Home Office Trend: Roughly One in Five Considering Relocation, Prices for Real Estate in the Countryside Could Skyrocket

21% of Germans would relocate if working from home were still an option after the Corona crisis. As a new infographic from „Handelskontor“ shows, there is much to suggest that the changes brought about by the pandemic will have a lasting impact on the world of work. Rural property owners stand to be the biggest beneficiaries of this, as flats and houses in rural areas become increasingly sought-after. 

As many as 35% of 16 to 24-year-olds are considering moving as a result of the home office trend. The older people are, the less willing they are to move, true to the maxim: older trees, deeper roots.

Before the pandemic, just 3% of professionals worked entirely from home. According to current forecasts, 166.7% more professionals are expected to work exclusively from home in the wake of the health crisis, according to data from digital association „Bitkom„.

Growing Demand for the Rural Idyll

As the infographic shows, property prices in rural regions showed a disproportionate increase last year. Properties in more populous rural districts were 8.9% more expensive in the second quarter of 2020 than in the same period of the previous year. In metropolitan areas, the price increase was just 6.5%. Yet this could be just the beginning.

The Corona crisis may lead to de-urbanisation and a significantly higher demand for real estate in the countryside. These developments are flanked by an increasing awareness of sustainability and climate protection among citizens. The trend is also reflected on the stock exchange floor. Sustainable shares from various sectors – such as solar, wind power or hydrogen – are becoming increasingly popular.

As Google data show, the search volume for the search terms „house in the country“ reached a 5-year high at the beginning of November, coinciding with the imposition of the second lockdown.

Bild von Candid_Shots auf Pixabay