What is a smart apartment
To make housing more affordable for Ukrainians, developers offer new types of real estate. This is how smart-apartments appeared: small-sized apartments with a favorable price. We tell you what a smart apartment is, how it differs from a studio and a regular apartment, what advantages and disadvantages it has, and who is best suited to this type of living space.
What kind of apartment is considered a smart apartment
A smart apartment is a residential property of 17-30 m² without internal partitions. It looks like a large room with several sectors: a bedroom, a kitchen space and a bathroom. Smart apartments are designed for 1-2 people.
Smart-apartments are equipped with multifunctional furniture or transformer furniture, so that every square meter is used to the maximum benefit.
Smart-apartments "came" to Ukraine from the USA: they are very popular abroad, as they allow you to significantly reduce the cost of buying or renting housing. Ukrainians have only recently received the opportunity to buy and rent apartments with minimal floor space, so the demand for them is just beginning to form.
What is the difference between a smart apartment and a regular apartment
A smart apartment is not the standard studio apartment that can be found in almost every apartment building. There are two significant differences between these types of real estate:
area - in smart apartments it does not exceed 30 m², while a 1-bedroom conventional apartment most often has an area of 35 m² or more;
layout - in a smart apartment the layout does not provide for a separate corridor or kitchen, as all areas are united in one room, but due to the reasonable placement of sectors, there is no discomfort from this solution.
An important difference between a smart apartment and an ordinary apartment is the cost. The former will cost considerably less.
What is the difference between a smart apartment and a studio
Smart apartments and studios are often thought of interchangeably, and yet they are different types of real estate. A studio apartment is slightly larger in area per smart, plus it may have partitions between the kitchen and bedroom. The studio can also have additional separate rooms, as the main criterion is a combined kitchen-living room.
A studio can be purchased for a family with a child or several children if there are bedrooms, while a smart apartment is suitable only for a couple or a single person. A smart apartment is cheaper than a studio.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a smart apartment
One of the main advantages of smart apartments, which both buyers and tenants pay attention to, is financial affordability. Due to its small area, such housing is quite inexpensive. It is much easier to buy than a studio or a standard 1-bedroom apartment. But that's not the only plus.
Additional advantages of a smart apartment:
saving on utility bills - with a small area, the costs for heating, electricity, etc. are reduced;
easy maintenance of order - you will have to spend a minimum of time on cleaning, and you can also inexpensively order cleaning services;
saving on furniture - in a smart apartment you only need to buy the essentials;
no partitions - visually the room will not look small and it will be comfortable to live in it;
less money spent on repairs - it is much cheaper to buy building materials and carry out repairs on 30 square meters than in a standard apartment.
The purchase of a smart apartment has its advantages for buyers-investors. For a low price, you can buy a liquid property that can be sold quickly and profitably at any time. If you rent it out, it will always attract tenants with its affordability, so it will not be idle and will bring a stable income.
Smart-apartment has disadvantages, as it is not suitable for everyone. The following can be attributed to the disadvantages of this type of housing:
suitable for living only 1-2 people, a family with a child in it will be cramped;
if the apartment is too small, because of which it belongs to the non-residential fund, the payment for utilities will be higher, as it is calculated at commercial rates;
in an apartment with only one room, cooking odors will spread throughout the room, but you can try to solve the issue with a powerful extractor over the stove;
there are many apartments on one floor in a building with smart apartments, so you will have to constantly face strangers and establish contacts with all neighbors;
it is impossible to make redevelopment in a smart-apartment, and if you separate the bedroom from the kitchen, the rooms will be too small.
Another disadvantage - the average cost per square meter in a smart apartment is often higher compared to the price per square meter of a standard studio apartment. But due to the small area, the total cost of a smart apartment is much more affordable than in the case of a standard 1-room apartment. This is the main reason for the popularity of compact housing.
Who is suitable for a smart apartment
The demand for small housing in Ukraine is really big and continues to grow, as not everyone can afford to buy an apartment with a spacious area.
There are several categories of buyers or tenants who may be suitable for a smart apartment for long term living:
A single person or couple who do not need a spacious apartment, as they would like to save on utilities and not overpay for square meters;
a single mother (father) with a child who needs their own real estate at an affordable price;
investors who want to invest a small amount of money in residential real estate for its subsequent rental short-term or long-term, as the payback in smart apartments is fast, and the yield is quite good;
couples who are not yet planning to have a child and want to live for themselves and expect to buy the first compact real estate with the possibility of further sale or exchange for more spacious housing with additional payment;
students, for whom parents are looking for compact and inexpensive housing near the place of study;
young professionals who are just starting their career in a big city and do not yet have the funds for a more expensive apartment;
a retiree who cannot maintain a large living space on his or her own and wants to reduce utility bills.
A smart apartment is really the most compact housing, so it is important to immediately consider whether it will be comfortable to live in a space of 17-30 square meters. In a small space will feel comfortable those who lead a low-active lifestyle or spend a lot of time at work, and at home only at night. If a person loves space and freedom, leads an active lifestyle, likes to receive guests, most likely, he will not feel comfortable living in a smart apartment.
To find out if there are smart apartments for sale in Kyiv, you can ask realtors of Mayak Real Estate Agency. Specialists know the market and will be able to offer relevant and favorable options for buyers who are interested in compact housing. Lawyers and a notary of the Mayak Real Estate Agency will help you safely formalize the purchase of a smart apartment.
