Germany's property boom boosts construction industry

Source: Xinhua| 2017-06-09 00:35:54|Editor: yan
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BERLIN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Sales in construction industry in March have risen by 14.3 percent year-on-year, the Statistical Office in Wiesbaden reported on Thursday.

Almost all sectors of the construction industry, including the construction of houses, buildings, streets and electrical lines saw a double-digit sales growth in March.

According to the Wiesbaden authorities, the number of employees was also up by 3.3 percent compared to 2016.

In total, the construction industry has seen a 7.5 percent rise in the first quarter of 2017.

The boost in sales is linked to Germany's property boom which has been rising since 2009. Record low interest rates are the main reason for the steep rise.

Germany has historically been less prone to sharp rises or falls in the housing market because of its renting culture. Germany citizens, have however started to view property ownership as "concrete gold" and are less likely see renting as financially logical.

The transition towards home ownership in Germany has led some experts to predict a potential property price bubble and warn of potential social divisions.

Ulrich Ropertz of the Deutscher Miterbund, an organization that represents tenants, told the Financial Times "Living in cities is becoming increasingly difficult for average earners and households in the lower of middle-income bracket."

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