Number of dwellings in use decreased

Chisinau, 26 May /MOLDPRES/- The number of dwellings put into use decreased by 25.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the same period of the previous year, when it doubled against January-March 2016. The National Statistics Bureau announces that in the first three months of this year, 1119 apartments and dwellings were put into operation.

Experts in real estate explain this considerable decline by over-saturation of the market. The investments in housing of Moldovans working abroad have been significantly reduced. At the same time, economists note that an impetus on housing construction will have the “First Home” programme, launched by the government.

Statistics show that although the number of apartments in use dropped dramatically in the first quarter by 42.9 per cent, the decrease being registered especially in the urban area, in January-March 2018 - 364 individual dwellings were put into use, 7.6 per cent more than in the same period of the previous year.

The highest share of dwellings in use was recorded in the urban area – 978 dwellings, decreasing by 30.4 per cent compared to the level recorded in January-March 2017. In the rural area 141 dwellings were finished, up by 4.9 per cent against the first quarter of the last year.

At regional level, there is decrease in Chisinau and Gagauzia by 36.4 per cent and 5.9 per cent respectively, while in the north and centre regions there were registered increases of over 10 per cent and in the south region – 66.8 per cent.

In the last ten years, buying an apartment for a family of Moldova became three times more accessible. Thus, if in 2008 to buy a comfortable apartment of 70 square meters the expenditures amounted to 30.6 average annual salaries, then in 2017 only 11.2 average annual salaries will be needed, according to IDIS Viitorul. This reduction is due to both lower house prices and higher average wage growth.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor A. Răileanu)