Prices of property in rural France rising faster than Paris

Prices rise in the Pyrenees

Something strange is happening to property prices in France. For the first time in decades, it looks as if house prices in rural France are increasing and at a rapid rate, faster even than those of all France’s major cities including Paris. According to the annual review of the housing market by SAFER (the French rural land agency), the average price of a rural French property has risen by 6.5% so far this year.

This also mirrors the survey by the Notaires de France who showed a price increase in all older housing in France last month, noting also that, since 2020, buyers are significantly more geographically mobile.

Areas of France classed as rural include coastal regions which have seen the biggest rise in house price rises with an increase of over 12% during 2021 while mountain areas such as the Alps and the Pyrenees have seen an 8.8% house price rise. Some of this has been fuelled by people looking to buy second homes and rural boltholes because of the pandemic but there is also growing evidence that many companies (French and foreign) as well as public sectors bodies have moved to more flexible working arrangements between home and office allowing employees a much greater choice in where they live.

Whether this is a long-term trend for the French property market is, as always, difficult to predict but looking at the prices in this region combined with the huge demand from buyers and lack of houses for sale, it certainly seems to be continuing apace for the moment.

If you need help with your property search, please get in touch: nadia@foothillsoffrance.com

Comments are closed.