Real estate: How do the French view housing?

With its “Living yesterday, today and tomorrow” barometer, Qualitel offers both to revisit the memories of the French but also to invite them to imagine the future of their homes. So, what have been the major developments over the last 50 years? What improvements have marked them? What do they regret? How do they plan for the years to come? Are there marked differences in perception between generations?

What are the developments that have marked the French in their homes?

Housing has logically evolved a lot in 50 years and certain equipment which seems obvious to us today is actually quite recent.

Thus, only 51% of those aged 65 and over have had a shower in their childhood home compared to 74% of those aged 25-34, 13% of those aged 65 and over have had a dishwasher compared to 63% of those aged 65 and over. 25-34 years old or even only 6% of those aged 65 and over have had an intercom or digital code compared to 34% of 25-34 year olds.

Among the childhood housing amenities that the French still appreciate having, double-glazed windows are cited at 88%, window shutters come in second place with 87% of votes and having a shower ranks in third position with 85% of the votes.

Conversely, certain equipment that was present during the respondents' childhood tends to disappear to their great regret:

• 44% no longer have a concierge and 40% regret it.

• 36% no longer have a cellar and almost 50% regret it.

• 22% no longer have cupboards or integrated storage areas in the bedrooms or living room and 70% regret it.

For the French, the 3 biggest housing improvements over the past 50 years are:

• Double glazing at 56%.

• Thermal insulation of housing at 50%.

• Acoustic insulation of housing at 45%.

What relationship do the French have with their housing?

The French consider the place where they live to be the pillar of their well-being.

80% consider it “a real cocoon” and 79% believe that it is “important to feel good at home, even if it means spending on your leisure or vacation budget”.

Not feeling cramped is a key element since 41% of both tenants and owners say that if they had to move it would be for larger accommodation.

Another notable lesson from the Qualitel barometer: access to property remains a major objective since 82% of French people between 25 and 49 years old consider it important to be or become the owner of their main residence, even though 44% of this group age is a tenant.

96% of this wish is motivated by a financial reason such as no longer paying rent or feeling financially secure.

Despite their strong interest in this issue, the youngest are however pessimistic regarding accession to property since among tenants aged 18 to 24, 40% think that they will not have the means to own their home main.

Also read // These 4 things you need to know to take out your first real estate loan

Seniors: how to easily adapt your accommodation?

Energy renovation: what are the obligations of co-owners?

How do the French see the housing of tomorrow?

Overall, French people of all generations share the broad outlines of the future they imagine for housing: intelligent housing thanks to the widespread use of home automation, integrating an important environmental dimension via eco-responsible housing, bioclimatic architecture or even self-sufficient housing in water and electricity.

On the other hand, the youngest are more aware of future climate impacts which could directly impact their way of housing:

• 58% of 18-24 year olds expect to have to carry out major energy renovations in their home, compared to 38% of those aged 50 and over.

• 62% of 18-24 year olds think they will have to carry out work to make their home more resistant to climatic hazards such as rising water levels or heatwaves, compared to 32% of those aged 50 and over.

• 42% of 18-24 year olds even think that they will one day have to move because of global warming, compared to only 12% of those aged 50 and over.

Good to know: 66% of 18-24 year olds think that they will have to choose accommodation in which they can work, compared to 50% of 25-49 year olds and 16% of those aged 50 and over, proof that the way of considering the work changes profoundly over the generations.

Young people and their elders agree on a rather pessimistic vision of the future since 78% of 25-34 year olds and 70% of 65 year olds and over think that the quality of life of future generations in their housing will not be better than the them at the same age.

Concerning home ownership, 74% of French people think that future generations will always dream of a house with a garden but 55% believe that this will be inaccessible to them.

58% even think that in general, in the future young people will not have the means to own property, with a peak of 65% for the 25-34 age group.

How do seniors see their future at home?

Concerning seniors over 65, staying at home is a major issue.

67% of them plan to stay in their current home to age, of whom 50% say they do not need to carry out any development work.

Living in unsuitable housing is a major obstacle to staying at home since 49% of over 65s believe that their current housing is not or will never be suitable for elderly people or people with reduced mobility and think that they will have to change it.

This unsuitability of housing and the impossibility of carrying out the necessary work seems directly linked to their date of construction since 72% of seniors living in housing built between 1900 and 1944 share this observation, compared to 27% of seniors living in a housing built after 2014.

What are the amenities preferred by seniors to age comfortably in their homes?

• In a house, 31% cite the installation of a bedroom and a bathroom on the ground floor, 26% the installation of grab bars in the bathroom and toilets and 26% the installation of access ramps for entrances.

• In apartments, priority is given at 39% to the installation of an elevator or a stair lift, at 33% to the installation of grab bars in the bathroom and toilets and at 30% at replacing a bathtub with a shower.

Finally, 36% of those aged 65 and over who wish to change accommodation to age would consider taking the opportunity to change region. On the podium of their favorite regions, Occitanie wins the prize with 18% of votes, followed by Brittany with 16% of voters. The Pays de la Loire and the PACA region arrive tied for third place on the podium with 14% of the votes.

(1) “Living yesterday, today and tomorrow”, Qualitel 2024 Barometer, October 2024.