According to the Italian Housing Market Survey of 1,560 real estate agents conducted between 10 January and 9 February 2022, the signs of upward pressure on house prices have strengthened further, both for the fourth quarter of 2021 and with respect to the expectations for the current quarter. The share of agents that sold at least one property in the fourth quarter rose, reaching the highest level recorded since the start of the survey in 2009. Assessments of demand conditions improved, while the decline in new sale listings worsened. The average time on market decreased slightly, whereas the average discount on asking prices remained constant. The outlook worsened slightly for the current quarter, both for agents' own markets and for the national market, but remains optimistic over a two-year horizon. There is still a common perception among agents that the overall impact of the pandemic will lead to an expansion in housing demand and a rise in prices, which is predicted to continue up to at least end-2022.
