Investing in Roubaix: Choosing proximity to Lille and a high return

Key figures : 

• Price per square metre: between €800 and €2,500 for a flat or house
• Average monthly rent: €9.2 per m2
• Average gross yield: 8.49%.
• One of the youngest cities in France
• 2nd largest student centre in the European metropolis of Lille
• zone B1 for flats eligible for the Pinel law

Rental investment in Roubaix : investing in real estate in Roubaix

There are many advantages to investing in rental property in Roubaix, in the Nord department. It is one of the most profitable cities in France. It benefits from a central geographical location, in the Lille metropolitan area. A city of art and history, it is recognised worldwide for its architectural and industrial heritage.
The city benefits from a strong student presence thanks to a diversified university campus and the proximity of Lille. Indeed, Lille is 11 km away.
Rental demand is high due to the low property prices compared to Lille: up to 30% lower, the presence of university campuses nearby and the demographics of the region.

Investing in real estate in Roubaix: what you need to know before you start.

When embarking on a rental property project, there are a number of things you need to consider. Firstly, it is important to invest in a dynamic region with a diverse range of employment opportunities. In addition, when it has university campuses nearby, it attracts younger people.
Roubaix, the third most populous city in the Hauts-de-France region, benefits from a prime geographical location as it is situated between Brussels, London and Paris. It is one of the urban centres of the European Metropolis of Lille. It has a renowned artistic and historical heritage thanks to its architecture and the development of its textile industry. It is also very attractive thanks to its student population. It is only 20 minutes by bus from the heart of Lille, which attracts students looking for attractively priced accommodation. This popular student town makes it possible to consider a furnished rental or a shared apartment with peace of mind. It is also possible to find top-of-the-range accommodation for a family or more affluent workers. In addition, its green spaces have nothing to envy the parks of Lille. It also stands out for its rich network of associations.
Roubaix aims to fight against the economic difficulties linked to the deindustrialisation it has undergone by relying on a strong student presence, the development of new economic sectors, a rich cultural policy and a great capacity to innovate. Even if the textile production of the past is almost completely gone, Roubaix still hosts reference companies in the production of technical textiles, reference companies in clothing and the European Centre for Innovative Textiles. In addition, certain companies linked to the textile world are returning to set up in its territory. It also welcomes new innovative companies such as the headquarters of OVH, the European leader in cloud computing, the headquarters of Ankama and Cluster Bi@nchemaille. In addition, it has undertaken a rehabilitation to enhance its heritage, which has led to a revival of the city's attractiveness and the arrival of many new real estate programmes.

Economic dynamism :

• Unemployment rate in the last quarter of 2020: 11.40
• European Centre for Innovative Textiles,
• Renowned textile companies: showroomprive.com, Vanoutryve ...
• Important place of shopping tourism
• French Impact label, for dynamism in terms of social innovation and the circular economy

Roubaix has more than 100,000 inhabitants and is the fourth largest city in the Hauts-de-France region. It is one of the urban centres of the European Metropolis of Lille. This popular city has a high rental demand due to the constantly growing number of inhabitants. Investing in a residence in the centre of Roubaix is a sustainable and low-risk investment. The presence of public transport means that many students come here every year.

Transportation :

• line 2 of the VAL automatic metro linking Lille and Tourcoing,
• 6 metro stations,
• 1 railway station
• a tramway line
• 12 bus lines
• 30 bicycle rental stations (V'Lille), i.e. 250 bicycles
• 1 Citiz car-sharing station
• 53 km of cycle tracks, lanes and contra-flow paths

Good to know: 

• the railway station is served by the TGV, the TER Nord-Pas-de-Calais and by Belgian trains linking Lille and Antwerp
• Two new tramway lines will be built between now and 2035: a line between Eurotéléport and Wattrelos, and a line between Tourcoing and Hem passing through the Alma, Eurotéléport and the Trois-Ponts district.
• Roubaix has a vast and dense public transport network with the presence of line 2 of the Lille automatic metro which links Lille and Tourcoing. Its territory offers 6 metro stations that link with the tramway. The latter serves Croix, Wasquehal, Marcq-en-Baroeul, La Madeleine and Lille. Inhabitants can also take advantage of twelve bus lines to reach Hem, Lys-les-Lannoy, Leers, Wattrelos and Tourcoing.
• Presence of university campuses

