Expert: Building Condition Is No Longer the Most Important Factor When Buying a Summer Home

There are significantly more summer home seekers compared to last year. When making a purchase decision, the feeling that arises in the buyer usually becomes decisive, not the condition of the property.

"Compared to a year ago, interest in summer homes has grown," says Kinnisvara24 CEO Urmas Uibomäe. According to him, there is interest in both summer homes priced at 39,000 and over 100,000 euros. According to the portal's statistics, the average sales period for a summer home is about 100 days, according to Uibomäe.

"Buyers' wishes are very different both in terms of location and the condition of the building. Inquiries are made for both renovated and well-maintained summer homes as well as those needing repairs. There is also no single established region, but offers are sought throughout Estonia," says Uibomäe.

The livening of the summer home market is also confirmed by Mario Karro, owner and broker of the eponymous real estate firm. "A summer home buyer is generally a person who previously lived in the countryside or in their own house, then at some point moved to an apartment, but later began to miss their garden or private yard space," says Karro.

According to him, summer homes that are able to create a good feeling in the buyer sell well. Karro confirms that if the feeling created by the property, buildings, or even just the road leading to it is right, the condition of the building itself may not play a very significant role in making the purchase decision. "If that feeling arises, then buyers are often willing to invest themselves to design their summer home and improve it over time." True, aside from the feeling, price is also considered, and completely neglected and long unmaintained properties continue to be difficult to sell.

If the right feeling is present, Karro recommends that before making a final purchase decision, one should also talk to neighbors, for example, and inquire about local life. You should also clarify how water supply is arranged and whether the necessary easements are in place. With sewage systems, you should take into account that older solutions often no longer meet requirements. Therefore, before purchase, you should investigate exactly where wastewater is directed and whether it is legal. "You should also find out whether the property has a private electricity contract or whether it is in someone else's name, and whether the property access is official and legally established and whether the easement is set," says Karro.

Currently, there are 260 summer homes for sale on the Kinnisvara24 portal. According to Uibomäe, the most offers are in Harju, Ida-Viru, Rapla, Pärnu, and Lääne-Viru counties.