the 5 good news in 2025

It’s a story that had a lot going on. For almost three years, obstacles between the French and real estate have accumulated. Fortunately, the transition to the new year brings with it many reasons for hope. Here are five reasons to think that 2025 will finally be positive for borrowers.

Borrowing rates noted on 01/10/2025

1/ The political climate has not deteriorated the situation

This was a fear of many observers: that the political instability into which France plunged this summer would deal a final blow to real estate. Fortunately, this hypothesis was not verified.

On the other hand, the level of French debt remains a challenge for individuals in the medium term. Questioned by Les Échos this week, Pierre de Buhren, the general director of the Empruntis Group, recalled that “the French will not be able to sustainably borrow less expensively than the French State”.

2/ Rates are trending downward

Without real estate credit, the market loses its driving force: the borrowers. However, when rates increase, the cost of the loan becomes higher, which reduces the purchasing capacity of households, or even excludes some from access to financing.

The good news is that since September, this sticking point seems to be dissipating. Today, our barometer shows an average rate of 3.45% over 20 years and 3.50% over 25 years. Twelve months ago, these same indicators were 4.20% and 4.35% respectively.

3/ Banks are proactive

Another encouraging point in terms of access to credit: establishments are inclined to support as many projects as possible. Still in the columns of Les Échos, Nassima Khiari, head of banking relations for the Empruntis Group, describes banks today “particularly receptive to loan requests, multiplying attractive offers to attract new customers”.

4/ The fall in prices slows down

Even if lower prices have a positive impact on purchasing capacities, a strongly downward trend quickly turns into a repellent for potential buyers. The latter may therefore fear a rapid decrease in the value of the property, which helps to slow down the number of transactions.

The latest figures from the LPI – iad barometer showed that, from this point of view, things also seemed to be getting back to normal. Nationally, the fall in prices for old properties has been divided by three since the spring. Year-on-year, this went from -4.5% in May to -1.6% in November.

5/ Inflation stabilizes

In its latest figures, INSEE indicates that the annual change in the consumer price index was 1.3% in December. This reached 3.7% two years ago. In other words: the inflationary peak seems well and truly behind us.

Lower inflation is indirectly positive for borrowers. It influences the level of the European Central Bank’s key rates, which themselves then determine the cost of money for the banks. At the end of the chain, it is the interest rates for loans distributed to individuals which can be improved.