Retiring size: the share of microstudios in Moscow has grown despite restrictions

The share of small-sized studios in residential buildings in Moscow has grown, despite the introduced in August 2024 restrictions on the minimum meterage of 28 square meters. meters. This was reported to Izvestia by analysts and market participants. Now in capital the number of microstudios in new buildings makes 14 %, and in houses under construction - about 9 %. From January 1, 2025, similar restrictions began to operate in the Moscow region, and in 2026 will work in the Leningrad region. Knowing about future restrictions, developers have become particularly active in obtaining construction permits for new projects with many small apartments. On what awaits the studio market further - in the material "Izvestia".

Studio in Moscow

The ban on the construction of apartments with an area of less than 28 sq. m. in Moscow began on August 1, 2024. But despite the current restrictions, the share of studios in the market has not only not decreased, but, on the contrary, increased, market participants told Izvestia. Compared to the beginning of last year, their number has increased from 11 to 14% of the total supply in the Moscow region, from 20 to 27% in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, and from 10.5% to 12.1% in Russia as a whole.

At the same time, the number of such objects in houses still under construction is about 9%.

In the Moscow region, the restrictions on the minimum meter size began to work on January 1, 2025. Another region where the minimum area will be introduced will be the Leningrad Region. But there the ban comes into force only from 2026.

In Moscow, the demand for such apartments has increased against the background of statements about the prospects of their restriction - in April, the share of microstudios in the demand structure amounted to 14% and in May, just before the ban, reached 17%, said Commercial Director - Partner of Est-a-Tet Vladimir Morebis.

- Against the background of the increased demand, the developers were putting into realization reserve volumes of such apartments not only in Moscow, but also in the region, - he said. - In the conditions of barrier mortgage rates and sagging demand in the market as a whole, the realization of studios attracted stable revenues.

According to VSN Group, the volume of small-sized housing (up to 28 square meters. m) in the primary market in the Moscow region for the last year almost did not change and was at the level of 11-12%.

- At the same time, the share of sales of small-sized housing for the last year varies from 10 to 20%, - said the General Director of the company Yana Glazunova. - In the first half of 2024 the demand fluctuated from 14 to 17%, the lowest was recorded in July-August, it is 10-12%. Then from September to October there was an increase to 14-15%. The highest demand is observed in the last three months from November 2024 to January 2025, where the share of sales of such housing reaches 18-20%.

According to the development company "Glavstroy Regions", in 2023, such objects in the Moscow region market occupied 16.9% of the market in the average year, and in 2024 their share increased to 18.5%. Now the share of studios in the Moscow region is about 25% of total sales, said Ilya Frolov, managing partner of the development company Stenoy. In total, the share of small-sized apartments reaches 40% of the total sales volume in all classes of housing, except for the premium segment.

- In the last few years, the demand for such apartments has increased several times, and we can assume that this picture will continue at least until 2030, - he said.

In the Leningrad region, where the ban will come into force only in a year, the whole of 2024 and now local developers are actively designing studios, said the deputy director of product development of GC "A101" Pavel Bryzgalov.

- In Moscow this ban has already come into force, so in new projects the minimum area of apartments starts from 28 square meters, - he said. - But all the volumes that have been approved are still on sale, so there is still a certain percentage of studios on the market.

Who wants to buy micro apartments

In the first half of 2024, the share of studios in the demand structure in the Moscow region amounted to 22-23%. After changes in the mortgage market conditions, such as the termination of a number of preferential programs, rising interest rates, limited limits on family mortgages, the share of studios decreased to 15%, said Vladimir Morebis.

- For many buyers they remain the only opportunity, not counting the purchase of shares in secondary apartments, to enter the housing market with a small budget, - he said.

According to "Glavstroy Regions", for two years, the average cost per square meter increased from 166.4 thousand rubles in the I quarter of 2023 to 196.3 thousand rubles in the IV quarter of 2024. The average supply budget of studios increased by 7.4% year-on-year, one-room apartments - by 6.8%, two-room apartments - by 9.9%, and three-room apartments - by 10.9%.

The average price per square meter in micro-apartments on the secondary market is 17% higher than the market average, added Alexey Popov, head of "Cian.Analitiki".

- This situation is a consequence of the fact that the majority of micro-apartments on the secondary market are objects in recently completed new buildings, where prices are a priori higher than the average on the market, - explained the expert. - In addition, cheaper objects usually become more expensive due to both the effect of low base and increased demand.

Small-sized apartments have been and remain the most liquid options for developers, although their cost price is higher due to the large share of costs for bathrooms and communications, reminded the sales director of the federal company "Etazhi" Sergei Zaitsev.

- But even a higher cost per square meter than in apartments with a larger area allows to ensure the affordability of the final price of such apartments for mass buyers, - he said. - This is especially true when it comes to starter housing, as well as options that are purchased for subsequent rental.

Why the share of studios is growing

The growth of the share of studios looks paradoxical against the background of restrictions on their design in new residential complexes, confirmed the commercial director of Glavstroy Regions Alexei Artoshin.

- But there is a logical explanation for this. Firstly, there are still a significant number of studios on the market, which were included in the projects before the new town-planning norms came into force, - the expert noted. - Secondly, in the conditions of rising prices and mortgage rates, some buyers choose more affordable small-sized formats, which supports demand.

Ruslan Syrtsov, Managing Director of the company "Metrium", confirmed that there are many complexes on the market, which managed to obtain a building permit before the ban and, accordingly, retained the apartmentography with high-margin compact apartments.

- In the capital, including New Moscow, the share of studios is now 16.8%, - said the expert.

Despite the popularity of such housing, in the future the market may face new challenges, added Alexei Artoshin. Restrictions on the design of studios will gradually change the structure of supply, forcing developers to reconsider the approach to the formation of residential complexes. Instead of classic studios, alternative formats may appear - compact one-bedroom apartments with a kitchen-niche or small lots with transformable partitions.

According to Sergey Zaitsev, the market will start to feel the reduction in the share of apartments with the area up to 28 sq. m. not earlier than in the second half of 2025, and against the background of limited demand the effect of changes may be delayed until the end of 2025 - beginning of 2026.