Strong First Half in France's Residential Market Driven by Major Deals and Portfolio Sales

French residential real estate investments experienced notable growth in the first half of 2025, totaling €1.9 billion—an 11% increase compared to previous periods. This rise was largely influenced by two significant acquisitions: Nuveen Real Estate and Global Student Accommodations purchased the YouFirst Campus portfolio from Gecina for €538 million, and Éric Sitruk along with Thomas Fabius acquired the Îlot Chirac project for €165 million. Despite these high-profile deals, the market was predominantly characterized by smaller transactions, with 81% involving properties valued under €20 million. Nonetheless, larger deals exceeding €100 million contributed to 40% of the total investment volume. Optimism for the remainder of 2025 is supported by a 32% increase in transaction volume during the second quarter compared to the same period last year. Industry experts, including Jean-François Morineau of BNP Paribas Real Estate, interpret this trend as a sign of renewed confidence in the market. Alexandra Paulin of Cushman & Wakefield highlighted that the first half's figures reflect a resilient and sustained recovery in France's residential sector. She noted that traditional residenti...