Housing and the pandemic: a marked change in needs

Housing has become even more important in the last year now. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the containments that the country has gone through, the place of residence has become the place of daily life. A place where one works, telework obliges, but also where one remains confined, where one lives. For many, this period allows a questioning of the comfort of this accommodation. This situation encourages the French to project themselves on other goods, other cities. A need for extra comfort for a better quality of life. What will the new life of the French look like after the pandemic? What will be the impact on the real estate market in the metropolis?

Changing housing, a need that has become indispensable

The pandemic has brought about changes in the daily lives of households. An awareness that encourages to have new life projects. This change also translates into the search for a new home, for a much better quality of life. Indeed, many people have confined themselves to their apartment in the heart of the metropolises. But housing in the heart of big cities is often cramped, and confining itself to it for many weeks becomes complicated.

Also, at the end of this first containment, a year ago, the real estate market took a new turn. Demands for larger housing are exploding. 37% of French people are looking for a more spacious property, to approach the future with more serenity. The perfect opportunity to compartmentalizing the different moments of life. Because in a small apartment, it is not always possible to separate work and personal life.

Roofs houses neighborhood housing
Getting away from the metropolises allows you to have more space.

For city dwellers, having a garden is also a luxury, which is not offered to everyone. For this reason, 36% of customers in search want an outdoor space. An essential criterion that allows them to enjoy sunny days without having to travel outside their homes. It also allows you to work outside, when the weather allows. This need for greenery and sunshine directly echoes the first containment of spring 2020, which is particularly strict.

Thus, for a majority of future buyers, the sector in which they wish to find their future home is growing. 51% of them are not against moving away from their workplace, often located in the metropolis. On the contrary, moving to live on the outskirts of cities allows you to find goods with a larger space. The perfect opportunity to“go green.”

The impact of telecommuting on housing choice

Over the past year, a lot of things have changed. In particular, the relationship of the assets with their work. For many, the discovery of telework marked a turning point in habits. Being working from home, almost every day, changes your habits. When housing does not have office space, telecommuting becomes more difficult. By being isolated with loved ones, concentrating is not ideal, which puts many teleworkers off to continue this way of working once the pandemic is over.

However, the possibility of having an additional room in your next home is a determining factor. For 57% of future buyers, the presence of a room that can serve as an office is essential. In the South West,this concerns 67% of applications. It is a necessary comfort to telework in good conditions, after a year of adapting to the daily life.

VeFA housing construction plan
Buying a plan home is also a solution for a custom-made property.

Telework is not meant to disappear overnight. At present, the Government is calling more than ever on companies to use teleworkexclusively. This minimizes the spread of the virus. Faced with this, the French are not closed to remoteness. 21% therefore choose to look for accommodation that is more than an hour’s drive from their place of work.

Regarding telework itself, once the ideal accommodation has been found, there is no reluctance to pursue it. On the contrary: 25% want to continue telecommuting at a rate of 3 to 5 days per week. 25% wish to pursue it moderately, at a rate of 1 to 2 days per week. These data vary by region of France. Indeed, in the Paris region, 45% want to continue telework in a strong way,choosing to move far from the capital.

Containment with such economic consequences

For others, however, telework was not possible. Indeed, some activities are not feasible through computer tools. Thus, the partial activity continues over a long period of time… And has economic impacts on the lives of French households. Partial activity, such as business closures, also has an impact on housing. In the absence of a salary, some households cannot lead the same lifestyle as before the pandemic. For 32% of French people, finding cheaper housing is a priority.

For real estate agents, the market has never been more dynamic. With all the green lights to invest, as well as the emergence of new real estate programs, a new market is created. We have to adapt to the needs, the expectations, and rethink the offer. The rental is not left out, with a dynamic there also proven.

Sources:

  1. Real estate: 1 year after the establishment of a general containment, are the French ready to move away from their workplace to gain quality of life? Liberkeys March 24, 2021 release
  2. Confinement: houses more popular than apartments Liberkeys
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