The statistics prove it: the French have a strong interest in second homes and, if they do not yet own a second property, they often consider taking the plunge. As the Mercure group explains in a press release, 40% of French people would like to join the closed club of 13% of owners of a second home.
Over ten years, the second home market has increased by 12% while the health crisis has had a significant impact on the sector with an increase of almost 7% in 2021. Rather located by the sea before the Covid-19 crisis 19, second homes are now located in rural areas, which are experiencing a resurgence of interest. The democratization of teleworking is no stranger to this when we see that a large majority of teleworkers – at least 6 out of 10 – confide in their desire for greenery and space.
Faced with the new way of life of the French, the location of second homes is therefore changing accordingly with particular care given to their accessibility. Proximity to a TGV station or a motorway therefore becomes an obvious advantage for goods, as do reduced travel times from major cities. With a system of round trips ranging from once to twice a week, owners now have every reason to prefer the countryside to the stress of urban environments.
In its press release, the Mercure group reveals that it is the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is experiencing an 8% increase in second home acquisitions while the Drôme Provençale is also attracting more and more buyers. Attractive landscapes, family surroundings, proximity to major cities… These regions list the qualities required in the eyes of owners. In Picardy, the Baie de Somme is also popular with city dwellers, who appreciate its calm and the wealth of its activities.
The profile of buyers is gradually changing. While two out of three second homes are still owned by households aged 60 or over, the average age continues to fall. With the introduction of teleworking, buyers are now active people aged 35 to 50 in search of tranquility. According to Le Parisien, the current inflation could however have an effect on the sector in view of the reduction in the number of properties put up for sale and the rise in interest rates. We will therefore have to be attentive to the market in the coming months and to the responses proposed by professionals in the face of the lack of offers, but also the tightening of the conditions for access to credit. In the daily, the real estate loan broker Pretto indeed notes a “general lull in the demand for loans on second homes after the frenzy of 2021”.
