The most popular product among new developments in Tallinn and Harju County are row houses, the sales of which more than doubled in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, comments Invego CEO Kristjan-Thor Vähi.
The total number of new development transactions increased by approximately one fifth in the second quarter compared to the first quarter. “June was active, but also in July the interest from buyers has not decreased. So it can be said that the entry into force of the new VAT rate did not bring along any major turning point, and rather it is a general market recovery and growth in purchase interest,” analyzes Kristjan-Thor Vähi, but adds that those who had made a firm decision, of course, made an extra effort in June to complete the transaction with the lower tax rate.
According to the regular market overview of the new development market compiled by Adaur’s manager Tõnu Toompark, general transaction activity grew by a third in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, but sales of row houses as much as 120%. “Behind these numbers is, of course, first and foremost greater interest from buyers, but also the willingness of strong developers to offer a well-thought-out product at an accessible price,” says Vähi, who believes that the current trend could reverse immediately if, due to rising construction costs, the price gap between row houses and larger family apartments should increase. “The market is indeed active, but the buyer is rational and also sufficiently price-sensitive.”
Vähi emphasizes that the sales success of row houses is largely due to a sufficient volume of successfully positioned products. He brings as an example the joint project of Invego and EfTEN Capital — the Uus-Järveküla residential area consisting of a total of 165 row and semi-detached houses, where the active sales period coincided with the last 2–3 years, during which the real estate market has generally been in a low period. “The rapid growth of the last year is due both to move-in-ready houses and also already some FOMO effect, because as of today only about a tenth of the homes in the entire development remain unsold,” explains the Invego CEO.
The Uus-Järveküla residential area is developed by Invego and the financing partner for the project is EfTEN Capital’s real estate fund EfTEN United Property Fund. Uus-Järveküla was designed by PIN Arhitektid and the construction work is handled by NOBE. In Uus-Järveküla, shops, schools, and kindergartens are conveniently close, and there is a good connection to the city both by public transport and car.