According to the Italian Housing Market Survey of 1,343 real estate agents carried out between 10 January and 7 February 2020, in the fourth quarter of 2019 the share of agents reporting a fall in house prices declined. The average discount on the initial asking prices also fell, but selling times, which continue to be longer in non-urban areas, were virtually unchanged. The share of real estate agents that sold at least one property in the quarter rose, and the negative balance between agents signalling an increase in new listings and those signalling a decrease narrowed.
The gap between asking prices and offers remains the principal cause of the cancellation of listings. The share of house purchases financed with a mortgage loan declined further and the loan-to-value ratio is still high. Real estate agents' expectations improved regarding both their own situation and, in the medium term especially, the domestic market.
