On one side, empty houses and depopulating towns; on the other, coastlines where demand is growing and finding stable housing is becoming a challenge. This is Sardinia's "housing paradox," captured in the Nomisma report, presented in Olbia by Confartigianato Imprese Sardegna and ANAEPA Edilizia.
The numbers are clear: out of approximately 1.05 million homes, 319,000 (30.4%) are not occupied by permanent residents, a figure that exceeds 50% in inland areas.
Furthermore, more than 80% of sales in 2025 were concentrated on the coast, with Northeast Gallura alone accounting for 21.7% despite being home to 10% of the population. Furthermore, the building stock is often dated: 61.3% of occupied homes were built before 1980.
Regarding the impact of housing on budgets, Sardinians spend 33.5% of their income on housing, compared to the European average of 26.6%, and housing and utility costs account for 40% of monthly consumption.
Record tourism in 2025, with arrivals up 33% and overnight stays up 39%, has also fueled short-term rentals: 51,597 regional CIN codes, 30,111 in Cagliari and Gallura, while rents have risen between 20 and 40% in ten years. The report warns, however, that short-term rentals alone don't explain everything.
Demographics are a key factor: in six years, the island has lost 3.7% of its population, a rate nearly four times the national average. In the small towns, the aging index is approaching 500, and the risk of services becoming deserted is high.
Confartigianato Imprese Sardegna has proposed four solutions: targeted regulation of short-term rentals, launching a regeneration plan for inland areas, focusing on senior housing and the Silver Economy (over-65s own over 80% of homes), and promoting energy efficiency and rent-controlled leases, with public guarantees. Priority is given to Nuoro and Southern Sardinia, where energy classes F and G account for 44.8% and 42.8%, respectively.
It's also an opportunity for businesses: in the second quarter of 2026, the construction sector comprised 22,780 businesses, including 13,168 artisanal firms, with 41,521 employees. However, stable planning, long-term incentives, and access to credit are needed, especially for microenterprises.
"The future will not consist in building more, but in building better," emphasized Giacomo Meloni, president of Confartigianato Imprese Sardegna, adding: "Housing must once again become a factor of social cohesion and widespread development."