Kyiv retains its status as the most stable location for the development of investment rental projects in Ukraine, according to Alexander Ovcharenko, co-owner of Standard One.
In recent years, domestic investors have focused their attention on the income-generating real estate market, which is rapidly becoming more professional. Various categories of income-generating real estate are offered, from residential properties in Kyiv to resort formats in the Carpathians and Bali. Ovcharenko is confident in the advantages of the capital’s build-to-rent projects (buildings that are created and managed for long-term rental).
“Standard One was the first company to launch a full-fledged residential income property project on the Ukrainian market. When we built our first build-to-rent property, we proved 100% that it can work effectively in our market,“ he emphasized during the discussion ”Income-generating real estate: strategies of leaders“ at the ”Invest Forum: Real Estate,” which took place on November 27 in Kyiv.
According to him, the S1 VDNG project demonstrated a 10% annual return on rent and 48% capitalization during construction. This result, which attracts investors to the company’s subsequent projects, was achieved through a series of measures. A proprietary company was created to manage income-generating real estate, an online platform for leasing was developed, and service standards were developed so that investors receive predictable income and tenants receive comfort and security.
“Our operating company, S1 Property, completely relieves both tenants and investors of all their worries. We have developed our own 24/7 hotel-type service standards,” says Ovcharenko.
The expert noted that quality management is a critical component of a successful business model. That is why Standard One invests in engineering, reliable materials, standardized service, and security, because it is the developer, as the owner of this property, who will have to operate the building and repair it if necessary.
According to its business model, Standard One operates exclusively in the capital and focuses on construction in the most attractive locations for tenants in Kyiv: near the metro, with developed infrastructure and recreational areas. The company offers hotel-level service, convenient property management, ergonomic apartments, energy independence, and security. This creates long-term demand and high occupancy rates. But in general, the demand for rental housing in the capital has not decreased and continues to show steady growth.
“Today, we have almost zero vacancy, with 99% occupancy. And our format does not involve seasonality: people need to live in autumn, summer, and winter,” he says.
One of the key market trends is REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust). “Thanks to REIT, you can invest in income-generating residential real estate without buying an apartment. For 122,000 hryvnia, you can get the same return as the owner of an entire apartment. And it will bring a stable income. This is not a hypothesis, it is a fact. The results of our S1 REIT are better than we expected. Today, it is 8.4% in currency,” said Ovcharenko.
As for development plans, the network of income-generating buildings is currently being expanded, with three new projects in the implementation stage. S1 Obolon and S1 Poznyaki will operate according to the standard build-to-rent model, while S1 Terminal will have serviced apartments for short-stay/mid-stay needs (short-term and medium-term rentals). In addition, the company plans to launch a REIT in the future, in which the fund will own an entire building.
Standard One (S1) is a full-cycle development company that has been developing the income-generating (build-to-rent) real estate segment in Kyiv since 2016. Its portfolio includes the completed S1 VDNG project and the new S1 Obolon, S1 Terminal, S1 Nyvky, and S1 Poznyaki buildings.
