Immobiliare.it, Italy’s leading real estate portal, conducted an analysis of user behaviour on its site and app to present an overview of Italians’ 2023 home search trends.
The 2023 home search trends as analysed by Immobiliare show where most Italians looked for homes, including neighbourhoods, and proximity to metro stations.
Location searches – Rome most popular
Individuals looking to buy a house in the past year showed a preference for Rome (9.4% of total searches). Milan secured the second position with just over 5% of searches, and Turin rounded out the top three at 3.3%. Genoa and Naples claimed the fourth and fifth positions, each with approximately 2% of total searches. These are the same top 5 results as in 2022.
Even amid the challenging economic situation prompted by rising rates and inflation, those opting for a rental solution maintained the same top three locations as the previous year. Rome had as much as 14% of preferences, followed by Naples with 3%, and Bologna with 2.7%.
Desirable Neighbourhoods
Talenti-Monte Sacro-Nuovo Salario (8.1%) retained its status as the most sought-after neighbourhood for those investing in a home. Surprisingly, Vomero-Arenella (5.9%) in Naples surpassed Milanese Città Studi-Susa (5.8%) in preferences, claiming the second spot. The fourth and fifth positions were again secured by Neapolitan neighbourhood Centro (5.7%), and Pozzo Strada-Parella in Turin (5.6%).
In the rental sector, the central areas of Turin and Bologna emerged as the top two districts, each attracting 3.5% of attention. Città Studi-Susa (3.3%) in Milan, home to the Polytechnic, took the third spot, with two central Roman districts, Salario-Trieste (2.8%) and Centro Storico (2.7%), completing the top five.
Proximity to Metro Stations
For those looking to buy close to public transport, the San Giovanni metro station in Rome was the most searched, collecting 3.2% of preferences. The Milanese Loreto followed at 2%, and two other stations in Rome, Re di Roma (1.9%) and Piramide (1.6%), secured the fourth and fifth positions.
In the rental category, the top three metro stops were all in Rome: San Giovanni (3.9%), Termini (2.5%), and Piramide (2.2%). Loreto dropped to the fourth position at 2.1%, and Basilica San Paolo (2%) closed the top five.
Profile of Searched Homes
Among those looking to buy, 63% set a maximum budget of €250,000. Nearly 30% focused on properties between 100 and 125 square meters, and 68% were in search of an apartment, with a three-room configuration being the preference for 31.4%.
For those looking to rent, 60.2% were willing to allocate a maximum of €1,000 per month. The most desired sizes were between 100 and 125 square meters (26.2%), and 92% preferred apartments, with 38.8% opting for a two-room configuration. Over half of the searches requested a furnished house, with terrace and balcony being extras of interest for 18% and 15% of users, respectively.
Timing of Home Searches
Monday emerged as the most popular day to search for a house on the portal, both for sale and rent. Those looking to buy typically did so after dinner, around 9 pm, while those seeking rental solutions logged on as early as 5 pm.
