The growing supply of apartments for long-term rent and limited demand do not allow owners to raise prices: the cost of rental housing in the largest cities of the country is stagnating. Market participants do not see the prerequisites for a trend change, pointing to the limited purchasing power of the population. Some overpriced options may even become cheaper by the summer. But in the fall, the market will begin to be influenced by seasonal revival and growth in tariffs for housing and communal services.
The average cost of renting one-room apartments in the 16 largest cities of the country in February amounted to 20.3 thousand rubles. per month, having increased by 0.1% relative to January. Two-room apartments over the same period fell in price by an average of 1.7%, to 29.5 thousand rubles. per month. Such data is provided by CIAN.Analytics. Similar assessments are made by other market participants. According to the estimates of the company “Etazhi”, renting one-room housing in the largest cities of the country now costs an average of 21.9 thousand rubles. per month, two-room apartment – 27.1 thousand rubles. Over the month, the figures rose by 2% and 1.8%, respectively. In Avito Nedvizhimost, the average cost of renting housing in Russia as a whole is estimated at 22.7 thousand rubles. per month. Relative to mid-January, the indicator decreased by 1%, and in February last year it increased by 28%.
The most pronounced increase in prices for rental apartments over the month occurred in Krasnoyarsk: according to the calculations of CIAN.Analitiki, one-room housing has risen in price by an average of 6.1%, to 19.1 thousand rubles. per month. IN Yekaterinburg the same dynamics amounted to 3.9%, up to 21.4 thousand rubles. At the same time, according to analysts, in 7 of the 16 largest cities, the rent of “odnushki” has fallen in price. Most notably, in Krasnodar, where their average cost compared to January decreased by 4.5%, to 21 thousand rubles. per month. Avito Nedvizhimost pays attention to a noticeable decrease in average rental rates in Volgograd And Voronezh – by 7% and 5% per month, respectively, up to 14 thousand rubles. per month.
IN Moscow, according to the calculations of CIAN.Analitiki, renting a one-room apartment now costs an average of 48.1 thousand rubles. per month, two-room apartment – 69.7 thousand rubles. Relative to January, these values have not changed much.
Although rent in the capital has risen in price by an average of 14% over the year, Oksana Polyakova, deputy director of the rental department at Inkom-Nedvizhimost, notes.
The situation as a whole remains stable: there is no pronounced inflow or outflow of tenants on the market. At the same time, the supply of apartments for rent is gradually replenished due to the entry into this market of investment housing, bought on the wave of last year’s demand. Since the beginning of the year, according to Ms. Polyakova, the total exposure has increased by 10.4%.
This trend is typical for all large cities: according to Alexey Popov, head of CIAN.Analytics, the number of lots in 16 largest cities increased by 20% over the month. Both the seasonal factor and the improvement of the epidemiological situation are affecting, he notes. At the same time, the expert draws attention to the fact that there is no rush demand on the market: the number of ad views is 15–20% lower than last year’s autumn figures. Timur Zaitsev, head of the long-term lease direction at Avito Nedvizhimost, also notes that the number of long-term lease announcements increased by 26% over the month. At the same time, in Voronezh there were 1.5 times more offers, and in Chelyabinsk and Krasnoyarsk – by 40%. He connects this dynamic mainly with investment apartments.
A noticeable increase in the volume of supply, according to Olga Pavlinova, director of the rental department at Etazhi, on the one hand, restrains an increase in rental rates, on the other hand, increases the loyalty of owners, increasing their competition for tenants.
At the same time, the expert does not predict a noticeable increase in demand: only tenants who did not successfully rent housing during its shortage in the fall of 2021 are heating it up.
Oksana Polyakova sees no further prerequisites for a pronounced increase in the cost of renting apartments in Moscow: rates directly depend on the solvency of tenants, and household incomes do not grow. Alexey Popov agrees with her, who expects further stagnation in the cost of renting housing in large cities in general. The expert does not rule out that if the macroeconomic situation deteriorates, prices may fall. Olga Pavlinova agrees with him, who expects overpriced properties to fall in price by the summer. Although in the second half of the year, according to her, the market will be affected by seasonal growth in demand and higher prices for housing and communal services.