News on Languedoc property values:

Creme-de-languedoc.com, Languedoc's property specialists, have generated the below report based on recently released property values figures from FNAIM - the French Estate Agency association. The report shows that property prices in Languedoc are still much lower than those in Provence, and, for the most part, rising far faster.

The study, released in July 2006, covered the price per square meter for houses in cities across France. The chart below shows the cities in the French regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence-Cote-d’Azure that were covered in the study. Languedoc’s cities are in green, Provence’s in purple. The cities are ordered most expensive at the top, cheapest at the bottom.

The chart shows that property values per square meter for Languedoc property is almost always cheaper. Arles is the exception, but interestingly, it is the closest Provençal city to Languedoc. Montpellier is most expensive city in Languedoc for property, with a square meter property value of €2,799. Limoux cheapest, probably because it is the city furthest from the sea.

The chart also shows annual growth in property values. Again, Languedoc out-performs Provence, with higher growth rates. Growth in Provence’s property value never makes it past the 10% mark, except again for Arles. Prices in Languedoc, however, are shooting through the roof.

Beziers tops the list with an amazing 38% growth in property value (the ugly duckling of Languedoc’s cities is finally blossoming, perhaps due to rumours that budget airlines are poised to fly to the city for the first time). Pretty Narbonne manages a growth rate of 17.2%. And booming Montpellier also edges above 10% property growth. Sète, near Montpellier, and Perpignan, also achieve healthy price rises.

An excellent investment opportunity

It would seem clear that Languedoc property is still an excellent investment, despite a recent slowing in property value growth for France as a whole. Property value increases for all of France peaked in the beginning of 2005 at around 13%, but have since fallen to around 9%. In Languedoc, on the other hand, property values are still at a relatively low base level and there is no shortage of supply. Add to that a healthy demand - and it becomes clear that Languedoc property is still an excellent investment opportunity.