The stone is also affected by the Covid-19. Rising prices for
older housing accelerated in the first quarter, but market activity showed signs of a sharp decline due to the
containment against the coronavirus, show this Thursday the figures of INSEE and notaries.
In the first quarter, the prices of old homes increased on average by 5% compared to a year earlier, a more marked development than in 2019 (+ 3.7%), according to this benchmark index.
22% drop in sales in Ile-de-France
However, in Île-de-France, the number of sales fell 22% compared to a year earlier, according to notaries in the region, who gave their figures separate from INSEE on this occasion.
The first quarter was marked by the start of the health and economic crisis of the coronavirus, with the entry into force in mid-March of strict containment only lifted in early May. These restrictions notably prevented real estate agents from showing visitors housing and also drastically reduced the possibility of signing sales to notaries.
Prices are still rising
There are no data on the number of sales in the first quarter at the national level. INSEE only gives figures for the year to the end of March, and they therefore reflect a much less marked development. These sales amounted to 1.04 million over the year to the end of March. This is a small slowdown from 2019 (1.07 million), but they remain above the million mark crossed last year.
For their part, French prices, which were already coming out of four years of consecutive increases, have further seen their growth accelerate, a development which does not yet reflect the effects of the crisis as it reflects transactions negotiated significantly before.
Their rise is marked in Île-de-France (+ 5.7%) as in the provinces (+ 4.7%) and affects apartments (+ 6.4%) as well as houses (+ 4%).
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