Regardless of the expected decline in the population, it should be half a million households more up to the year 2020 in accordance with information of the Federal Statistical Office about. This longer-term social developments are one reason for this demand continues to grow. The trend towards smaller households plays a role here. Two-thirds of all housing units are occupied at present only by one or two people. Changing ways of life are among the main causes.
The increased number of elderly people leads more and more single households in the higher age, while younger generations start later with the establishment of the family. Residential real estate represent a preferred form of living in good areas of metropolitan areas. Especially the often better income opportunities, the better job as well as the improved infrastructure have a great attraction. As urban quality of life are the numerous shopping facilities, the greater Culture supply as well as the educational and medical facilities. There is, however, a further development of differentiated according to regions. In many metropolitan areas the demand for apartments due to the increasing number of households and a little construction activity, while in some areas more and more migration movements emerge.
The new construction activity declined in Germany: here, a new post-war low was reached in 2008. After the boom of German reunification in the mid-1990s, the number of newly completed flats has been continuously. Reasons are a reduction in residential areas as well as pronounced with higher construction costs. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of July 10, 2009, a functionary of the real estate Association of Germany (IVD), was as follows: “The gap between the demand for new homes and new continually widened”. A housing shortage is emerging especially in the significantly in demand positions in German cities. It is believed that the upcoming Demand for residential real estate in the metropolitan regions are no longer covered, can, if the housing construction activity does not return to.