In recent years, both in Turkey and in the European Union (EU) countries, house and rental prices have increased significantly. This situation exacerbates the housing and housing problems of people living in big cities. Here are the details on the subject:
Situation in Turkey
- Apartment Prices for Rent and Sale: In big cities such as Istanbul, prices of apartments for rent are constantly increasing, while prices of apartments for sale are decreasing.
- Renter Rate: The rate of renters in Turkey is 42.5%. This rate is even higher in big cities.
- People Living in Crowded Houses: In Turkey, 39.1% of the population lives in crowded houses. This rate is well above the European average (16%).
Situation in Europe
- Overall Home Ownership and Renting: According to Eurostat data, home ownership in EU member states is around 70%, while renters are around 30%.
- Switzerland, Germany and Austria: These countries have a very high proportion of renters. 57% in Switzerland, 53% in Germany and 48% in Austria are renters.
- Balkan Countries: The region with the highest home ownership rate, with 96% of the population living in their own homes in North Macedonia, 95% in Albania and 95% in Romania. However, the number of people per household is also quite high in these countries.
- People Living in Crowded Houses: In Balkan countries such as Serbia, Montenegro and Albania, half of the population lives in crowded households. The lowest rates are in the Netherlands (2.9%), Malta (2.8%) and Cyprus (2.2%).
Detailed Country Comparisons
- Home Ownership: In some countries, including Turkey, the home ownership rate is below 69%. In Turkey, this rate is 57.5%.
- EU’s Big Four Economies: Spain and Italy have high homeownership rates (76% and 74%). Three out of every four people live in their own home.
The General Situation in Europe
- Living in crowded households: Latvia (41%), Romania (40%) and Bulgaria (36%) have the highest rates. The EU average is 16%. The lowest rates are in the Netherlands, Malta and Cyprus.
Conclusion
The crisis in the housing market in both Turkey and Europe brings with it problems such as the imbalance between rental and sale prices and high rates of overcrowding. This situation makes the housing conditions of people living in big cities especially difficult and deepens the problem of acquiring housing.
