commercial property prices fell 9.6% in the first three months of 2024 compared with a year earlier, the VDP banking association said on Wednesday, as the nation's property industry suffers its worst crisis in decades.

The continuing decline in values of commercial real estate follows a 10.2% drop for all of 2023. The latest drop is less severe than the 12.1% drop for the fourth quarter, which was the biggest ever.

VDP said that the figures nevertheless confirm its forecast that prices are set to fall further in the coming quarters, with an improvement only next year.

"Prices for commercial property show no sign of bottoming out," said VDP's chief executive Jens Tolckmitt.

 

For years, property in Europe and particularly Germany boomed as interest rates fell, turbocharging demand. But a sudden jump in rates and building costs tipped some developers into insolvency as bank financing dried up and deals froze.

Germany is so far Europe's hardest hit in a rout that has also struck China and the United States. Jobs are increasingly on the line, and the industry has called for aid.

(Reporting by Tom Sims, Editing by Rachel More and Philippa Fletcher)