Since the beginning of autumn, the primary real estate market has seen an increase in transactions for the purchase of business class apartments with an average price of $2 thousand per square meter, Daria Bedia, Marketing Director of DIM Group, told Interfax-Ukraine.
“According to our analysts’ research, business class now accounts for 25% of the sales structure, although this figure was 15% in the spring. Such signals are encouraging, so we expect an increase in demand this fall. Of course, everything will depend on the news at the front, the frequency and consequences of shelling in the capital and possible power outages. We are also well aware that this category of buyers is likely to leave Ukraine for the winter in late fall,” Bedia said.
According to her, the level of demand is directly influenced by the project itself and its concept, stage and activity of construction. Important criteria include the developer’s reputation, ability to keep its word in terms of deadlines and promises, as well as flexible purchase terms in case of 100% payment and installments. Much attention is paid to the type and quality of materials, spatial zoning, landscape design, service company, security and concierge services. People who choose business class value a sufficient number of parking spaces and an underground parking lot with an elevator to the residential floors.
According to DIM Group analysts, apartments with the correct layout are in high demand, more often either classic layout solutions or Euro-formats with spacious kitchens-living rooms and isolated private rooms.
The area of one-bedroom apartments, which are most often bought in the business segment, reaches 50-55 sq. m, two-bedroom apartments – 75-80 sq. m, three-bedroom apartments – 100-120 sq. m. According to DIM’s Marketing Director, the mandatory attributes of such apartments are a large living area with panoramic windows of 30 sq. m. or more, a master bedroom with a dressing area and a separate bathroom of 20 sq. m., and a children’s room of 25 sq. m. or more with a wardrobe.
At the same time, the tendency to reduce the average area of purchased apartments continues.
If earlier, according to her, in the business class were interested in three-bedroom apartments in the range of 120-150 sq. m., now up to 120 sq. m.; while two-bedroom apartments are now more in demand in the range of up to 85 sq. m. against 85-100 sq. m. earlier. Only the demand for one-bedroom apartments has not changed at the level of 50-55 sq. m.
“The average area of apartments in terms of demand decreased by 10-15%. But the bulk of the sold objects were designed before the war, so developers still have large apartments that are not very interesting to buyers. After all, the total purchase receipt is more important nowadays. Therefore, developers offer more flexible terms for large apartments in terms of installments and discounts,” Bedia summarizes.
DIM Group was founded in 2014 and includes six companies covering all stages of construction. So far, it has commissioned 12 houses in six residential complexes with a total living area of over 218 thousand square meters. Six comfort+ and business class residential complexes are under construction: “New Autograph, Metropolis, Park Lake City, Lucky Land, etc.