Property prices rising in France but buyers still negotiating

Property prices in France increased overall in France in February this year, although less so than in January, with property experts saying the month marked “a return to stability” in the market.

New figures from the latest barometer from estate agents SeLoger-Meilleurs Agents show that February 2025:

• Saw more stability in prices in comparison to January (when prices rose everywhere)

• Saw Paris and the top 50 cities achieve a slight increase in prices, of 0.2% and 0.1% respectively.

The market is “doing better” now in comparison to the same time last year, the study reports.

Prices in major cities stable

Focusing on specific cities in February 2025, and price changes by percentage:

• Only five major cities saw their prices fall, compared with 10 last year

• Prices in Rennes, Bordeaux and Nantes fell slightly, by 0.4%, 0.5% and 0.7% respectively

• Prices in Montpellier, Strasbourg, Lyon and Toulouse increased, by 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.5% and 0.4% respectively

• Prices in Lyon have been stable since September 2024, with a monthly average rise of 0.6% over the last three months, recovering from prices that fell by 18% between June 2022 and September 2024

• In Montpellier, prices have also risen continuously, with an average of 0.5% per month since May 2024

• Nice, Lille, and Marseille, have seen a near flat market, at +0.1%, -0.1%, and -0.3% respectively

Slight price increases in some cities

When it comes to average prices in absolute terms, prices as of March 1 were:

• Paris: €9,380 per m2 (up 0.2% compared to February 2024)

• Nice: €5,139 per m2 (up 0.1%)

• Lyon: €4,416 per m2 (up 0.5%)

• Toulouse: €3,488 per m2 (up 0.4%)

• Montpellier: €3,394 per m2 (up 0.6%)

• Strasbourg: €3,759 per m2 (up 0.6%)

Price decreases in other cities

Some cities have seen a slight price decrease. When it comes to average prices in absolute terms, prices as of March 1 were:

• Bordeaux: €4,380 per m2 (down 0.5% compared to February 2024)

• Rennes: €3,785 per m2 (down 0.4%)

• Marseille: €3,602 per m2 (down 0.3%)

• Lille: €3,309 per m2 (up 0.2%)

• Nantes: €3,279 per m2 (down 0.7%) 

Time to find a property buyer

It comes as the same report showed that the average time to find and finalise a property buyer in France is on the rise in most cities. 

The report showed that it took 83 days on average to sell a property in France as of February 2025, but major disparities exist between different areas. 

Sales in Nantes took 94 days, Toulouse 67. The national average is now 11 days longer than the figure seen for the same month last year, reaching just under three months.

Read also: See how long it takes to sell a property in France by area in 2025
Read more: How long does it take to sell a property in France in 2024?

Prices being negotiated

The report also shows that most buyers are still negotiating hard on property prices, with 77% of properties in France sold after negotiation. This figure has increased from 66% at the end of 2020, suggesting that it is currently more of a ‘buyer’s market’.

However, the trend may not be set to last; negotiation rates have stopped increasing nationwide overall, and have even decreased in Paris, the report shows.

In February 2025, negotiation rates:

• Increased by 3% in the top 50 cities (in contrast to a 6% rise in 2023)

• Increased by 1% in the top 10 cities (5% in 2023)

• Decreased by 6% in Paris (9% increase in 2023)

Nationwide, negotiation rates decreased by 1% in France (in comparison to a rise of 7% in 2023).

Negotiation figures from February showed that the rate is lowest in Paris, with buyers only managing to negotiate an average of 3.1% off the asking price, compared with 3.6% in 2024. 

Similarly, however, the average percentage drop accepted by sellers is decreasing throughout France (4.4% on average compared with 5.2% in January 2024).