Rates at 4%: should you buy or sell in Strasbourg before 2027?

In ten months, the cost of borrowing has risen by almost 0.6 points, and the symbolic 4% mark has already been crossed for some borrowers. Yet prices in Strasbourg are holding up better than elsewhere. Here is our analysis of a market where the balance of power is shifting, and the strategies that still work.

Mortgages are getting more expensive, fast

According to the Pretto barometer for November 2026, the average rate stands at 3.56% over 15 years, 3.76% over 20 years and 3.85% over 25 years. Households earning less than €40,000 net per year are already borrowing above 4% over 25 years (MySweetImmo).

Sources: Pretto, Vousfinancer via MySweetImmo.

The cause is well known: the cost of French public debt. With the 10-year OAT government bond yield around 5%, broker Vousfinancer expects rates close to 4% over 20 years by year-end (MySweetImmo). Some relief: the usury cap has been raised to 5.40% for loans of 20 years or more in the fourth quarter, unlocking applications narrowly refused in September (MySweetImmo).

In practice, on €250,000 borrowed over 20 years, November’s increase alone adds around €13 per month and €3,115 in interest over the life of the loan, excluding insurance.

Nationally, volumes are slowing while prices hold

The October 2026 market report from Notaires de France paints a clear picture. Sales of existing homes reached 951,000 over the twelve months to the end of August, up 3.6%. But momentum is fading and notaries project around 920,000 sales by the end of 2026.

Prices have barely moved: −0.8% year-on-year in the second quarter in mainland France, −1.3% for houses and −0.1% for flats. Preliminary contracts point to near-stability at the end of November. Notaries warn, however, that rates above 4% could trigger further postponed purchases.

Strasbourg: a market that has already corrected

Strasbourg corrected earlier than the national average. According to indices from the Bas-Rhin notaries, prices of existing flats fell by 2.4% in 2023 and 3.8% in 2024, before rising again by 0.7% in 2025.

Sources: Bas-Rhin notaries, 2025 review; SeLoger–MeilleursAgents via MoneyVox.

Two conclusions stand out. First, the gap of more than €2,300/m² between new and existing homes makes well-located older properties attractive. Second, the high end follows its own logic. The most sought-after addresses show averages well above the median: around €5,870/m² on Quai Mullenheim, €5,510/m² on Chemin de Halage and €5,150/m² on Rue du Fossé-des-Tanneurs (RealAdvisor, August 2026). Exceptional properties in the Neustadt or around the Orangerie trade higher still.

Our view: a different strategy for buyers and sellers

For buyers, the window remains open but is narrowing. Every tenth of a point costs purchasing power. Buyers with a large deposit, often the majority in the premium segment, are less exposed and have real room to negotiate on properties needing renovation or with a poor energy rating (DPE).

For sellers, the right price is decisive. Notaries identify the gap between asking price and buyers’ actual budgets as the main brake on sales. A rare, well-presented property priced on comparable recent sales will sell. An overpriced one grows stale online. This is where an off-market sale makes full sense: testing a price with qualified buyers without exposing the property.

Frequently asked questions

Will rates exceed 4% in 2027?

No one can say for sure. Brokers expect around 4% over 20 years by year-end if the OAT stays close to 5%. Any easing would depend on the 2027 budget and ECB policy.

What is the price per m² in Strasbourg at the end of 2026?

Around €3,740/m² on average for a flat in October 2026, with very wide gaps from street to street: from under €3,000 to nearly €6,000/m².

Should I wait for prices to fall before buying?

In Strasbourg, the correction already happened in 2023–2024. Waiting mainly exposes you to higher rates.

Thinking of selling? Request a confidential valuation based on actual sales in your neighbourhood. Looking for a rare property? Discover our off-market selection.