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– In Nantes, prices of old apartments fell by 0.6% in December and by 6% over the year 2024.
If you are considering an acquisition project for spring, traditionally the most favorable season for real estate purchases, know that the bulk of the price drop already seems to be behind us. After falling 6% between the start of 2022 and the start of 2024, alongside the quadrupling of mortgage rates, prices of old housing stagnated last yearcompared to 2023, according to data from SeLoger/MeilleursAgents. To be precise, they even increased, very slightly, by 0.4%. An average which covers an increase of 2.1% in rural areas and a slight decrease, of 0.7%, in the 50 largest cities in France. “After a marked drop of 4% in 2023, prices fell moderately, by -0.8% on a national average. They have stabilized since February after experiencing their biggest decline in 15 years”observes for its part the National Real Estate Federation (Fnaim).
For the month of December alone, there are now 27 large cities, or more than half of this “top 50”, which are showing rising prices compared to November. As for cities where prices are still falling, it is often a question of symbolic folds. Starting with the capital, where the average price per square meter decreased by 0.1% in December, compared to November, and by only 0.4% over the whole of 2024. So much so that Thomas Lefebvre , vice-president of SeLoger/MeilleursAgents in charge of data, “would not be surprised if in Paris, prices started to rise again before other major cities” from France.
Still potential for price reductions in Lyon and Nantes
In the capital, even with mortgage rates still above 3% at the start of January, “the situation is more favorable today for buyers than it was five years ago, even though they could borrow at 1%”assures Thomas Lefebvre. In support of his reasoning, the 15% plunge in prices in Paris since 2020at 9,355 euros per square meter on average as of January 1, 2025, compared to 11,000 euros five years ago, coupled with the increase in household income.
Other large metropolises, where prices had also soared before the health crisis, such as Lyon and Nantes, on the other hand retain the potential for a decline in the coming months because, at 4,362 euros and 3,302 euros per square meter, respectively, the Prices have not fallen sufficiently to restore significant real estate purchasing power to households. Purchasing power that has increased by 5 square meters on average in France over the last 12 months, thanks to the fall in prices and credit rates. Households have thus recovered almost half of the 11 square meters of real estate purchasing power lost due to the surge in rates between the start of 2022 and the start of 2024.
Real estate loan: good news, rates are falling again, one bank is even offering less than 3%
A 2% increase in property prices in 2025?
On the other hand, prices should continue to increase in this other large city of Marseille, argues Thomas Lefebvre. Despite an increase of almost 4% in 2024, the average price per square meter does not exceed 3,621 euros in the Marseille city. This is precisely their side.cheap» which explains why certain cities have already seen their prices start to rise. In Amiens and Besançon, where prices increased by 9.4% and 5% respectively last year, “it remained interesting to buy even with credit rates of more than 4% because the square meter is not very expensive”for less than 3,000 euros, explains Thomas Lefebvre.
For the whole of France, he is counting on a 2% increase in prices by the end of 2025under the effect of a rebound in real estate transactions from the spring: “the market is suspended on the direction of credit rates. Now it is not stupid to think that we will be able to borrow at 3% by next summer, if we rely on the latest announcements from the European Central Bankwhich should continue to revise its key rates downwards over the coming months.”
