Is it worth buying a studio apartment in Moscow?
Is it worth buying a studio apartment in Moscow?
Small cozy apartments with their own kitchen and bathroom are romantically called “studios.” This name came to the real estate market from the artistic environment. In the mid-20th century in America and Europe, talented architects, sculptors and artists rented or bought small premises - often under a roof or on a basement - for their creative workshops. They lived in them and created works of art. Following the creators, students and elderly couples without children picked up the fashion at the studio. Soon, in Paris, London, Vienna, Berlin and New York, small apartments became the top sellers.
As advise https://moscowestates.com/ today, studios in Moscow, as in any other world capital, are an excellent step for young people to start an independent life, a more accessible startup for those moving to the main metropolis of the country, as well as a proven option for investment.
Among the buyers of such housing are more and more wealthy people who want to invest their savings and make a profit. The question “is this purchase profitable” is answered by statistics: studios account for more than 15 percent of the Moscow real estate market. This is three times more than two years ago.
Layout and footage
Communal apartments are becoming obsolete; a new trend in small-sized, comfortable housing is studios. They are forced to be as functional as possible. Their standard size is 30 square meters. The bathroom is separated, and the kitchen, bedroom, and living room areas are combined. But lately, developers, taking advantage of the great demand from buyers for housing of this type, have been building very tiny apartments - 17-18 square meters each. The developer has more profit from these apartments, since the price per square meter in studios is the highest . But the psychology of the buyer is clear: first of all, people look at the total cost of the apartment, which compares favorably with the same one-room apartments - by about 25-30 percent.
All things for purchase
- Price and personal space. Many families cannot save money for years to build a full-fledged separate apartment for their child or themselves. At the same time, people do not accept dormitories: they do not want to meet their neighbors in a shared kitchen or bathroom. The ideal solution is a small apartment, but without strangers.
- Small utility bills. Less square footage means lower payments for housing and communal services.
- The special layout of the studios without partitions allows you to arrange the space in a fashionable and stylish way. Designer renovations are found in studios more often than other apartments: furniture and decoration of a small area are cheaper in price.
- Usually in such small-sized housing there are two or more windows. This creates a feeling of transparency and airiness, spaciousness and abundance of light.
All things against the purchase
- The main disadvantage remains the highest price per square meter. But we have already figured out that the buyer in this case does not look at the cost of a meter, but at the total price of housing , which is lower than a one-room apartment by an average of 30 percent.
- The disadvantages, of course, include the small footage. Even for two people, living space is gradually becoming scarce. Especially if the number of things and memorable trinkets increases, eating up the already small volumes.
- For people sensitive to odors, cooking and subsequent ventilation become a problem: due to the combined kitchen and living room, odors linger in the room for a long time. But it is unlikely that this minus can cover the plus from the price of a separate home.
Why people buy studios: additional financial advantages
- From the moment of excavation to the delivery of the house, this type of housing increases in price by 60 percent. Even if you sell it before construction is completed, the yield will be on average 30 percent. This is a proven way not to lose your savings and earn money. Provided that the house is completed on schedule.
- Investment to cover inflation. Such investments will definitely allow you to avoid monetary losses from inflation, in contrast to deposits and controversial investments in currency. In addition, buying an apartment in order not to lose your savings is easier than dealing with the securities market.
- Studios are a profitable format for renting housing in the capital. Demand has not fallen for years. It is profitable for tenants to rent separate small housing: the rent for it is 10-20 percent lower than for the same one-room apartment. In the new complexes, studios for rent do not remain idle for a single month.
- Apartment "career".Once you choose a studio as your first independent living space, make it a goal to move up the stairs. But in this case, constantly analyze the real estate market in order to sell square meters at a profit at the peak of price, and invest the proceeds as a down payment in more spacious housing. Such leaps along the “ladder” can be done every 2.5 years, without forgetting to comply with tax laws.
Should I take out a mortgage for such apartments?
Buyers often wonder whether it is worth taking out a loan to purchase a small home. After all, life can change, the family can grow, and borrowed funds will have to be repaid over a long period of time and methodically.
Real estate market experts agree that a mortgage is worth taking out if the down payment is by no means minimal. The larger the borrower's initial investment, the more he will be able to “save” on interest on the loan.
Buying a studio for yourself
If you are buying a small apartment for yourself, it would be a good idea to take into account the advice from Vladis realtors:
- choose studios that are close in shape to a square: it will be easier to arrange furniture and effectively zone the space,
- it is preferable to buy an apartment with high ceilings so that the bedroom area is raised to a podium, which will serve as a place to store pillows, blankets and bed linen, and a mezzanine is built under the ceiling, which will help avoid cluttering a small apartment,
- buying a studio with a balcony will be advantageous: additional space for privacy or storage will not be superfluous,
- choose housing that is not adjacent to the elevator hall, otherwise you will listen to beeps and the noise of opening doors,
- appreciate the view from the window because you won't have a choice in which room to admire the scenery.
So does it make sense to buy a studio? The answer is obvious! This is fashionable, affordable housing compared to apartments of other sizes for newlyweds, students and couples without children. An excellent option for investing savings, avoiding losses from inflation, a good way to invest for the purpose of resale.