Buying a detached house or real estate, a dream that is less and less accessible for the French

For Damien Hereng, President of the French Federation of Individual Home Builders: “This finding is alarming. It reflects not only an increasingly selective real estate market but also a society where the gap is widening between aspirations and the ability to realize them. This survey highlights an urgency: that of rethinking our policies, our practices and our priorities to make property accessible to all. It is unacceptable that in a country like ours, the legitimate desire to have a roof over your head is relegated to the status of utopia for a growing part of the population. The individual house, a symbol of stability and personal accomplishment, must not become the privilege of a minority. The time for passive observations is over. Let's act together so that the individual house becomes again what it should be: a reality accessible to all, and not a symbol of exclusion. We have a challenge to take on, a mission to accomplish. Together, let's make individual home ownership a national priority. »

Key figures of the study:

• 80% of people would prefer to live in a detached house, even among apartment dwellers where 60% would prefer to live in a house.
• 59% of respondents consider real estate ownership to be an “investment”;
• 67% of French people would be ready to accept a land area equal to or less than 200m2;
• 77% of French people think that the prospect of becoming the owner of real estate is a source of motivation;
• 80% of respondents support the idea of ​​increased financial support from the State to facilitate access to real estate ownership;
• 75% of French people share the observation of a serious crisis, and believe that it is imperative that politicians become aware of it and act accordingly.

The overall perception of real estate ownership is positive, with 59% of respondents considering it as an "investment" (+8 pts in 2 years) and only 16% perceiving it as "debt". However, a slight erosion of this perception is observed this year, although the acquisition of property is still widely perceived as a form of security (50%) and personal accomplishment (37%).

Question: You personally associate real estate ownership above all with...? First? Secondly ?

Access to real estate ownership remains a primary objective for many French people, despite growing challenges. According to the results of this third part, 38% of French people consider it essential to own their own home. This aspiration is particularly pronounced among the wealthiest segments of the population, where 47% consider homeownership to be "essential", compared to only 19% among economically disadvantaged categories.

The attraction for access to real estate ownership remains strong in 2024, even if it appears increasingly difficult...

Question: For each of the following statements regarding real estate ownership, would you say you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree?

Question: For you personally, becoming the owner of real estate is (or was)…?

Question: And would you say that the prospect of becoming the owner of real estate is a source of professional motivation for people of working age (to find a permanent contract, obtain a promotion, earn more money, etc.)?

This study also reveals a growing concern about affordability. After the historic fall of 2023, only 20% of French people believe that it is easier today than 10 years ago to access property, while 74% think that it will soon be reserved for an elite . In response to this situation, 80% of respondents support the idea of ​​increased financial support from the State to facilitate access to real estate ownership.

Question: If you had the choice, would you prefer to live...?

Living in an individual house remains largely preferred to living in an apartment. More than 8 in 10 respondents (80%) say they would prefer to live in a detached house, and even among apartment dwellers, 60% would prefer to live in a house. This type of housing is particularly sought after by residents of rural areas (97% compared to 79% in urban areas in the provinces and 62% in the Paris metropolitan area), as well as by households with children and those comprising two or more people ( 96% of respondents with 3 or more children).

Question: In your opinion, living in an individual house above all allows you to...?

Among the perceived advantages of living in an individual house, the possibility of having a garden, of enjoying more peace and quiet, as well as the freedom linked to the absence of co-ownership are cited as the main attractions (mentioned respectively by 49%, 40% and 39% of respondents). Respondents also express an interest in larger spaces (25%) and living with family (20%).

Question: Construction professionals maintain that housing is experiencing a historic crisis. Do you personally consider that...?

75% of French people agree, at least in part, with building professionals on the observation of a “historic crisis” in housing and believe that it is imperative that politicians become aware of it and act accordingly. This perception is fueled by media and personal experiences, with 44% of respondents indicating they have heard of housing difficulties and 31% saying they know people facing housing problems.

Question: If you were to buy a house tomorrow, what would be the minimum garden area you would be willing to accept?

From this perspective, participants would (if possible) mainly prefer houses that are not attached to others. However, when it comes to land size, many would be willing to consider a reasonable size: 24% would be willing to consider a 50m2 garden and 43% a 200m2 garden.

Question: And still in the hypothesis of purchasing a house, would you be ready to buy an adjoining house (terraced or semi-detached)?

Finally, it seems that the idea of ​​buying an attached house is not as attractive for the French as one might think. In fact, only 66% of respondents say they are not ready to take the plunge.

Conclusion

The constancy of the attraction for the individual house among the French, despite market developments and the social challenges highlighted by this third wave of the FFC - IFOP barometer, testifies to a deep desire for anchoring and stability. However, this desire collides with an economic reality that jeopardizes the accessibility of property for many, revealing a divide between legitimate aspirations and real possibilities.

The study acutely underlines the need for a new political and economic impetus to make property more accessible and reaffirm the individual house as a symbol of success accessible to all. It is imperative to rethink our housing policies to meet the expectations of security, personal fulfillment and space that citizens associate with living in an individual home.

Faced with a perception of a historic crisis in the housing sector, and a growing feeling that property could become the privilege of an elite, the collective and resolute action of all actors - government, builders, financial institutions and civil society - is crucial. Together, we can and must redefine the model of access to property in France, so that it once again embodies a promise of social progress and well-being for all segments of the population.

Methodology

The survey was conducted among a sample of 1011 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and over. The representativeness of the sample was ensured by the quota method (sex, age, profession of the person interviewed) after stratification by region and category of agglomeration. The interviews were carried out by self-administered online questionnaire from February 6 to 7, 2024.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.