Housing, a Daily Concern and Electoral Issue

Housing is not just an address. It is also a budget, a comfort of life and, for many, a project that is moving away. First, housing is a major concern for two thirds of French people, according to this Ipsos BVA survey for Le Figaro real estate and franceinfo published on October 29.

Nearly 8 out of 10 French people indicate that housing is an increasing part of their budget. A burden difficult to bear for 1 in 2 French people. Financial pressure translates into giving up.

Nearly 4 in 10 French people have already had to reduce essential expenses (food, health, heating, etc.) to pay for their housing. Also read Real estate: obstacles and tensions on the rental market Difficulties in finding housing Access to housing is considered increasingly difficult.

There is a shortage of rentals in large cities, a lack of housing, especially for students. With property prices remaining high, inflation, rising interest rates and tightening credit conditions, many renters (especially younger ones) are postponing or abandoning the idea of ​​becoming a homeowner. Meanwhile, ownership is associated with a form of security.

At 45%, it is considered protection for the future, for retirement or in the event of a hard blow. On the other hand, the notion of added value, of purchasing a good to then resell it for a much higher price, only received 8% of responses. There is a return to basics, having a roof over your head and for those under 35, it also means not depending on a landlord.

The main selection criteria The question of price comes first, ahead of the location and general condition of the property. Comfort of life also counts: a well-insulated house or apartment, easy to heat in winter and cool in summer, is becoming an increasingly sought-after criterion. And then, faced with the lack of housing, before building new programs, a majority of those questioned consider that it is more important to make do with what already exists.

Renovate, rehabilitate the existing park. Transform former vacant offices into housing as soon as possible. Put an end to the waste of unused square meters.

Also read Real estate: How to accelerate the transformation of vacant offices into housing? The presidential election in the crosshairsFinally, will housing weigh in the 2027 presidential election? 43% of French people say so, and 57% of those under 35 say that housing will influence their choice when voting in the presidential election.

Among the political markers, extending rent control to the entire territory but also reducing taxation for landlords, garner a large majority of support at more than 80% for the two proposals. This shows that wanting to protect a tenant against abusive rents, just like encouraging an owner to find an interest in renting, is not incompatible. Also read Rent control: how our European neighbors are trying to curb the rise in prices We can demonstrate common sense and confidence in rental relationships.

Machine-translated from French