Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, and Spain were widely considered the Eurozone's weakest economies during the Great Recession and subsequent Eurozone debt crisis. These countries were grouped together due to the similarities in their economic crises, with much of them driven by house price bubbles which had inflated over the early 2000s, before bursting in 2007 due to the Global Financial Crisis. Entry into the Euro currency by 2002 had meant that banks could lend to house buyers in these countries at greatly reduced rates of interest.

This reduction in the cost of financing contributed to creating housing bubbles, which were further boosted by pro-cyclical housing policies among many of the countries' governments. In spite of these economies experiencing similar economic problems during the crisis, Italy and Portugal did not experience housing bubbles in the same way in which Greece, Ireland, and Spain did. In the latter countries, their real housing prices (which are adjusted for inflation) peaked in 2007, before quickly declining during the recession. In particular, house prices in Ireland dropped by over 40 percent from their peak in 2007 to 2011.

Residential Property Prices in Greece increased 6.81 percent in March of 2025 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for Greece Residential Property Prices.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2024. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 116.2 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.

Companies operating in the third-party real estate industry have had to navigate numerous economic headwinds in recent years, notably rising interest rates, spiralling inflation and muted economic growth. Revenue is projected to sink at a compound annual rate of 0.6% over the five years through 2025, including an estimated jump of 1.2% in 2025 to €207.6 billion, while the average industry profit margin is forecast to reach 35.1%. Amid spiralling inflation, central banks across Europe ratcheted up interest rates, resulting in borrowing costs skyrocketing over the two years through 2023. In residential markets, elevated mortgage rates combined with tightening credit conditions eventually ate into demand, inciting a drop in house prices. Rental markets performed well when house prices were elevated (2021-2023), being the cheaper alternative for cash-strapped buyers. However, even lessors felt the pinch of rising mortgage rates, forcing them to hoist rent prices to cover costs and pricing out potential buyers. This led to a slowdown in rental markets in 2023, weighing on revenue growth. However, this has started to turn around in 2025 as interest rates have been falling across Europe in the two years through 2025, reducing borrowing costs for buyers and boosting property transactions. This has helped revenue to rebound slightly in 2025 as estate agents earn commission from property transactions. Revenue is forecast to swell at a compound annual rate of 3.7% over the five years through 2030 to €249.5 billion. Housing prices are recovering in 2025 as fixed-rate mortgages begin to drop and economic uncertainty subsides, aiding revenue growth in the short term. Over the coming years, PropTech—technology-driven innovations designed to improve and streamline the real estate industry—will force estate agents to adapt, shaking up the traditional real estate sector. A notable application of PropTech is the use of AI and data analytics to predict a home’s future value and speed up the process of retrofitting properties to become more sustainable.

The Direct Real Estate Activities industry have come up against numerous headwinds in recent years, ranging from the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 to the high base rate environment in the years since, which has inflated borrowing costs for potential buyers. This is a sharp contrast to the ultra-low interest environment seen over the decade following the 2008 financial crisis. Still, revenue is forecast to edge upwards at a compound annual rate of 0.6% over the five years through 2025 to €622.9 billion, including an anticipated rise of 0.8% in 2025. Despite weak revenue growth, profitability remains strong, with the average industry profit margin standing at an estimated 18.9% in 2025. Central banks across Europe adopted aggressive monetary policy in the two years through 2023 in an effort to curb spiralling inflation. This ratcheted up borrowing costs and hit the real estate sector. In the residential property market, mortgage rates picked up and hit housing transaction levels. However, the level of mortgage rate hikes has varied across Europe, with the UK experiencing the largest rise, meaning the dent to UK real estate demand was more pronounced. Commercial real estate has also struggled due to inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions and rising rates. Alongside this, the market’s stock of office space isn’t able to satisfy business demand, with companies placing a greater emphasis on high-quality space and environmental impact. Properties in many areas haven't been suitable due to their lack of green credentials. Nevertheless, things are looking up, as interest rates have been falling across Europe over the two years through 2025, reducing borrowing costs and boosting the number of property transactions, which is aiding revenue growth for estate agents. Revenue is slated to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.5% over the five years through 2030 to €777.6 billion. Economic conditions are set to improve in the short term, which will boost consumer and business confidence, ramping up the number of property transactions in both the residential and commercial real estate markets. However, estate agents may look to adjust their offerings to align with the data centre boom to soak up the demand from this market, while also adhering to sustainability commitments.

