“We can attest to the fact that the pandemic provided a real boost for Aix’s property market.”
Aix-en-Provence, a market named desire…
Radia Amar - 08 September 2022
Nestling in the midst of Provence’s most beautiful scenery, Aix-en-Provence, a town of art and history benefiting from an exceptional architectural heritage, has succeeded in maintaining its human dimension while developing its activities and pursuing modernization.
Surrounded to the north and east by charming, peaceful communes, this highly-prized property market is characterized by rising prices and very scarce offerings. Boosted by economic and cultural appeal, the market in Aix - both intramuros and on the outskirts - seems to be chalking up ever higher prices, especially in the luxury and prestige sectors.
Not very surprising for this flagship town in Provence, synonymous with a charming address and a safe, long-term investment, even on its periphery. The attractiveness and very pleasant lifestyle offered by this historic town are widely recognized. In addition to the historic centre, a good number of neighbourhoods draw buyers with budgets exceeding 1 million euros. Ideally located 2 hours 40 minutes from Paris on the TGV, the age-old capital of Provence offers a market comprised of old and modern apartments, private mansions, and charming houses benefiting from gardens, both inside its walls and on surrounding communes.
says Guillaume Rey of the Actuel Immobilier agency founded in 1992 and based on the prestigious Cours Mirabeau. Specializing in prestigious properties, the agency selects houses and apartments meeting the demands of its premium clientele, as well as properties of charm on the most highly sought-after communes around Aix.
“With the arrival of teleworking after the successive lockdowns, our Parisian clients looking for new year-round homes grew in number, hoping that proceeds from the sale of their apartments in the capital would enable them to envisage a comfortable family residence in Aix-en-Provence. Demand proved to be so high that the market simply stalled.”
explains Guillaume Rey. The rarity of available properties thus caused prices to soar. Since 2019, the price of some homes has risen by up to 30 %. Under such circumstances, many sales are conducted off-market. Well-known agencies such as Actuel Immobilier blithely make use of their networks, built with professionalism over decades, to offer their clients high-quality properties.
“Today, you have to be highly proactive, as decisions are taken quickly, if not instantaneously.” As an example of a recent sale reflecting the market, and his property portfolio, Guillaume Rey mentions a transaction involving a prestigious apartment of 220 m² extended by 90 m² of terraces and benefiting from a 3-car garage. In the new, highly-prized neighbourhood of Les Allées Provençales, it sold for 2,490,000 € after just one visit.
