We are faced with the shortage of housing: Alert current approval numbers

We are faced with the shortage of housing: Alert current approval numbers

A relentless decline in German housing has led the construction industry to the edge of the abyss! After 27 months of uninterrupted waste, including the last 22 months with alarming double -digit declines, the figures that the Federal Statistical Office published are now at a catastrophic level: we are again where we were in February 2012! The shocking facts are that only 17,000 apartments were approved in July - a decrease of incredible 19 percent compared to the previous year!

Tim-Oliver Müller, the managing director of the main association of the German construction industry, raises the alarm: "A trend reversal is not in sight!" This negative development affects all types of buildings. No matter whether single -family houses, apartment buildings or even conversions - the situation is dramatic everywhere. Müller warns: "The wishes of many people can no longer be fulfilled. The care of families in metropolitan areas is in a serious danger!"

the development at a glance

The numbers are shocking! In the first seven months of the year, 32,500 apartments were less approved - this corresponds to a decrease of 21 percent! A look at the data reveals that we are even 50 percent below the level of March 2022. The high interest rates and construction site costs bring the construction industry completely out of balance and the approval plus of the past ten years has been destroyed in just 27 months! The questions about affordable living space and realistic construction projects are getting louder.

But there is a bright spot on the horizon! Müller acknowledges that politics has reacted. Federal programs that offer targets and specific subsidies on climate-friendly new buildings could perhaps brake the wild case. "But so far this is just a stopping the crash," admits Müller. The anticipation for the apartment summit in Hamburg in December is noticeable because Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised his coming. "We hope for really good news for housing!"

The dramatic situation on the housing market is not only a challenge for the construction industry, but also for everyone who rely on a roof over the head. It remains to be seen whether and how the political measures will apply!