According to the Italian Housing Market Survey of 1,425 real estate agents conducted between 27 September and 22 October 2021, the signs of upward pressure on house prices have strengthened; for the first time since the start of the survey in 2009, the share of agents reporting an increase in prices in the reference quarter compared with the previous one has become larger, though only slightly so, than the share of those indicating a decrease, and expectations of an increase in prices in the current quarter have surpassed those of a decrease. However, the improvement in the assessments of demand conditions, underway since the beginning of the year, came to a halt and the average discount on sellers' initial asking prices started to increase again, albeit slightly. Agents' expectations for the current quarter improved, regarding both their own reference market as well as developments in the national market. Just over one third of agents believe that the introduction of the 'superbonus 110%' had a positive influence on potential buyers' demand over the last year, the effect being greater for independent homes. Agents' perceptions that the pandemic will lead to an increase in overall housing demand have solidified, with the impact predicted to last up to at least mid-2022.
