DIM announces a change in the policy of assignments in a number of its projects, namely in the complexes: Lucky Land, OLEGIV Podil, Park Lake City, Metropolis and A136 Highlight Tower.
From now on, any actions with assignment agreements, which provide for the transfer of rights and obligations under real estate purchase and sale agreements from one buyer to another, will be suspended. This step is a common practice in the real estate market and is aimed at ensuring stability and control over the construction completion process.
The change in policy will allow DIM to avoid speculation, ensure transparency of transactions, protect the interests of both investors and end buyers, and speed up the commissioning of properties.
During the war, the Ukrainian market of primary real estate underwent significant changes. Experts note new trends in the behavior of buyers and shifting priorities in the choice of housing. However, the general portrait of the primary real estate buyer remains conditionally divided into several categories, depending on financial opportunities, professional activity and individual needs.
Alexander Poltorak, brand manager of DIM group of companies, draws attention to the fact that buyers have become more demanding to the quality of construction and the timing of projects.
“Now buyers choose almost ready objects, often they are resettlers who start a new life, – notes Poltorak, – They are picky in assessing construction standards and financial conditions, which allows to ensure stable demand”.
The expert notes that the war has significantly changed the behavior of buyers in the business class segment. If before the war investors actively invested in the early stages of construction, now most people choose housing at the final stages or already finished.
Our buyer today is a person who already has his own housing. A lot of transactions take place with regular clients or on recommendation from them. Clients are looking for favorable conditions, often use promotions and installments, even having the full amount to pay.
This approach reflects buyers’ caution in an unstable period, when confidence in the project and the developer’s readiness to complete the object play a crucial role.
According to the expert, about 65% of buyers in the company’s projects are families aged 25 to 45 years old, which represent the capital’s middle class. Among them there are a lot of IT-specialists, company tops, lawyers, business representatives.
About 15% of buyers are investors who consider real estate as a way to preserve or increase their wealth.
However, the behavior of customers during the war has changed: if earlier transactions were closed in a few weeks, now the process can last from a month to six months. The information background and the frequency of shelling in the capital significantly influence the decision of buyers.
The trends of the real estate market in the first half of 2024 were analyzed by Oleksandr Nasikovsky, Managing Partner of DIM Group of Companies.
The number of sales transactions in the first half of 2024 is gradually increasing compared to the same period in 2023. But it all depends on the readiness of the object and its class.
Currently, the majority of buyers of apartments in the primary market are those who buy housing for themselves. These are people who associate their future with Ukraine, with Kyiv. In this case, it makes no sense to postpone this step, because developers are now offering good conditions and trying to keep prices down. Most of these people lived and planned to buy housing in the capital even before the war.
There are also IDPs among the buyers, but their share has not increased significantly. They have more stressful circumstances, a longer period of adaptation, and need more time to take this step. In addition, some of them are considering the western regions of Ukraine for purchasing housing.
While in 2023, there were few investment transactions for the purchase of real estate for resale or lease, in 2024 we are already seeing a gradual recovery in investor interest as the real estate market is gradually recovering.
For new clients, realizing the difficult decision they are facing today, we are developing special programs for the purchase of housing: we offer installment plans for a long period (up to 5 years), reduce the down payment, offer to pay part of the funds before the completion of construction, and the rest within three years after.
We can state that the cost per m2 of primary real estate will continue to grow. This is due not only to the future growth in demand for new housing, but also to the rise in the cost of building materials, energy, and related resources required for the construction of houses.
Yes, there is pent-up demand and it has a cumulative effect. Ukrainians still have a need for new housing, but not everyone is ready to invest in real estate in the capital. People are hindered by understandable fears, lack of stability and confidence in the future due to the war. But as soon as we win, people will return to solving the housing issue, because it is still relevant.
Internal migration within the country will also have an impact. Some people will stay and build their future in Kyiv.
Investors will be interested in the future growth of the cost per square meter. After the Victory, this process will start quite quickly.
