The past 15 months have been characterized by lockdowns and exit restrictions. People spent a lot of time at home, working from home was and is a big issue. The Upper Austrians have not grown tired of their own four walls, as the housing study by Sparkasse OÖ and Bausparkasse shows: 73 percent of Upper Austrians are satisfied with their living situation. “In the 2020 survey, it was 62 percent,” says Herbert Walzhofer, director of the Sparkasse Upper Austria.
1350 people were interviewed by the Imas Institute in Linz for the residential study, 150 in Upper Austria.
During the pandemic, people invested in their homes, says Walzhofer: “From the IT infrastructure to the swimming pool and shading, many things have been improved.”
In addition, the topic of sustainability in residential construction is more important to Upper Austrians: In a quarter, the current form of living fully complies with aspects of sustainability (thermal insulation, green electricity, photovoltaics, etc.).
67 percent of Upper Austrians live in property. 15 percent can imagine buying property. But that is becoming more and more expensive: According to the real estate price index of the Chamber of Commerce, the square meter prices for building land in Austria rose by an average of 7.46 percent in 2020. The prices for row houses and condominiums have also risen.
“Due to the favorable conditions for housing finance, the trend towards the house in the country and the increasing demand, especially plots of land are in short supply,” says Walzhofer. Interested parties would have to consider where they would like to buy property: In the central area it is becoming increasingly difficult. “Outside of that, the prices are also rising, but more slowly.” People would then have to accept a longer journey to work, but the increasing number of home offices means that many can act more flexibly.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
