A new visible trend on the residential market is that potential homebuyers are focusing more on comfort, spacious living quarters and the existence of outdoor green space to the detriment of location.
The survey conducted in June showed just 16% of prospective homebuyers looking to acquire a home before the pandemic have stopped looking.
When asked to choose between location and a bigger living space, 84% of respondents said they would prefer more comfort and a bigger space over a central location, while just 11% are keen on being centrally located and willing to sacrifice living space.
Of prospective homebuyers before the pandemic, 65% were looking to buy a house or villa and the rest were looking for apartments.
“There is an increased appetite for houses, particularly houses with gardens, located in residential compounds that have parks, green spaces, farmers’ market, supermarkets and schools. A quarter of people who were looking at apartments before the pandemic are now oscillating between apartments and houses, while 7.5% are looking to buy villas,” said Andreea Hamza, senior director Living Department at JLL Romania.
The survey showed the most important aspects for prospective homebuyers are, in order of preference, efficient floor planning, quality of construction and finishings, outdoor space (garden/terrace), comfort (light, insulation, privacy, etc.), additional spaces (parking spaces, storage).
The top five most wanted amenities in residential compounds include green spaces/ parks, market/ supermarket, schools, playgrounds, pharmacies.
As most survey respondents started working from home during the pandemic, 30% want an additional room to set up their office, while 43% want a garden or terrace.
The survey polled over 25,000 Storia.ro and OLX users in June.