Nexity sees 12% drop in new home bookings as it adapts to the absence of individual investors

At the end of September, the French group had received 7.106 reservations, including 3.441 homes purchased by individuals.

Sales to individuals fell by 14% compared to the first nine months of 2024, weighed down by the 40% drop in orders from individual investors, a development largely expected by the company "due in particular to the end of the Pinel scheme at the end of 2024," the press release states.

However, home reservations by prospective owner-occupiers increased by 26% year-on-year, to 1.994 sales. The increase was particularly marked among households buying their first home (+31%, to 1.749).

"Quarter after quarter, we are improving our commercial performance," said Jean-Claude Bassien, Deputy CEO of Nexity, during a conference with journalists.

The crisis in new real estate since 2023 has led the company to cut its workforce, its structure and its offering to adapt.

"The market is undergoing profound change," with a decline of more than 40% in housing sales volumes and the collapse of rental investment by individuals. "First-time buyers and institutional investors, especially social landlords, remain," explained Jean-Claude Bassien, welcoming the fact that Nexity is "accelerating in these two strong segments."

The group is nevertheless "pushing" for the creation of a private landlord status, which is the subject of discussions as part of the State's draft budget for 2026, and wants "a depreciation rate that will allow for a satisfactory reduction in the landlord's effort rate," Mr. Bassien explained.

According to the developer's calculations, "in 2019, with low rates and the Pinel scheme, an investor had an average savings effort of around 50 euros per month, today it's more than 600 euros, it's completely penalizing," argued Pierre-Henry Pouchelon, deputy general manager in charge of finance.

Icade, the real estate subsidiary of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, has also suffered from the decline in rental investment since the start of the year (-43% compared to the first nine months of 2024).

At the end of September, Icade recorded 1.285 housing reservations by individuals, 11% less than in the same period of 2024, a decrease offset by an equivalent increase in reservations made by institutional investors (1.530 housing units).

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.