The preferences of Russians when buying houses have changed dramatically: one-story housing is in fashion

Consumers want warm garages and multiple closets

Based on the results of January-February 2024, the number of requests from potential buyers of cottages and summer houses was 20% higher than in the same period last year. But demand and real deals are, as they say, two big differences. Those who love life outside the city are divided into two main camps: some want to buy a turnkey house without much hesitation, others do not want to be tied to a place and prefer to rent exclusively. And these are not all the changes in the preferences of Russians.

Future buyers are active and rational

According to the VSN Group’s suburban real estate department, the core target audience for the suburban housing segment is representatives of generation Y (people born from 1981 to 1996). Millennials are demanding and spoiled; they don’t like to wait, so they prefer houses with finished interiors that are ready to move in.

In the near future, they will be replaced by generation Z (those born from 1997 to 2012): technologically advanced and extremely rationally thinking youth, who may even stop purchasing housing. These people are actively interested in science, support the environmental agenda and a healthy lifestyle, and are extremely independent. With a high probability, they will en masse prefer renting a house to buying one, without being tied for a long time to the place or even the country of residence.

Remote work makes adjustments

The growing share of specialists working remotely has become an additional factor in demand in the suburban segment. More than half of the buyers of low-rise housing are typical city dwellers. The proportion of bachelors and childless couples is increasing, and investor interest in suburban real estate, especially with developed infrastructure, is also growing.

New ways of communication

If in 2017 more than 40% of calls were made by telephone, then by 2023 this figure had dropped to 26%. The remaining 74% of buyers, if given a choice, prefer to communicate in instant messengers and chats.

Even more noticeable changes in buyer behavior are associated with the growing popularity of online property showings and electronic registration of transactions. The online showing format arose as home sellers responded to restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, and buyers appreciated its convenience.

Electronic registration of real estate transactions, in turn, has gone from 0% in the very recent past to 90-95% in a number of companies now. Nine out of ten mortgage transactions are now registered in this way in the Moscow region.

Financial aspect

During periods of high economic turbulence, consumer behavior and preferences change particularly dramatically. Now the suburban real estate segment is essentially experiencing a revolution in demand.

The average household area, which has more than halved since the 2000s, continues to decline. Today it is 120-130 square meters, while the demand for very small houses with an area of ​​less than 100 square meters is steadily growing.

The most affordable homes in each supply sub-segment are in greatest demand. Experts note the final “decoupling” of demand from fluctuations in the ruble exchange rate and the redistribution of buyers from one construction technology to another, depending on changes in prices for building materials.

Trends in layouts

The changes also affected planning decisions. Against the backdrop of a rapid reduction in square footage, buyers are absolutely not ready to give up the functionality of their home. Developers and planners are forced to meet market expectations by offering increasingly smart, thoughtful and optimized layouts, in which every meter of space is designed to benefit future residents.

The usual loss of space on corridors and unreasonably complex room configurations is a thing of the past. However, master bedrooms are becoming more and more popular, and the number of bathrooms and dressing rooms is increasing.

The demand for one-story houses is actively growing: almost half of buyers are already choosing them, even despite the relative high cost of such a solution. An increase in demand is predicted for warm garages with a separate entrance to the house, storage rooms next to the kitchen area and cottages with two living rooms.