. Rental ads represent a smaller share of the overall properties. The supply map shows a concentration of homes for sale with low rental availability. The rental tension indicator, base 100 in the first quarter of 2019, remains high and shows an upward trend for several quarters. Local actors speak of a continuous scarcity of rental supply.
Building permits issued are declining. During the period from June 2024 to 2025, permits for more than four lots are decreasing. Professionals report a 22% decrease in building permits at the national level and similar trends in the region. This contraction fuels the concern of promoters present in Nice. It raises questions about the capacity to renew supply in the coming years.
Employment, construction, and proposals of the Manifesto 2026
The construction sector in the Alpes-Maritimes employs 24,393 workers according to the latest count. The flow of temporary workers is 2,463 FTE. The number of job seekers in the sector amounts to 3,971, up 9.5% year-on-year. The pre-employment declarations show 3,453 acts, slightly down. The number of business failures related to construction stands at 320 over the last four cumulative quarters.
Faced with these findings, the CCI Nice Côte d’Azur and the partners of the OIH have presented the first outlines of the Manifesto 2026. The document contains ten axes. It primarily aims to facilitate access to land. It proposes to speed up the processing of permits. It recommends the full use of building rights and innovative financial tools for affordable housing. It also suggests developing temporary housing and better coordinating development between territories. The multidisciplinary nature of the involved partners includes the FPI, FBTP06, FNAIM, the Chamber of Notaries, and the Bank of Territories.
The proposals include the creation of a land control tool of a quasi-public type, amending the SRU law to integrate new forms of social housing, and financial incentives for builder mayors. The Manifesto also advocates targeted financing mechanisms to help first-time buyers and support efficient renovation.
In Nice, local actors are awaiting concrete measures. They want swift interventions on land and processing times. They also request solutions to increase rental supply and alleviate market tension. The coming months will have to show whether the directions of the Manifesto resonate in local and national policies.
