“More spacious and more accessible housing than in metropolitan areas, a pleasant living environment with natural spaces, comfort and essential services nearby…” These are the assets of the so-called “medium” cities, according to the Superior Council of Notaries (CSN) , which recently presented the 3rd edition of its real estate barometer dedicated to these municipalities.
A study that confirms the particularly marked recovery of their real estate market, after two years marked by the pandemic. Between 2020 and 2021 the dynamics are in fact positive, both in terms of sales volumes and price trends. Other data: an accentuation of the movement of people traveling from large metropolitan centers to these medium-sized municipalities.
The cities studied by the barometer, 200 areas in total (between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants), are part of the national Action Cœur de ville programme. Launched in 2018 and extended for the period 2023-2026, its aim is to bring inhabitants, shops, services and activities (retro) back to these municipalities, preserve natural and agricultural areas, take care of the commercial periphery and improve the framework for the city life.
Sales volumes growing in 2021
The recovery of the real estate market is confirmed with a volume of sales growing by 12% in 2021 compared to 2020, or 14,550 more transactions carried out by 156 cities of the national Action Cœur de ville program out of the 200 studied by Notaries.
Increased sales since 2018
According to the CSN, the trend between 2018 and 2021 is indicative of the attractiveness of the territories of the Action Cœur de ville program and its first impacts, with a 17% increase in transactions in the central cities of the program in this period and a 20% increase in % if their agglomeration is taken into account. This concerns 164 out of 200 cities studied in the period (excluding Île-de-France and Mayotte).
The agglomerations in our territory, which are part of Action Cœur de ville, are recording, between 2018 and 2021, increases in transactions (apartments and houses combined in the old) of more than 20% (Valence, Romans-sur-Isère, Aubenas, Annonay, Bourg-en-Bresse, Belfort, Épinal, Toul, Forbach, etc. or less than 20% (voiron, Chambéry, Vienne, Besançon, Vesoul, Saverne, etc.).
While others have experienced a decline in turnover of more than 20% (Haguenau, Colmar, Guebwiller and Vitry-le-François) or less than 20% (Thionville, Sarrebourg, Rumilly and Bourgoin-Jallieu).
Prices rising, but still affordable
This increase in the volume of sales in most medium-sized municipalities correlates with an increase in property prices of approximately 16.6% for old houses and 15% for old apartments in 137 program municipalities over the period 2018 -2021.
Regarding the average average price of apartments, the study shows an increase from €1,353 per m² in 2018 to €1,557 per m² in 2021 in central cities, against an increase of €1,666 per m² to €1,832 per m² in the rest of the cities during the same period. The price of old houses also increases, i.e. +7.9% in 2021 compared to 2020.
Despite these increases, prices are still more affordable than in big cities for larger properties.
