The pandemic affected international real estate markets in strikingly different ways. Markets with stringent lockdowns saw new listings plummet by 90 percent, while other markets saw no change. And as the world begins to recover, the data suggests that the longer and more severe the lockdown, the faster the initial recovery.

New Listings

The number of new listings coming to market is a key indicator of a healthy real estate marketplace, representing high-intent seller demand and available inventory. The decline in new listing volumes across seven countries has varied wildly, from no change to a 90 percent drop, depending on the market and its associated lockdown.

Unsurprisingly, the drop in new listing volumes is tightly correlated to the severity of lockdown imposed by national and local governments. Of the nations analyzed, Italy and the U.K. had the most stringent lockdowns, with many real estate activities deemed non-essential and severely limited. The drop in new listings was greatest in these markets: between 75-90 percent.

The Australian, U.S., and Canadian real estate markets were less restrictive, and the drop in new listings reflects that: 40-50 percent at a national level. In the U.S., that number varies greatly by state, with some markets (Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York) mirroring the severe drop of up to 90 percent seen in the U.K. and Italy.