Student rooms, rising prices but demand slows in many big cities

After years of strong growth, the demand for single rooms is starting to slow down in some large Italian cities. Among the causes, often high prices for students, but not only. The slackening observed in some cities can be attributed to several factors: on the one hand, an increase in available supply; on the other hand, a more geographically distributed demand. This slackening translates into greater choice for those looking for a room to rent. This is what emerges from the first Immobiliare.it Insights survey on demand/supply and prices of rooms for students (in collaboration with HousingAnywhere).

Compared to 12 months ago, demand in Turin was down by -3%, in Florence by -6%, in Milan by -13%, in Verona by -20%, in Bologna and Naples by -38% and -47% respectively. The exceptions were Rome, where demand grew by 20%, and Venice, which experienced a solid +30% year-on-year. A figure identical to that of Ferrara and Bergamo, but lower than that of other important university centres. In addition to the aforementioned Venice, Genoa, for example, also shows a 59 per cent increase in interest, but none reaches Ancona (+77 per cent). Overall, between increases and decreases, demand in Italy shows substantial stability compared to 12 months ago.

In terms of prices, Milan remains firmly in the lead as the most expensive city on the Peninsula even to rent a single room, with 732 euro/month. In Rome, on the other hand, 575 euros/month is spent, more than 150 euros less than in the city of the Duomo. The capital is in fourth place among the most expensive cities to rent, behind Bologna, second with 632 euros/month, and Florence, third with 606 euros/month. Looking at the neighbourhoods in detail, in Milan the most expensive is Quadronno-Palestro-Guastalla (846 euros/month), followed by the Centre (839 euros/month) and Genoa-Ticinese (830 euros/month). In Rome, Testaccio-Trastevere, with 695 euros/month, surpasses Parioli-Flaminio (676 euros/month), last year's leader. Paired on the third step of the podium are Casalotti-Casal Selce-Maglianella and the Historic Centre, with 672 euro/month.

Beyond the four most expensive cities to rent a single room - in order Milan, Bologna, Florence and Rome - in fifth place is Trento (544 euros/month), ahead of Brescia (519 euros/month), Modena (506 euros/month) and Padua (502 euros/month). The ninth and tenth places are below 500 euros/month, occupied respectively by Turin (476 euros/month) and Verona (473 euros/month). Bergamo (466 euros/month), Venice (453 euros/month) and Naples (445 euros/month) were just a whisker away from the top 10, while the three cheapest cities analysed were Foggia (249 euros/month), Catanzaro (243 euros/month) and, above all, Chieti, which remained below 230 euros/month for a single room..

 The supply of single rooms in Italy, as well as the demand, has remained almost stable year-on-year, registering a slight -1 per cent. The city in which availability has increased the most in the last 12 months, looking at the ads published on Immobiliare.it, is Naples (+95 per cent), followed by Padua (+89 per cent) and Novara (+64 per cent). The most marked declines are instead those of Bergamo (-55 per cent), Brescia (-66 per cent) and Udine (-83 per cent). Supply and demand also fell in Milan and Turin (-8 per cent for both) and Genoa (-14 per cent), while availability increased in Bologna (+38 per cent) and Florence (+22 per cent). The figure for Rome is perfectly stable..