After a period of post-Covid overheating marked by rate historically low and record sales volumes, the market suffered a sudden halt in 2023 following the rapid rise in interest rates. This solvency crisis led to a fall in transactions and a moderate price correction, particularly in large metropolises.
In 2025, the sector entered a phase of stabilizationdriven by a plateau in rates and a resumption of negotiations. This year 2026 confirms a return of confidence. “The recovery is gradual, comments Olivier Bugette, CEO of Boîte Immo. It is in the nature of a market which rebalances after two years of correction”.
The deadlines before signing the sales agreement are getting longer
The latest barometer from the Interkab Observatory of independent real estate agents (data based on sales agreements signed within a network of 8,500 partner agencies of Boîte Immo) paints a portrait of a sector in full change at the end of this first quarter of 2026, and highlights that in the first quarter of 2026, the deadlines for signing sales agreements stand at 107 days on average in France, i.e. 7 additional days compared to the previous quarter. Over one year, however, the trend is significantly more favorable: deadlines are down 34 days compared to the first quarter of 2025.
Top 10 large cities where compromises are made the fastest in the 1st quarter of 2026:
1. Montpellier: 83 days (-3 days)
2. Lille: 87 days (+12 days)
3. Marseille: 97 days (+9 days)
4. Nice: 99 days (+20 days)
5. Nantes: 102 days (+8 days)
6. Paris: 105 days (+11 days)
7. Bordeaux: 108 days (+6 days)
8. Toulouse: 109 days (+13 days)
9. Lyon: 111 days (+13 days)
10. Strasbourg: 116 days (+7 days)
Multi-speed sales
Behind this national average lies a fragmented reality. In certain metropolises, the tension is such that deadlines are being squeezed, while elsewhere, the adjustment of prices is still slowing down the conclusion of sales. With only 83 days to sign a compromise, Montpellier has established itself as the most dynamic city in France since the end of last year. Faced with the collapse of new construction, buyers have massively switched to old ones. As supply becomes scarcer in the face of sustained demand, competition increases and accelerates transactions.
Just behind, Lille (87 days) and Marseille (97 days) complete the podium for responsiveness, although these two cities recorded a slight increase in this figure compared to the previous quarter. “In Montpellier, it takes less than 3 months to sell a property. A rhythm which illustrates a particularly dynamic market, unlike cities like Strasbourg or Lyon where deadlines exceed 110 days. This reflects a shift in the pace of recovery: some markets have already found active buyers, while others remain hampered by high price levels and more constrained solvency. adds Olivier Bugette.
Great disparities in the regions
Paris shows signs of stabilization with 105 days, a sign that the capital’s market has finally digested its price correction. Cities like Strasbourg (116 days), Lyon (111 days) or Toulouse (109 days) recorded marked increases. Here, restarting is more laborious. For what ? Because presentation prices remain high compared to the real borrowing capacity of households. In these territories, the standoff between sellers and buyers lasts longer.
The disparities are even more marked in the French departments. In Île-de-France, the deadlines vary between 88 (for Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne) and 108 days for Val-d’Oise and Hauts-de-Seine while all the Ile-de-France departments see the number of days accumulate: 25 additional days in Seine-et-Marne and Hauts-de-Seine for example.
While in the PACA region, delays generally stabilize between 92 days (Hautes-Alpes) and 118 days (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, it varies between 93 days (Ardèche) to 133 days (Cantal). As for New Aquitaine, it takes 136 days to sign a compromise in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques compared to 89 in Corrèze. Finally, in Occitanie, the time taken to sign a compromise varies between 109 days in the Pyrénées-Orientales and 254 days in Tarn-et-Garonne.
