The average area of newly completed apartments in the Czech Republic is decreasing. The purchase of a larger apartment is an unsolvable problem for many people due to high prices and more expensive mortgages. According to real estate agencies, the greatest interest is in one- to two-room apartments, mainly in large cities such as Prague or Brno. In these cities, small apartments make up to 70 percent of the demand.
So far, many people are unsuccessfully looking to buy an apartment, including Martin Kučera. “Due to financial availability, we are looking for a 2+kk or 2+1 apartment. Also because of some future rental, we think that the investment is more suitable than a larger apartment,” he summarizes.
Because of the high price, he therefore prefers to look for older apartments. “The price per meter for an older apartment is rapidly lower than for a new building. We are definitely looking for an older apartment that can be renovated, because new buildings are not affordable for us,” he explains. For these reasons, more and more buyers are looking for smaller apartments, and developers are also building more of them.
“The area of sold flats gradually decreased. At the end of 2023, we were roughly at 57 square meters of the average area of the apartment sold. At the same time last year, we were about three meters higher,” says Petr Michálek, CEO of Skanska reality.
The fact that due to affordability there are still smaller apartments on the market is also confirmed by other real estate agents. “Mortgages have become more expensive in the last year and a half, which means that the only way to make apartments cheaper is to make them smaller,” adds RE/MAX owner Štěpán Grujič. “We are registering a growing interest in apartments with a smaller area and with a smaller layout, because the number of single households for which a small apartment is enough is growing,” adds Bezreality CEO Martin Ponzer.
Many people now also live in so-called studios, but such spaces are classified as non-residential. A standard studio has an average of 12 square meters. In order to be a housing unit, several conditions must be met, such as sufficient light or the possibility of ventilation. However, according to the new decree of the Ministry of Regional Development, this will change.
“The decree simplifies the requirements, completely waiving some survivors. For example, from the solarization of apartments or from the height regulation of buildings for family recreation,” explains ministry spokesman Petr Waleczko. The main condition, that a one-room apartment must not be less than 16 square meters, will continue to apply.
“It is not so much about the size, but perhaps about the lighting. There is always a certain part of the units in every project that do not meet the current standards. That is why this may change with the decree,” the spokesperson advises. According to the ministry, the main purpose of the decree is to increase the variety of the offer and the availability of apartments.
Prices per square meter for apartments have increased since the new year. The most expensive housing is in Prague:
jko, TN.cz
2024-01-27 19:56:00
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