In the Gard, real estate is not experiencing the crisis

1. Rising volumes and prices

For old houses (more than 5 years old) and apartments of the same type, the sales volume, in one year, is up compared to 2020, when, in ten months, because of confinement, the notaries had carried out figures as substantial as in 2019, which was already a year of growth. For houses, the volume increased by 12% and the price by 5%. On average (see the disparities below), for a house with four rooms in a plot of less than 600 m², it takes € 210,000. In terms of price, the Gard is below the national average (6.5%). For apartments, the increase is even stronger in volume ( 17.8%), with a high proportion of two rooms (31%) and four or more rooms (20%). Prices have increased by 10.9%. This is almost five points above the national average (6.1%). Paradoxically, mainly due to a lack of real estate programs, new buildings show a decrease of 2.7%.

2. Great disparities

Behind these figures hide great disparities. Le Grau-du-Roi, Uzès and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon constitute the top three of the most expensive cities: respectively 350,000 € ( 16%) for a house and 3,920 € per m² ( 5.8%) for an apartment in the seaside resort; € 360,500 ( 19%) and € 2,630 per m² ( 16.7%) at the gates of Vaucluse, € 310,700 ( 14.6%) and € 2,670 per m² (-2.7%) at foot of the Duchy! However, we are far from the € 10,000 per m² in Paris. Conversely, a m² is cheaper by almost € 3,000 in Pont-Saint-Esprit (€ 930, – 2.8%) than in Grau-du-Roi. And the median price of a house in the second city of Gard Rhone is € 155,000 (-3.1%); even lower at Vigan (€ 150,300). Pont-Saint-Esprit is also the only city in the Gard where prices are falling on both counts. Note also a drop of 9.8% in the median sale price of a house in Vauvert. Nîmes, for its part, is in eighth place in the ranking of the average price of houses (230,000 €). It is fourth for the price per m² (€ 1,850) for apartments which are however cheaper on Route de Beaucaire (€ 1,390 per m²) than in the city center (€ 2,070) and along the Cadereau. (€ 2,250). The Gard prefecture concentrates 38% of sales on this market.

3. The reasons for this good health

When it comes to explaining this dynamic in the Gard, the notaries put forward several reasons. First, the drop in interest rates. Between the Hérault and the Paca region, where prices are significantly higher, the Gard and its gentle way of life remain, in this part of the south of France, a financially attractive department.

“The oppressed of the Covid, who were in pain during confinement, also had desires elsewhere”, underlines Pierre Devine who refers in particular to buyers from large metropolises like Paris and Lyon. “Some , he adds, have changed their lives. Others, settle down with their families permanently here, telework and take advantage of the TGV which puts them only three hours from the capital to make only short stays. “ In the first half of 2021, 39% of goods were acquired by people not residing in the Gard against 31% in 2018. They most often come with a strong purchasing power. “Properties that could not find takers were sold without any negotiation on the price. This clientele brings the sector back to life”, adds the former president of the chamber of notaries du Gard.

4. The price of land falling

Would buyers be reluctant to new? Still, the sale price of building land is down 3.3% compared to 2020. It is estimated at € 77,000. This is the strongest development recorded on the market since 2014. The distribution of sales remains dominated by plots of less than 600 m².