Kyiv apartment rentals

[Mir]

It looks like the rental prices of apartments in Kyiv (advertised on internet) have been increased by 10-15% in the last few weeks. Does this make any sense?
It is known that apartments are not selling easily in Kyiv and there are many more available to rent, so why are agencies demanding a higher price then the other way round?
Is it because they are trying to squeeze more out of anyone who is committed to visit Kyiv or is it because a lot more people are now visiting perhaps attracted by the high dollar?
Any comments from someone who is in Kyiv now or has just been there about the real situation on the ground?

[Bjoern]

 Hi all !
Last weekend i spend my time in a  apartment in the senter of Kiev.
I rent this apartment from Pavel Poznyak.
The flat was very comfortly and already warm upp when i enter.
The flat include, kitchen,2 sleeping room, internett acces, nice bathroom , big TV and cooler. In the senter of Kiev, but silent and safe place.
I pay 125 us dollars /day.

[Mir]

Code: [Select]

big TV and cooler
What did you need the cooler for? Isn't it cold enough already in Kyiv?

[Jack]

Mir what you are probably seeing is the annual increase in flats that come about the last week of December and first week of January.

Right now two room flats on or near Khershaytk (within a 6 minute walk) are going for $90 a day (two-three weeks ago $80).  But this same flat from about the 20th of December thru the 4th of January will go for $100-$115 **.  Any flat owner in the center of the center will be able to rent his flat from December 29th thru January 3rd for a very high rate and they will hold off and wait and wait and they will get a renter. 

Over the last two weeks my one constant daily job has been securing good quality flats in advance and putting down a three day deposit for each flat. Most flats being rented are from 10 days to 20 days. This is how were were able to get several flats for $80. Those flats are gone. Then the $85 and $90 flats.  I expect, and as I told one man who asked last night, that by the end of next week their will be no more $90 a night flats and now you will be looking at $100 and up per night. In short, a word of advice to anyone planning to spend New
Years in the center of Kiev, get your flat within the next week.

People from all over Ukraine come to Kiev to celebrate New Years. As such all Kiev flats will be rented out at some price or another.  ** It is a Kiev tradition that flat owners will charge 150% more their normal rates for anyone renting a flat on December 30th, 31st, January 1st and 2nd.  The only reason we don't pay this is due to the minimum ten days stay.

Bjoern, I am curious. Did you just except this $125 a day rate you paid or did you shop around?  It appears you paid some $35 or $40 a day more than you could have. The rate of $125 a day is the starting price that most Kiev flat rental agencies charge.

[Bjoern]

 Mir
You have a good point !
It was realy cold and windy the weekend i stay in Kiev.
So

[Bjoern]

 Jack !
There was no time for me to do research.
The Apartment was in senter of kiev and very suitable for me.
This was first meeting and my Lady have one room for herself and i another.
Maybe next time we need only one room

[Kuna]

Hi all !
Last weekend i spend my time in a  apartment in the senter of Kiev.
I rent this apartment from Pavel Poznyak.
The flat was very comfortly and already warm upp when i enter.
The flat include, kitchen,2 sleeping room, internett acces, nice bathroom , big TV and cooler. In the senter of Kiev, but silent and safe place.
I pay 125 us dollars /day.

CHIN-CHING!

I bet he said "Thank you my friend"...   

 

[kievstar]

Many (not all) of the flights to Kiev for New Years are already full unless you buy business class.  Like Jack says prices always go up right now and renters want more days (you get a good price for 5 or more days and if they know you - less than 5 can be higher).   Jack gets very good prices compared to other agencies.  Kiev had more foreigners this past weekend than I have ever seen.  Discos and restaurants were packed and reservations were needed for the nicer places.  My flight was full of sex tourists.  Was interesting their view on what they do.  They said Kiev was to expensive in past years so Colombia was best place to go.  Now with Kiev very cheap the sex tourists are coming back.  Good for the apartment renters, discos, and restaurants as sex tourists tend to be older guys with a lot of money to spend and stay 10-20 days as they are retired from work (but they do like to put a price on what they spend).  At least the sex tourists  I met. Was surprised how open they were about what they do and their two backup plans.  Stop here as not a good subject to speak about.

The key on the apartment in Kiev is to rent from ones listed in Ukraine dollars if your from USA.  I got a nice 3 room apartment on Kreshatik (spelling - main street) for same price last year but in Ukraine money so really a lot cheaper.  About $65 usd a night.  This apartment is not listed on internet like most apartments in Kiev.  The dating agencies tend to have access to very few of the actual market of potential apartments to rent.   Best apartments in Kiev (price / quality) are not on the internet and owners speak no English.  So these apartments are not good ideas for first timers to Kiev or men with no Russian language skills.  I no longer help anyone on apartments as had a bad incident recently from someone I helped out (was not the owner at fault either).

Mir - rent prices are increasing in Kiev in certain areas and decreasing in others. But your right buying apartments is decreasing - down 40% in some areas of Kiev.  Personally, I think Kiev will crash within 5 years.  The stores still have many fall / summer clothes and very few winter clothes.  My fiance was not very happy with the clothes selection and is looking forward to coming to USA as her friends who married AM are very happy with the USA shopping (happy with AM too).   Rental car companies in Kiev have many cars available which in past 2 years were always 100% booked. Many lawyers and consulting partners fired in last two weeks.  These are people making $15,000 usd a month legally.  But sex toursits are in higher numbers so maybe Kiev economy balances out. 

[Mir]

But sex toursits are in higher numbers so maybe Kiev economy balances out. 

Till the time they can finance these trips, the way world economy is going they may not have much time left

I think a 5 year period for a crash in Kyiv is rather optimistic, it is more likely to happen in the next 12 months.
But then many other countries would have crashed by then, inclusing UK etc so perhaps the world economy would balance itself as no one will have much left

[Stirlitz]

That’s strange. Property in Ukraine has been about to fall. Rentals are supposed to be affected too. Also, the exchange rate is rising, so it doesn’t make sense to me at all. The holidays are still some time ahead…