Aix-en-Provence : homes of quality

Benefiting from a lively cultural scene and asserting itself as a first-rate tourist destination, Aix and its lively property market continue to see steady demand.

Georges Haussmann agencies, subsidiaries of the SYNEO group specializing in prestige real estate, are active in France and abroad, offering their clients a full array of services : rental management, sales, co-ownership stewardship and patrimonial investment. Isabelle Mouriès joined the group in 2019, backed by 12 years of experience as sales manager in the vineyard sector, which led her to exceptional and prestige real estate. “We operate on the island of Mauritius, in Megève, Marseille, Paris and Aix-en-Provence. On the market in Aix, there is strong demand for houses in the town centre : as soon as a property comes up for sale, it finds a taker at prices ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 € per sq.m in prized neighbourhoods such as Mazarin and the Allées Provençales.” Town houses a few minutes’ walk to Cours Mirabeau fetch around 1.5 mlllion euros on average. “When the lockdown ended, we received many enquiries from Parisian buyers who, thanks to teleworking, now envisage moving to the south of France, to Marseille or Aix. This new way of working from home has also led to office premises which are no longer being used arriving on the market. In addition to the healthcare crisis, events which have hit the headlines over the past few years have increasingly incited city-dwellers to live outside urban centres, in quiet areas closer to nature.” A real trend that is being confirmed.

Under the direction of Ivan Cano, LC Gestion focuses on sales, property administration and rental management with unpaid rent insurance, mainly in Puyricard and on neighbouring communes : Éguilles, Venelles, Rognes and Aix-en-Provence. “Villas account for the core of demand, especially those on offer between 500,000 and 800,000 €, for surface areas of 110 to 160 m2, detached or semi-detached, on an estate or not, ideally offering immediate proximity to shops and bus routes taking their owners to a town.” The current crisis has not had any noteworthy impact : demand continues to outstrip supply, and prices have not been affected. “The future will tell whether the market has resisted the crisis in a sustainable way, but today, sales are going through under normal conditions. That being said, I am seeing higher demand for villas with gardens.” Meeting this demand, the development of La Rostolane – recently completed in the centre of Puyricard - is highly prized : buyers benefit from plots of land of up to 1,000 m2, recent constructions, closeness to the village, and direct access to public

transport.