Roubaix has a high demand for rental accommodation due to the presence of higher education institutions, particularly universities. Roubaix is part of the academy of Lille. Each year, its higher education centre welcomes more than 11,000 students from all over France. There are numerous courses of study available: schools of communication, graphic design, web design, foreign language studies, sales, commerce, management, distribution, etc. The establishments are scattered throughout the city centre: in former factories or buildings from the textile industry. These schools have an international reputation which allows you to opt for a furnished rental or a shared apartment with peace of mind!

Students: 

• 2nd largest student population
• 11,000 students
• Culture and Heritage :
• La Piscine, Museum of Art and Industry, one of the most beautiful museums in the Hauts-de-France region: 1st museum of the Metropolis,

What type of property to invest in in Roubaix ?

Roubaix is home to many 1930's houses which are currently highly sought after by investors wishing to realise a capital gain. Lofts are also very popular due to the presence of converted textile industrial wastelands. However, flats, particularly studios and two-room flats, are also a good choice if you are targeting a student population through a furnished rental or a shared flat.

What are the best areas to invest in Lille?

In order to make a profitable and secure rental investment, it is recommended to turn to the popular sectors of Roubaix:
The Barbieux sector is the most popular area of Roubaix thanks to its pleasant living environment and its magnificent park. The Barbieux park covers 34 hectares of landscaped land. It is the largest park classified as a Remarkable Garden in the Hauts-de-France. The district mixes nature and beautiful residences.
The Union district, between Roubaix, Tourcoing and Wattrelos, is a former industrial wasteland in the process of being converted. This sector has become an eco-district in the image of Roubaix's sustainable development. It combines new housing, leisure areas, green spaces and economic activities. It represents the new urban lifestyle.
Finally, the new Roubaix is an attractive district with its proximity to shops and cultural activities. It is strategically located, which is why there is a high demand for rental space in this area.
Roubaix is also actively reclaiming certain neighbourhoods undergoing renovation: the Trois Ponts, Hauts Champs and Pile neighbourhoods.

Price per m2 in Roubaix

There are good opportunities for investment with a price of around 1,600 euros per square metre for a flat.
In the Barbieux district, the most popular in Roubaix, you can expect an average of 2,150 euros per square metre. Prices per square metre vary between 969 and 2,500 euros for a flat or a house.
New Roubaix offers attractive investments at around 1,800 euros per square metre. There is a strong and stable rental demand. Prices vary between 800 and 1,900 euros per square metre.
If you are on a tighter budget, the Union district is the ideal choice as you can make a good investment for €1,450 per square metre. It offers a wide variety of accommodation, so you can find properties at €800 per square metre as well as €2,200.

Prospects for the property market in Roubaix.

With an upward demographic trend, Roubaix has around 100,000 inhabitants: an increase of 2.32% between 2013 and 2018. Roubaix offers lower prices than the greater Lille area and is able to benefit from reduced VAT on new homes thanks to its ANRU zoning, which is why this town remains attractive to first-time buyers and investors. In order to secure the price of the property, you should particularly look at the popular areas (Barbieux, nouveau Roubaix...) of Roubaix.
In addition, investing in property in Roubaix allows you to build up a quality portfolio to benefit from a portfolio with long-term capital gain potential.
The advantage of investing in rental property is that it is the only investment that can be financed with a loan. This loan will then be repaid by the rents received.

Why invest in Roubaix?

Roubaix is a very interesting choice for rental property with the presence of Lille: more than one million inhabitants in the agglomeration and the second largest student population in France. Roubaix is one of the most profitable cities in France with a gross profitability of around 9% thanks to a low cost per square metre: €1,300 on average for the purchase of a property with rents of around €9.2 on average. It is one of the least expensive cities in the Lille area, which increases rental profitability. In fact, you can find prices 30% lower than the same property in the Lille area!
This is a good way of building up additional income, preparing for your retirement or starting to anticipate your inheritance through the profitability of the rents received and the eventual capital gain.