Study shows price ups and downs

A NOTAIRES’ study of recent changes in house prices has revealed wide variations across France, even within departments.

The breakdown, published by Notaires de France in partnership with L’Express showed that prices, whether for old or new flats (by average price per square metre), or for houses (by average price), fluctuated over a year, in some cases by double figures up or down.

The study, which covers the period October 2011 to September 2012, found, for example, that older apartments rose by 15.4% at Fernay-Voltaire in the Ain, but down -4.3% in nearby Oyonnax. Other hot spots included Beaume in the Côte d’Or, up 16.8% or Albi, Tarn (10.8), while areas that fared poorly included Beauvais, Oise (-13.9%) or Uvernet-Fours in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (-10.4%).

In new flats, price rises ranged from 23.8% in Pornichet, Loire-Atlantique, 19.6% in Teich, Gironde or 19.7 in Strasbourg, Bas-Rhin to drops of -16.6% in Villeneuve d’Ascq, Nord or -15.2 in Grabels, Hérault.

House sales saw increases of 11.1% or 11.3% in Antibes and Mougins on the Côte d’Azur, but a drop of -9.9% in neighbouring Cannes. The largest drop was at Vaux-sur-Mer in the Charente-Maritime (-19.3%) while strong performers included Aniche, Nord (15.8%) and Teste-de-Buche, Gironde (15.2%).

Among other findings in the three categories (old flats, new flats and houses), were: Nice, Alpes-Maritimes (+3.3%/-3.2%/+0.4%); Vallauris, Alpes-Maritimes (+5.8%/+8.3%/+6.1%); Carcassonne, Aude (+5.1%/not given/-13.3%); Caen, Calvados (-0.8%/-8.6%/+0.5%); La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime (+3%/not given/+13.6%); Quimper, Finistère (+3.9%/not given/+1.4%); Nîmes, Gard (-4.9%/not given/+1.4%); Bordeaux, Gironde (+5.9%/+5.4%/+8.6%); Béziers, Hérault (+2.2%/+5.5%/-3.9%); Saint-Malò, Ile-et-Vilaine (+8.3%/-2.6%/+4.3%) and Lorient, Morbihan (+0.1%/not given/-4.3%).

Check your town at: House price list

Photo:© khz - Fotolia.com