While property on the continent has historically been more affordable than in the UK, things are changing, making it a great time to get hold of a South of France surveyor and invest in the region.
Here’s why 2019 may be the perfect year to take the plunge and start an exciting new life in the South of France.
Property Prices Over Time
While France was naturally affected by the global financial crash, the desirability of the region protected it from some of the worst plunges in property value such as those seen in Spain and Portugal.
Following the boom in value witnessed in the decade between 1997 and 2007, France saw huge growth and, while prices did fall in the couple of years following, the drop was not significant – especially when weighed against previous rises.
Over the last three years prices have begun to slowly but surely, having increased by 1.55%, 2.9%, and 3.2% in 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively.
2019
So, you may be wondering what all this means for the prospect of buying property in the South of France in 2019?
The pattern we have witnessed over the last couple of decades means it’s highly likely that property prices have fallen as low as they’re likely to. When prices hit their lowest point and then begin to climb again, it’s what’s known in investment circles as a post-speculation phase. This means the question of whether house prices will rise or fall is more or less moot now, and those looking to buy in 2019 can be confident (relatively speaking, this is still property we’re talking about here) that their investment will increase in value, rather than the opposite.
This pattern is expected to continue for the next 12 – 18 months as the market gets stronger.
Low interest rates are also contributing to the renewed confidence in the market with average rates on outstanding loans falling from 2.77% in June 2017, to 2.29% in the same month of the following year.
In 2018, French GDP also rose to its highest level since 2011, and is expected to continue expanding in 2019.
France is also presently enjoying its lowest levels of unemployment in five years, which all means people are feeling more confident entering the housing market in 2019 than they have over the last few years.
Final Thoughts
Numbers rarely lie and it certainly seems that 2019 may be the perfect year to make serious roads into investing in French property. With buyer confidence high, the economy strengthening, and property prices on the up, acquiring a new home in the South of France has never looked so attractive.
Of course, the best way to access this great region of the world is with the assistance of a qualified and experienced South of France surveyor such as Charles Mackintosh. With over 30 years of experience there’s no better choice when it comes to buying French property.
Please get in touch for more information.