Transaction volumes remain significantly below pre-rate hike levels, and the turnover of properties has slowed. To buy, sell, or invest in real estate in 2024, one must consider different parameters: fewer properties on the market, longer selling times, and a more selective approach to each case.
Property Turnover and Transaction Volume: A Market That Is Sustainably Narrower
On the ground, the first signal perceived by a buyer or investor is the scarcity of available properties in certain segments. After a marked drop in volumes in 2023-2024, the recovery that began in 2025 (around 11 to 12% increase in sales year-on-year according to several market analyses) does not bring the market back to its previous level.
A panel of 228 municipalities analyzed by vendrebien.com shows that almost all of these municipalities remain below their transaction levels of 2021. The previous pace is not returning. A property correctly priced finds a buyer, but others stagnate for a long time.
For those following real estate on Newsyoung, this data changes the way to approach a buying or investment project. One can no longer rely on a fluid market to correct a pricing or location error. Every decision carries more weight.
Interest Rates Stabilized Around 3%: Recalculating Borrowing Capacity
The sharp rise in rates between 2022 and 2023 excluded some buyers from the market. Today, interest rates are stabilizing around 3 to 3.2%. This plateau is neither a return to the favorable conditions of 2020 nor as drastic a brake as the peaks at the end of 2023.
Borrowing capacity has regained a few thousand euros compared to the low point. On a twenty-year loan, the difference between a rate of 4% and a rate of 3.2% represents a significant amount in total cost. For a real estate project, recalculating borrowing capacity with current rates is the first step before any visit.
What This Changes for a Buyer in 2024
The increase in purchasing power linked to the drop in rates does not always compensate for the rigidity of prices in certain tight areas like Paris or Lyon. It is observed that sellers adjust their prices more slowly than rates decrease.
Feedback varies on this point according to local markets, but in medium-sized cities, the correction of prices has been more pronounced, opening interesting buying windows for first-time buyers.
Energy Performance of Housing: The DPE as a Negotiation Lever
On the ground, energy-inefficient properties (classified F or G on the DPE) constitute a distinct segment. These properties remain on the market longer and suffer a discount compared to well-rated housing. For an investor, this is a concrete lever.
Buying an energy-inefficient property at a low price and then renovating allows for value creation, provided that the cost of renovations is precisely estimated before making an offer. The classic trap: underestimating the insulation of the attic or the replacement of the heating system, and ending up with a renovation budget that nullifies the discount obtained at purchase.
- Check the actual DPE of the property and not just the label displayed in the listing, as diagnostic errors exist.
- Request multiple energy renovation quotes before making an offer, to incorporate the actual cost into the profitability calculation.
- Inquire about current renovation aid (notably MaPrimeRénov’), as conditions change regularly.
Move-in-ready properties with good energy ratings sell faster and at better prices. The DPE has become a sorting criterion as crucial as location for a segment of buyers.
Property Selection and Location: Arbitrating Beyond Price per Square Meter
The reflex to compare only the price per square meter masks very different realities depending on the markets. In a context where volumes are low, the quality of the location and the condition of the property take precedence over the face value price.
A well-located apartment in a dynamic medium-sized city (stable employment basin, access to transport, shops) resells better than a cheaper property in a declining area. This is evident in selling times: well-positioned properties sell in a few weeks, while others remain for several months.
Operational Criteria for Filtering a Property
- Rental tension in the area: a tight rental market secures a rental investment in case of difficult resale.
- Proximity to public transport or major roads, which conditions rental demand and future valuation.
- Condition of the co-ownership for an apartment: the amount of charges and the works voted or to be planned directly impact profitability.
- Demographic evolution of the municipality over recent years, available on the INSEE website.
Rather than seeking the lowest price, it is beneficial to identify properties whose quality-location-condition ratio remains consistent with a multi-year holding strategy.
The real estate market of 2024 rewards rigor in selection and patience in execution. Buyers who take the time to verify each parameter, from the DPE to the financing plan and local dynamics, secure their investment much better than those who seek the right timing.
