Old housing: prices rise
The house prices in France rose 8.48% in one year, between the first halves of 2009 and 2010, approaching the record before the 2008 crisis, according to Century 21, a leading network of real estate agencies .
"We are very concerned about the sharp rise in prices because of the risk of blocking sales volumes because we are at the upper limit of what buyers can pay," said Laurent Vimont, president of Century 21 (850 agencies), at a press conference.
The average price amounted to EUR 2,508 per m2 in the first half of 2010, an increase of 8.48% over the first six months of 2009, very close (-1.6%) the record first half 2008 before the housing crisis that followed the subprime U.S..
For the full year 2010, Century 21 provides for a price increase of 6% of existing housing compared to 2009.
In Paris, after a price hike of nearly 15% in one year, slightly more than 10% over the last six months, even beating the record with an average price of 7079 euros per m2, or 5.4 % increase over the first half of 2008.
This surge in prices in the capital, due to the demands of higher socio-professional and retired, does not affect sales volumes which recorded a 11.3% increase over one year.