Europe's homeownership rate shows a significant east-west divide: over 90% in Eastern Europe, but less than 55% in Western Europe.

Foreign media: Europe's home ownership rate shows a significant east-west divide: Eastern European countries generally exceed 90%, with Romania leading at 93.2%, followed closely by Slovakia at 93.1% and Croatia at 91.4%; in contrast, Western European and German-speaking countries have notably lower rates, with Germany at only 47.2%, Switzerland at 42%, and Austria at 54.5%, making them the wealthiest "rental societies" in Europe.

This gap stems from large-scale housing privatization policies in Eastern Europe during the 1990s, when governments sold public housing to residents at substantial discounts. Meanwhile, in regions like former East Germany, public housing was mostly sold to companies rather than individuals. The EU average home ownership rate stands at 68.4%, but high ownership rates do not necessarily reflect current purchasing power—they more accurately reflect historical policy legacies.

Nations with low home ownership rates often feature mature rental markets, strict tenant protection laws, and more flexible labor markets.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862553332273159/

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