FFB Reports Third Consecutive Year of Construction Decline Despite Signs of Housing Recovery
- brg_news_room
- Sep 15
- 1 min read
FRANCE: FFB estimates at the start of September point to a third consecutive year of decline in construction activity, with volumes expected to contract by -3.4%. Since the end of 2022, the sector’s cumulative decline would reach -9.5%. “As anticipated at the end of March, new housing is beginning to recover,” noted Olivier Salleron. “This is not yet reflected in activity levels, which continue to show weakness, with new projects in 2024 projected to fall by -5.7% in volume terms for the year 2025. However, housing starts and permits rose by 9.3% and 16.2% year-on-year, respectively, in the seven months to the end of July 2025.”
These improvements are evident across both single-family and multi-family segments, leading the FFB president to project around 300,000 housing starts by year-end—an increase of 20,000 compared to 2024, though still among the lowest levels recorded since the early 1990s. Meanwhile, sales of single-family homes remain robust, up 39.1% over the same period, buoyed in part by the extension of the PTZ (Prêt à Taux Zéro). In contrast, property development is under greater strain, with sales falling -12.5% year-on-year over two quarters ending June 2025.
Source: FFB
