Rent that stagnates, competition that soars, and a guarantor that has become essential: the Oqoro 2025 barometer confirms that flat sharing has never been more strategic for finding a roof... especially in the summer!
Rent that stagnates, competition that soars, and a guarantor that has become essential: the Oqoro 2025 barometer confirms that flat sharing has never been more strategic for finding a roof... especially in the summer!
Need a roof over your head without breaking the bank? Welcome to the era of house sharing. In a rental market where supply has dropped by 30% in three years (too much regulation, too many energy performance certificates, not enough incentives), sharing an apartment has become the golden ticket for an entire generation. Oqoro, the first fully digital property manager, also points out that 50% of house-sharing arrangements begin between July and September. In other words: if you're reading this in sandals, the race has just begun!
Good news — or just a temporary respite? — the average rent for a room peaks at €494/month, an increase of only +0.4% over the year. However, this "stability" hides a significant north-south divide: €749 in Paris (still in a league of its own)€368 in Saint-Étienne, the go-to place for budget-friendly deals
In short, renting in the capital costs almost twice as much as in the city of Saint-Étienne.
At the European level, France remains below the €600 average seen in Amsterdam or Dublin. A small consolation prize.
That Paris remains expensive surprises no one anymore. What is surprising is the ultra-rapid rise of Annemasse: +4.7% and €737 per room! The reason—or the credit—goes to the Swiss border workers who have a purchasing power 40% higher. Lyon (11.5 applicants per room) and Toulouse (+2.4% in rent) also confirm a "magnetic metropolis" effect: more jobs, more students, therefore more pressure.
On the contrary, three strongholds in the west and the Alps are seeing a decline: -4.8% in Rennes, -4.4% in Nantes, -3.3% in Grenoble. Why? In these markets, the supply of shared housing has increased faster than demand. As a result, rents are compressing, and the pressure drops to 3.8 applications per room in Grenoble. A boon for tight budgets... as long as the trend lasts.
The 2025 barometer drives the point home: +8.6% more competition on average, with a peak of 12.6 applications per room in Paris. And let's not forget seasonality: half of the applications come in between July and September. The Parcoursup and baccalaureate results cause a real bottleneck each year. The bottom line: post your listing (or prepare your application) before everyone else, or the door closes... within a few hours.
Gone are the days of paperless hippie roommates! In 2025, 80% of applications have a guarantor. The winning trio: 41% physical guarantor (thanks mom and dad)27% Visale — the free guarantee from Action Logement which has increased by 5 points12% private solutions (Garantme leads the way) An application without a guarantor? Might as well try to buy a two-bedroom apartment on the Champs-Élysées in cash... spoiler: it doesn't work.
The average age has dropped to 26 years old. The 18-24 age group accounts for 53% of the applications, but young professionals are close behind (43%). More surprisingly, 2.3% of retirees are also trying their hand at it (due to intergenerational sharing). The message is clear: flat-sharing is no longer just a student rite of passage, it's plan B — or A — in response to solo rents deemed unaffordable by 72% of French people under 30 (CSA/2025).
On June 30, a parliamentary report proposed five shocking measures: tax depreciation up to 5%, a 50% micro-property deduction, bonuses for affordable rents...
The stated goal: to bring 90,000 homes back on the market each year by 2030. If the text passes, investors could return, supply might increase — and the tension could ease. Stay tuned!
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Tip: In the provinces, March-April is sometimes the best time to negotiate a lower rent before the summer rush.
If cohabitation is attractive, it's because it matches economic realities: high rents, increased mobility, need for social connection. In this context, the Oqoro 2025 barometer acts as a mirror: it reflects a glaring tension but also pockets of opportunity. It remains to be seen if the future status of private landlords will change the game. In the meantime, there is only one rule: anticipate!
Nota Bene: the Visale guarantee is free for those under 30 and covers up to 36 months of unpaid rent; it can be requested online in just 48 hours.
Author Audrey on 21 September 2023
Real estate, vacation rentals : Apartment rental
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