In the first quarter of the year the decline in the number of real estate sales continues. This was revealed by Istat according to which the agreements relating to the sale of real estate units were equal to 186.224, down by 2,4% compared to the same period of the previous year. The negative trend also observed in the third and fourth quarters of 2010 is therefore confirmed.
93,3% of the agreements entered into in the period considered (173.779) concerned residential properties and accessories, 5,9% (11.000) real estate units for economic use. In the first quarter, sales of properties for residential use decreased by 2,2% compared to the same period of the previous year, while sales of properties for business use recorded a tendential decrease of 5,3%.
The total sales of real estate units decrease most in the South (-6,9%) and in the islands (-3,7%). The North-East appears substantially in line with the national figure (-2,5%). More contained drops were recorded in the Center and in the North-West (-1,0% and -0,3% respectively). Positive trend changes are recorded in the North-West for the sale and purchase of real estate units for residential use (+0,1%) and in the North-East for those for commercial use (+2,8%).
As for sales carried out and registered in the notarial archives of large cities, they increase slightly (+0,2%), while they decrease in the other centers (-4,3%). The sales of real estate units for economic use decrease both in large cities (-4%) and in other centers (-6%).
