Real estate, a safe haven for 67% of French people, but today inaccessible for a majority of them according to a study

This study, conducted with the YouGov Institute, highlights the priorities and expectations of the French in the face of a rapidly evolving market, marked by economic, ecological and geographical challenges.

The key numbers :

• 67% of French people consider real estate as a safe haven
• 68% place the budget at the heart of their decision
• 61% support lowering interest rates

Real estate, a safe bet that appeals differently depending on the profile

67% of French people consider real estate investment to be a good idea in the current economic climate, but only 25% are actually considering a purchase in the coming months. This trend is driven by the 25-44 age group, with particularly strong interest among 25-34 year-olds, 34% of whom are currently renting (compared to the national average of 24%).

Furthermore, owners who have already repaid their loans are more interested in new properties, while those who are still repaying are turning to old ones.

The typical profile of the potential buyer is clearly emerging: a man, between 25 and 44 years old, high-income, in a couple with children. He or she prefers to purchase an existing primary residence.

68% of French people place the budget at the heart of their decision

Price remains the determining factor for 68% of French men and women when choosing a home, a figure even higher among owners with an existing loan (mainly CSP+ aged between 35 and 54).

Location comes in second place with 53% of respondents, particularly among active CSP+ and in cities with over 100.000 inhabitants. Less privileged socio-professional categories are more sensitive to the size of the property (40% compared to 35% on average).

Notably, energy and ecological performance only rank third among the selection criteria, with a greater sensitivity among those over 55 (44% compared to 36% on average). Young people aged 25-34 are particularly sensitive to sustainable water management (25% compared to 20% on average).

61% of French people support lower interest rates

To facilitate access to property, lowering interest rates appears to be the most effective measure in the eyes of 61% of French men and women, a figure which rises to 66% among those over 55 and those in higher socio-professional categories.

Tax incentives, although considered less essential (34%), resonate more with owners who have already repaid their loan or who have never had one.

Couples, for their part, are particularly sensitive to the conditions of access to credit or to advantageous taxation (41% vs. 37% at the national level). On the other hand, young people, mainly between 18 and 24 years old, are less receptive to financial measures - due to ignorance or lack of interest?

For Nadir Benabed, General Manager of Catella Residential: "In 2025, real estate will remain a safe haven for the majority of French people, but access to property remains a challenge. The study shows that lowering credit rates is the most effective measure, supporting the expansion of the Zero-Interest Loan (PTZ). However, excessively high real estate taxation is hampering rental investment, particularly in unfurnished rentals. It is necessary to rethink the tax status of private landlords and reduce taxation on property income by introducing a flat-rate levy, for example. Furthermore, more than a third of French people now place increasing importance on energy and environmental performance in their real estate decisions."

A regional problem: the lack of supply in Île-de-France

The study highlights a specific issue in the Paris region, where 23% of respondents (compared to 19% nationally) point to a lack of housing supply. This shortage, linked to strong demand and high prices, could explain the strong interest of residents of the Île-de-France region in purchasing second homes, often seen as an alternative to a difficult-to-access market.

For Alexandre Chambault, Sales Director at Catella Residential: "With nearly a quarter of respondents highlighting a lack of availability in the Paris region, the Paris region's real estate market appears particularly tight, especially in a region with a concentrated working population of 25-34 year-olds experiencing a boom in property acquisitions. The market difficulties we have encountered for nearly two years have also slowed down the marketing of properties, notably through the block sale of many projects. This exacerbates the phenomenon of scarcity of supply. Combined with falling interest rates, these factors are contributing to the recovery we have been seeing since October 2."

Methodology :

The survey was conducted by YouGov on 1003 people representative of the French national population aged 18 and over, in terms of age, gender, region, and socio-professional category. The survey was conducted online, on the proprietary YouGov France panel, from February 27 to 28, 2025.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.