In April, the real estate market in the four largest cities in Estonia was quieter again. The total or unit price of apartments is becoming increasingly important, and preferences are being adjusted accordingly.
We have already written a lot about Euribor, and there is nothing new to add here. The European Central Bank is still unsatisfied with the underlying inflation level, and some interest rate hikes are still ahead. This still affects people’s creditworthiness, even in a situation where the number of loan applications has increased.
It is increasingly noticeable that people are buying based on the unit price of apartments and making adjustments to their initial purchase decisions in favor of smaller sizes. Therefore, we do not see significant fluctuations in the median price per square meter of transactions, as a smaller total area will always have a higher price per unit area than a larger one. However, this is reflected in the total volume of transactions.
In asking prices, we see a more favorable price level than before, as well as slogans like “new price,” but there is still experimentation with high prices as well. It must be remembered that the price must be justified for the buyer, and there is little room for emotion. If an apartment is located by a main road, its price must be lower than an equivalent residential property in an inner quarter, and a livable but actually in need of renovation apartment should not cost as much as a similar renovated one.
In summary, the current sales market can be described as follows: those who need to sell are selling, and those who have sustainable loan capacity or full self-financing are buying.
The market was slower in April
In Tallinn, 687 apartments changed owners in April (827 in March), with a median price per square meter of 2771 euros. Compared to March, the price level increased by a modest 0.2% and 4.8% compared to the previous year.
In Tartu, however, 134 apartments were sold last month (196 in March), with a median price per square meter of 2332 euros. While the price level dropped by 5.7% in a month, it increased by 3.8% compared to the previous year.
In the Pärnu apartment market, we saw a slight increase in activity. In April, 81 apartments were sold (76 in March), with a median price per square meter of 1965 euros. Compared to March, the price level increased by 4% and by 16.2% compared to the previous year.
In Narva, 71 apartments found new owners in April (93 in March), with a median price per square meter of 510 euros. While the price level dropped by 14.9% in a month, it increased by 3.4% compared to the previous year.