23 October 2020
–
The corona pandemic is also having an impact on housing needs – rural life is becoming more popular. Balcony, space to work at home, renovation and home ownership are in demand, as a study on behalf of the Austrian building societies shows. The building societies see a high demand for housing finance, “in terms of property and new living space in the countryside – also a trend that will continue,” said Wüstenrot boss Susanne Riess to the APA.
Housing has always been very important for Austrians. The Corona period once again put the focus and attention on “how important your own living environment is”. That will increase, even now in winter, when you will be more at home again, expects Riess, who is currently also chairwoman of the building society association.
The needs changed. With the increased use of home office, for example, one would also like to have an adequate workplace and not “having to put the laptop on the ironing board”.
It is important that politicians also respond to these needs. On the one hand, that could be the engine of the economy, on the other hand, one must also make provisions for a working world of the future – home office will also play an important role after Corona. But one has to make sure that even in publicly funded residential construction, more specifically, “which apartments are we building, what will the future of living look like”. Climate protection and green finance, for example in the area of housing subsidies, should also play a greater role.
The respondents would prefer to live in the country, but close to the city (38 percent). On the outskirts and in the country away from larger cities there were around a quarter each. The outskirts are now assessed to be somewhat less attractive compared to the results of the building societies study from February (27 after 32 percent), and life in the country has increased in popularity (24 after 17 percent).
Only 12 percent still want to live in the center of the city, especially those aged 16 to 29 (around a fifth). Seven percent said that their preferred residential area had changed due to Corona.
Austrians would prefer to live in their own house (65 percent) – or in their own apartment, including young people. Overall, this is the preferred form of living for 84 percent. 56 percent of 16 to 29 year olds said they had their own house, and for 30 to 49 year olds it was 72 percent. A quarter of those surveyed intend to buy their own home in the next few years – 15 percent want to build or buy a house.
One house is particularly popular with those surveyed in Vienna. The main reason you don’t want to buy is that you already own it (around 50 percent). Second was the cost. Around a third of those surveyed want to renovate their house or apartment.
You should encourage people to buy property and think about how you can help young people do it, says Riess. Loans are currently very cheap because of the low interest rates, and climate and energy efficiency could also be promoted.
53 percent of those surveyed own their residential property, 40 percent have a house. 26 percent lived in a rented apartment and 12 percent in a cooperative apartment. In a European comparison, Austria ranks at the lower end when it comes to home ownership, as do Germany and Switzerland. Riess named a share of 70 percent as desirable for Austria.
–
