Dear Tenants

30 January 2006

The structure of demand and supply on the elite rent market is visibly changing. The main  reason is high-quality new housing and reconstructed buildings in the historic center. Completely different level of comfort as compared to the old housing affected distinctly tenants' demands.

In the most prestigious areas: in the "Golden triangle", on Admiralteyskaya embankment, on Malaya and Bolshaya Morskaya streets, in the neighbourhood of Chernyshevskaya metro station,  there are practically no new buildings.

Those who rent apartments there have to put up with little parking space, often uncomfortable lay-outs, the lack of lifts. And the most important - with social heterogeneity of inhabitants. Even if your stairway is  completely consolidated, the neighboring one might not be so successful.

The location of new comfortble housing, which is being constructed in the center, is not so splendid: Petrogradskaya side, the areas of Sovetskaya and Krasnoarmeiskaya streets.

The demand for expensive apartments is varying greatly: some tenants are ready to pay for the location while others - for modern amenities.

One day a client applied to NEVSKY PROSTOR AGENCY who wished to rent a flawless 250-square-meter apartment with a large sitting room in a remarkable building (with superb main entrance, guarding and parking. And of course, a prestigious location and a splendid view.

He was ready to pay up to $10,000 per month, but the agency staff could  not offer him anything suitable.

Foreign triangle

A decent variant for rent  in the Golden triangle will cost $2000-$3000  per month. We gave in rent a well-renovated 100 sq.m. apartment at the corner of Nevsky prospect and Karavannaya street for $2750.

It was rented by the first client to have seen it. On Bolshaya Konyushennaya street the similar variant is offered for $2000. At the intersection of the Griboedov canal and Italianskaya street there is an apartment for $2000. Closer to Nevsky prospect an apartment was rented for $5000 per month, - says Marina Philippova, the manager of "Adveks" Rent department. There exist apartments for $7000 but they are uncommon.

In 2002 in our city a monthly rent of $4000 was considered beyond limit. There were very few tenants ready to pay so much. The rent amounts for the same apartments have been rising very slowly since then, maybe 10% a year. But a lot of new apartments for rent have appeared. Their quality being considerably higher,  they are more expensive.

"Foreigners wish to live near Nevsky prospect only. They will always settle in the Golden triangle. They are afraid of Petrogradskaya side and Vasilievsky island because of drawbridges", - says the director of NEVSKY PROSTOR AGENCY Alexander Ginovker.