The cost of apartments in high-quality facilities will increase. This is due not only to the future growth in demand for new housing, but also to the rise in the cost of building materials, energy, logistics, and related components required for the construction of houses. So far, we have been able to balance, but over time, these factors will take their toll and prices will go up.
Over the past year, there has been a revival – the average rate of investment transactions in the Kyiv and regional markets is 15-20% due to liquid complex projects of developers who have not lost confidence during a full-scale war.
At the same time, the return of investors and the purchase of real estate for investment purposes are heavily influenced by the geopolitical situation, news, reports, and forecasts from the front line and shelling of cities.
For their own lives, people choose the comfort segment. The average cost per m2 in comfort-class new buildings is USD 1200-1500.
Investors are interested in the business segment, but only in projects with a cool concept, unique location and minimal competition.
For example, in the business class complex OLEGIV Podil by DIM, we see a very stable demand from investors who are interested in the location of the ancient Podil, the architecture, and our updated project concept in the art boutiqe format.
The usual format of business-class residential buildings at a cost of $2000-$3000 m2 is not popular among investors. In most cases, these are new buildings located in the Pecherskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, and Holosiivskyi districts. Today, there are a large number of apartments from owners on the secondary market who, for various reasons, get rid of them, sometimes giving a big discount, which creates a lot of competition with the primary market for developers.
Last year, investors did not even consider the premium segment for investment.
Now we can state the interest in premium real estate – the more expensive and unique the project, the more people buy it for early investment.
The closed pre-sale of the premium project The One by DIM exceeded all our expectations, and since the beginning of the year we have sold almost 30% of the apartments. This suggests that people are ready to invest even at the excavation stage in high-quality conceptual projects with innovative engineering solutions. Investors value exclusivity and are looking for investment opportunities. By the way, The One has the highest share of investment transactions, because for buyers of premium real estate it is definitely not the main place of residence, but rather 3-5-10 apartments that are bought for investment purposes.
The most popular apartments for investors are 1-2 bedroom apartments up to 60 m2. We have almost 70% of requests for these apartments, which indicates the interest of investors. However, I would like to note that we are talking about our unique location, where there will be no other similar projects.
In general, the share of investment transactions in DIM before the war was 50%.
Now the demand for apartments as an investment is quite restrained and amounts to 20%. People buy them mostly to save money from depreciation and to make money on resale in the future. There is also a small share of transactions for the purpose of renting out real estate.
The main criterion for an investment buyer is to find an object with the highest yield and minimum risks. The biggest risk of investing in residential real estate remains the risk of unfinished construction. Therefore, you need to pay attention to:
– real, not nominal, construction dynamics,
– the number of m2 commissioned during the war
– the developer’s plans in the long term: whether the company plans new projects, improves existing ones, monitors and implements new trends
– the developer’s publicity and fresh and relevant publications in the media, social networks, and website. Their presence indicates that the developer has long-term plans.
– sales pace. If sales are very slow and the discounts are suspiciously attractive, study the information about the property and the developer more carefully.
High investor interest is also demonstrated by high-quality suburban eco-clusters with a recreational component and a wide range of their own infrastructure.
For example, more than 20% of transactions in Park Lake City are made for investment purposes.
We would like to add that in difficult times, DIM, as a system developer with a quality product, always meets the buyer halfway. For example, we now have many financial instruments in place: an installment program of up to 5 years with a down payment of 20%; a program where the first year there are fixed minimum payments from $300 to $600 per month, depending on the selected apartment size; a program with flexible payment terms – the buyer makes a down payment of 30% before the completion of construction, and pays the remaining amount within two years after the object is ready; a trade-in program – you can exchange any property you own for a new one.
The administrative office of the DIM Group of companies was damaged as a result of Russian missile strikes on Kyiv on Monday, the DIM press service reported.
“As a result of a repeated strike by Russian terrorists on the capital, debris fell on the building where the administrative office of the DIM group of companies is located. All our employees are safe and sound, and our entire team is secure. Unfortunately, our business center neighbors were not so lucky. There are dead and injured. We express our sincere condolences to the families of those killed and injured as a result of the massive missile attack on Ukraine by the Russian Federation,” the company said.
