Real Estate Experts: Only One Fifth of Estonian Manors Are in Good Condition
Estonia's most exclusive real estate, namely manor houses, undergo 3-4 purchase and sale transactions per year – several manor owners have already changed hands this year as well. Uus Maa Real Estate Bureau and the portal Kinnisvara24 have compiled an overview of manor houses currently on the market and the general condition of Estonian manor houses.
According to Lii Salusaare, broker at Uus Maa Luxum real estate bureau, a manor house is such a special and expensive property that there are years when no single manor changes hands. "Typically, 3-4 transactions are made with manor houses per year. For example, this spring, Norra Manor in Järvamaa received new owners from among entrepreneurs, and a young family began renovating Polli Manor purchased in Pärnu County," Salusaar pointed out.
According to the manor portal mois.ee, there are slightly over two thousand manor houses in Estonia. A hundred years ago, 1,245 main manors, 108 parsonages or church manors, and approximately 600 farm manors were counted – thus over two thousand manor centers in total. "Of these, an estimated one-fifth have been renovated. Well-preserved examples include the well-known manors at Keila-Joa, Palmse, and Kõue, but Estonia is also home to many smaller and simpler manors, of which an estimated 80% remain unrenovated," said Salusaar.
According to Martin Matsberg, marketing manager at Kinnisvara24, there are currently six manor houses for sale on the real estate portal. Among them, the one in the best condition is Ohtu Manor in Lääne-Harju Municipality, for which the owner hopes to receive a substantial asking price – the manor is on the market for 2.5 million euros.
In addition to Ohtu, five more modest or poorly maintained manor houses are currently for sale, with prices below one million euros. New family residents are being sought for, for example, Kudina Knight's Manor located in Jõgeva Municipality, whose condition is suitable for both year-round manor living and the provision of accommodation services. The manor house with 17 rooms together with the manor park costs 975,000 euros.
An interesting find is Kehtna Manor located in Raplamaa in excellent condition, with an asking price of 699,000 euros. The fully renovated manor house of 948 square meters contains 21 rooms.
Located 100 km from Tallinn in Lääne Virumaa in Kadrina Municipality, Udriku Manor is on the market together with the manor park, auxiliary buildings, and a mill pond. The complex is priced at 600,000 euros and the manor requires complete renovation.
In Järvamaa, where well-known IT entrepreneurs purchased Norra Manor this spring, which had been unused for several decades, another manor is on the market – Seidla Manor built in 1785 together with the buildings belonging to the main house. The manor, with an asking price of 350,000 euros, requires complete renovation.
At the same price, Loodna Manor in Raplamaa is on the market, which stands out for its beautifully landscaped garden. The building's renovation project is underway.
Since manor houses are generally very large, Matsberg notes that they are best suited for providing tourism and accommodation services, but often one wing of the building is also used as a residence for the owners' family. Many renovated manor houses are used as museums, restaurants, accommodations, spas, or entertainment venues, with revenue generated used to invest in the manor's restoration. Manors in very poor condition often stand empty, but there are also beautifully renovated modern manor complexes that are in private use with limited public access to visitors.
According to Salusaar, renovating a manor is a challenging and expensive undertaking, which is why a common characteristic can be highlighted in all manor house buyers – they are people with a very special sense of mission who have taken it upon themselves to preserve and promote manor culture in Estonia. "Most manor houses are under heritage protection, and their restoration and renovation are subject to strict and often quite rigorous requirements, which are aimed more at historical restoration than complete reconstruction. When financing manor house renovation, one can apply for various support mechanisms and renovation subsidies, but this requires that the manor be open to the public in some way," Lii Salusaar pointed out.
Primarily Estonians are interested in purchasing Estonian manor houses, but also people of other nationalities who are connected to Estonia or business activities here. "Acquiring a manor house is not an emotional purchase, it is a challenging real estate project and an investment for future generations. Every manor owner must be prepared for the fact that not only friends and family members will visit their estate, but also many strangers who wish to feel the breath of history and enjoy a beautiful environment," said Martin Matsberg.
