In Pontarlier in the Doubs, a draw will take place to decide between the candidates for the purchase of 16 individual houses that will soon be built. An unusual device, put in place because demand is likely to greatly exceed supply. The “Le Montaigne” housing estate will be built on the former football pitch opposite the Xavier Marmier high school. He will understand 16 individual houses of 90 m2 on one floor, with a garden of three ares, sold for 300,000 euros, a price defying all competition in view of real estate prices in the border area, it is about 25% below the market price.
An agreement between the city of Pontarlier and the promoters
This very attractive price is the result of an agreement between the city of Pontarlier, the initial owner of the land, and the associated promoters Elementerre and Intoo Habitat, who acquired it. The city started from an observation: the difference in salary between the many cross-border commuters and people working in France amplifies the real estate pressure and distorts the situation. “Part of the population is finding it increasingly difficult to access property” explains the mayor of Pontarlier Patrick Genre, “so each time the city sells land to a developer, this was the case on the St Pierre island and this is the case for this Montaigne subdivision, we impose specifications on the buyer“.
– Intoo Habitat
These specifications provide that the goods be resold at 20 to 25% below market prices, with eligibility conditions for the acquisition of these plots, thus allowing more modest households to acquire them. The houses in the Le Montaigne subdivision will be exclusively sold to purchasers eligible for the zero-rate loan (PTZ), which guarantees a maximum resource ceiling. In addition, specifies Pierre Gelin, the president of Intoo Habitat, “buyers will have to agree to make the house their main residence, and not to resell it before 9 years except in cases of force majeure“, for avoiding the temptation for candidates to easily realize a large financial gain.
A draw for the sake of fairness
Intoo Habitat has already had about fifty informal requests, Pierre Gelin therefore expects strong demand. How to select buyers, knowing that the price of 300,000 euros is fixed in advance and that there may be a higher bid? A solution has been found:”in the interests of fairness and transparency, we have decided to carry out a draw under the supervision of a bailiff“, explains the promoter. Registration to participate in this “real estate lottery” opens this Monday, February 7the draw will take place at the end of March, the houses should be delivered during 2023.