The number of casualties in Kyiv as a result of the enemy attack on Monday continues to grow. 96 people were injured, including three children. Two adults have been confirmed dead in the Okhmatdyt hospital, seven in the Dniprovskyi district as a result of debris falling on the medical center, and seven in a business center in the Solomianskyi district. The information is being verified and updated.
DIM Group was founded in 2014 and consists of six companies covering all stages of construction. To date, it has commissioned 12 buildings in six residential complexes with a total residential area of over 218 thousand square meters. Six residential complexes of “comfort+” and “business class” categories are under construction: “Novy Autograph, Metropolis, Park Lake City, Lucky Land, A136 Highlight Tower, Olegiv Podil.
Source: https://interfax.com.ua/
SKY Bank, a partner bank of the state program for affordable lending, has accredited DIM residential complexes under construction – houses No. 4 and No. 6 in LUCKY LAND residential complex and house No. 3 in Metropolis residential complex in Kyiv – for participation in the eHouse program, the developer’s press service reports.
“JSC SKY BANK welcomes the beginning of cooperation with the leading developer of the capital’s real estate market and continues to implement the strategic mission of the state preferential mortgage lending program “eOselya”, making it affordable for citizens to buy housing at the construction stage,” Volodymyr Chornenkyi, Retail Business Director, Member of the Management Board of JSC SKY BANK, said in the release.
Oleksandr Nasikovsky, Managing Partner of DIM, said that DIM regularly receives inquiries from clients about the possibility of buying an apartment under the eOselya state program.
“Everyone should have a home – we are convinced of this. Since the beginning of the year, we have commissioned more than 1,000 apartments and are actively working to develop comfortable conditions for our clients to purchase housing, in particular, we are working with the state program of affordable housing loans,” said Nasikovsky.
Lucky Land (6 Berkovetska St.) is a comfort-class residential complex designed as a multifunctional neighborhood with developed infrastructure. It includes 23 buildings with a height of 13-14 floors, a total of 5183 apartments, with a guest parking lot for 2.5 thousand and an underground parking lot for 356 cars. Under the eOselya program, mortgages are available for one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with an area of 41 sq. m. in building No. 3, which has already received a certificate of completion, and buildings No. 4 and No. 6, which are scheduled for commissioning in the third and fourth quarters of this year.
You can also buy an apartment under the eOselya program in the building No. 3 of the Metropolis residential complex under construction (1 Ak. Zabolotnoho St.), which is scheduled to be commissioned in the third quarter.
Apartments in the completed residential complex “Novyi Avtograf” (26, Knyazya Romana Mstyslavycha (General Zhmachenko) str.) are also available under the “eOselya” program.
As reported, the eOselya affordable mortgage lending program was launched in Ukraine in October 2022. Contract servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, employees of the security and defense sector, medical workers, teachers, and researchers can apply for a preferential mortgage at 3% per annum for up to 20 years with a down payment of 20% of the cost of housing.
Starting from August 1, 2023, war veterans, combatants, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and citizens who do not have their own housing larger than the standard area can apply for the eHouse program at a 7% discount.
Eight partner banks are integrated into this program: Oschadbank, PrivatBank, Ukrgasbank, Globus Bank, Sky Bank, Ukreximbank, SENS and Bank Credit Dnipro. You can apply for participation in the program in the Diia mobile application.
As of April 30, the volume of loans issued under the eHouse program reached UAH 14.9 billion, with loans issued to 9,613 families. At the same time, 2.9% of the apartments were purchased on the primary market, 71.7% on the secondary market, and 25.4% from developers.
DIM Group was founded in 2014 and consists of six companies covering all stages of construction. To date, 12 buildings in six residential complexes with a total residential area of over 218 thousand square meters have been commissioned. Six comfort+ and business class residential complexes are under construction: “New Autograph, Metropolis, Park Lake City, Lucky Land, A136 Highlight Tower, Olegiv Podil.