Companies operating in the third-party real estate industry have had to navigate numerous economic headwinds in recent years, notably rising interest rates, spiralling inflation and muted economic growth. Revenue is projected to sink at a compound annual rate of 0.6% over the five years through 2025, including an estimated jump of 1.2% in 2025 to €207.6 billion, while the average industry profit margin is forecast to reach 35.1%. Amid spiralling inflation, central banks across Europe ratcheted up interest rates, resulting in borrowing costs skyrocketing over the two years through 2023. In residential markets, elevated mortgage rates combined with tightening credit conditions eventually ate into demand, inciting a drop in house prices. Rental markets performed well when house prices were elevated (2021-2023), being the cheaper alternative for cash-strapped buyers. However, even lessors felt the pinch of rising mortgage rates, forcing them to hoist rent prices to cover costs and pricing out potential buyers. This led to a slowdown in rental markets in 2023, weighing on revenue growth. However, this has started to turn around in 2025 as interest rates have been falling across Europe in the two years through 2025, reducing borrowing costs for buyers and boosting property transactions. This has helped revenue to rebound slightly in 2025 as estate agents earn commission from property transactions. Revenue is forecast to swell at a compound annual rate of 3.7% over the five years through 2030 to €249.5 billion. Housing prices are recovering in 2025 as fixed-rate mortgages begin to drop and economic uncertainty subsides, aiding revenue growth in the short term. Over the coming years, PropTech—technology-driven innovations designed to improve and streamline the real estate industry—will force estate agents to adapt, shaking up the traditional real estate sector. A notable application of PropTech is the use of AI and data analytics to predict a home’s future value and speed up the process of retrofitting properties to become more sustainable.

In the presented European countries, the homeownership rate extended from 42 percent in Switzerland to as much as 96 percent in Albania. Countries with more mature rental markets, such as France, Germany, the UK and Switzerland, tended to have a lower homeownership rate compared to the frontier countries, such as Lithuania or Slovakia. The share of house owners among the population of all 27 European countries has remained relatively stable over the past few years. Average cost of housing Countries with lower homeownership rates tend to have higher house prices. In 2023, the average transaction price for a house was notably higher in Western and Northern Europe than in Eastern and Southern Europe. In Austria - one of the most expensive European countries to buy a new dwelling in - the average price was three times higher than in Greece. Looking at house price growth, however, the most expensive markets recorded slower house price growth compared to the mid-priced markets. Housing supply With population numbers rising across Europe, the need for affordable housing continues. In 2023, European countries completed between one and six housing units per 1,000 citizens, with Ireland, Poland, and Denmark responsible heading the ranking. One of the major challenges for supplying the market with more affordable homes is the rising construction costs. In 2021 and 2022, housing construction costs escalated dramatically due to soaring inflation, which has had a significant effect on new supply.

Hardware and home improvement stores’ revenue is forecast to rise at a compound annual rate of 1.4% over the five years through 2024 to reach €155.8 billion. Private spending on home renovation and maintenance, construction activity, environmental awareness and the number of households each play their part in determining sales. The EU and the UK enjoyed a housing market boom prior to 2023, when soaring mortgage rates deterred many from buying a new house. While demand for outfitting new houses is down, more Europeans are turning to repair, maintenance and renovation work on their existing properties, helping to raise sales of hardware and home improvement products. This trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as people confined to their homes looked to refresh their surroundings and found themselves with more time to dedicate to DIY projects. Hardware and home improvement stores were deemed by many governments as essential businesses, allowing them to remain open during the lockdowns. In 2024, revenue growth is expected to be constrained by the cost-of-living crisis. Shoppers are increasingly price-sensitive and many are thinking twice before spending in response to intense inflationary pressures, cutting sales for many hardware and home improvement stores. Price inflation is expected to outweigh falling sales volumes, leading to revenue growth of 1% in 2024. Over the five years through 2029, hardware and home improvement stores’ revenue is slated to climb at a compound annual rate of 1.5% to reach €168 billion. Ever-growing levels of environmental awareness among Europeans will drive strong demand for sustainably sourced and energy-efficient products, like reclaimed wood and lithium-ion battery-powered hand tools. Competition from online-only retailers will continue to heat up, forcing hardware and home improvement stores to expand their in-store offerings to attract customers – augmented reality stations where shoppers can visualise their new products in their homes are one way retailers can try to do this.

E-commerce companies sell various goods and associated services through online portals, either on websites, mobile applications or integrated into social media platforms. Internet access across Europe is rapidly accelerating, with the vast majority of countries boasting usage rates of over 80% of the population. The spread of fast broadband and mobile data has enabled rising numbers of Europeans to engage in e-shopping. Over the five years through 2025, e-commerce revenue in Europe is forecast to climb at a compound annual rate of 4% to reach €352.5 billion. E-tailers benefit from lower overhead costs than brick-and-mortar stores, enabling them to offer highly competitive prices to their customers and draw sales away from traditionally popular establishments like department stores. E-tailers have taken off by leveraging these cost advantages to appeal to an increasingly price-conscious consumer base. The expansion of value-added services like ‘Buy now, pay later’ and fast, flexible delivery options have contributed to some hefty industry growth. Sky-high inflation across much of Europe severely dented Europeans’ spending power, with drops in sales volumes affecting many online stores in 2023. Despite this, revenue continues on an upwards trajectory as inflation swamps the drop in volume sales, with an estimated 3.9% growth rate in 2025. Looking forward, internet penetration will continue to provide a growing market for e-tailers, driving revenue upwards at a projected compound annual rate of 6.3% to reach €477.6billion over the five years through 2030. E-tailers will continue to adapt their business practices and product selections to reflect the ever-growing level of environmental awareness. Delivery fleets will become fully electrified for many companies, while increasingly stringent waste regulations will force companies to adopt biodegradable or recyclable packaging in the coming years. Companies in the industry must innovate to compete with rival Asian companies like Temu as they penetrate European markets. The integration of Gen AI and data analytics will transform business operations, making them more efficient and helping to lower wage costs, supporting profitability.