Purchasing an apartment is often a complicated process. There are many details that need to be taken account, and many of us go start looking for the apartment without being prepared.
Thus, we encounter the situation in which we find ourselves that we are tired of searching and we don’t know what we want anymore.
Or even worse, we've bought an apartment that does not match our initial expectations. The apartment is procured not based on real needs we have, but rather for superficial reasons (we liked the repair, the positive energy in the house).
In order to save time and nerves, but also to understand what type of apartment you need, you have to answer the following 12 questions:
1. In what sector do you want to live?
In what sector of Chisinau do you want to live? Botanica, Buiucani, Center, Telecentru, Ciocana, Riscani? Or you opt for an apartment in the suburbs?
It is important to have access to public transport. You should pay attention to the road that will have to go through every day to and from work, or your children to and from school.
Analyze the socio-economic and cultural infrastructure near the area where you want to live. See if there is a store, bank, pharmacy, hospital, playground or why not a library. Also see if there is a square, park or lake nearby where you could walk or rest.
See here the role of the location when buying an apartment.
For your convenience, below you will find available apartments depending on the sector:
- Apartaments in Botanica
- Apartaments in Buiucani
- Apartaments in Center
- Apartaments in Telecenter
- Apartaments in Ciocana
- Apartaments in Riscani
2. How many rooms do I need?
The number of rooms is important in choosing an apartment. Choose an apartment to meet family needs. Consider new family members that may appear in the future.
In addition to the number of rooms, it is important to choose an apartment that has a successful planning. Pay attention to the size of each room (bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom, balcony), to their geometry (opt for rooms closer to the square shape).
3. What area should the apartment have?
The 1-room apartments with 40-45m2, 2 rooms with 60-65m2, and 3 rooms apartments with 80-90m2 are the most popular because they have a reasonably used living space.
Below you will find the normal room sizes for a comfortable apartment:
1 room apartment (42 m2)
- bedroom - 18m2
- kitchen - 12m2
- bathroom - 4m2
- hall - 5m2
- balcony - 3m2
2 rooms apartment (62 m2)
- 1st bedroom - 14 m2
- 2nd bedroom (living) - 18 m2
- kitchen - 12m2
- bathroom - 5 m2
- hall - 10 m2
- balcony - 3m2
2 rooms+living apartment (64 m2)
- 1st bedroom - 12 m2
- 2nd bedroom (living) - 14 m2
- kitchen + living - 20m2
- bathroom - 5 m2
- hall - 10 m2
- balcony - 3m2
3 rooms apartment (85 m2)
- 1st bedroom - 12 m2
- 2nd bedroom - 14 m2
- 3rd bedroom (living) - 20 m2
- kitchen - 14m2
- bathroom - 6 m2
- WC - 2 m2
- hall - 12 m2
- balcony - 5m2
4. Block under construction or put into operation?
Buying an apartment in a building under construction is safer since 1 March 2019. If you have time to wait, you can opt for an apartment that is in the construction stage. At this stage, in addition to a lower price, you can choose the best planimetric with the best positioning.
If you want to move as quickly as possible to your new home, then the only solution is to buy a secondary or newly-built apartment in block put in operation.
5. What type of building, new or old?
What's better, a new block or old block apartment? Here, I think everyone has to analyze the pluses and minuses of each type of construction.
The new buildings have much larger and better plans, all electrical and sanitary communications are new, the yards are much better arranged.
Old blocks have much more strategic positions, closer to public transport.
See more details in this article: apartment in new block or old block.
6. With repair or in white?
An apartment in the white version is like a new sheet, it can be drawn any design to your liking. If you have 2-3 months to finish all the work to repair and furnish the apartment, then for sure it is the ideal option for you.
In repaired apartments you can move on the day of the transaction if you have such an agreement with the owner. You can find a quality repair apartment at a very good price if you look thorough and do not hurry to buy it. Eventually you have to be ready to accept some design.
7. Which floor?
The floor matters. But not always so much. Moldovans have a reluctance to buy an apartment on the first or last floor, even if the apartments cost at least 15-20% less. See here the advantages of living on the top floor.
Besides the floor, I think you should consider positioning, and here I refer to the middle, bilateral or corner location. Also, if it is sun-oriented (east and south), if you want to have more light.
8. Autonomous heating or centralized?
Apartments in old blocks usually have central heating. In some of them it's too hot, in others you can feel the cold. However, the heat bill does not matter. Yes, there are also old block apartments with autonomous heating, which are usually more expensive with 2000-3000 euro.
The apartments in the new blocks are almost 99% with autonomous heating in each of them. There are also new residential complexes that have autonomous heating on the block, the heat bill is usually much higher than in the case of an apartment with own heating.
9. What other needs do I have: balcony, closet, parking space, garage?
Do you need a balcony? Of course, if you do not want to dry your laundry in the house. We all know that humidity after drying the laundry in the home can cause the growth of mites and mold.
If you want to keep a well-arranged home, but at the same time you have a lot of things that need to be stored, you need to buy a closet. Often the storage closet is offered as a gift or sold for an additional 1000-2000€.
If you have a car, you need to buy a parking space or a garage. A parking space costs 5000-7000 €, and a closed garage 8000-12000 €.
10. How much money do I have? In credit or cash?
When you start looking for an apartment, you need to see what your finances are. You need to analyze very well what real money you have to buy it.
If you have a home and want to improve your living conditions, you first need to see how much you can sell your home, which extra savings you have and just start looking for a more modern or more spacious apartment.
If you do not have enough money, you can use an ordinary 30% mortgage or Prima Casa Program where the initial rate is only 10%. You have to go to the bank and analyze the offers and mortgage conditions. It is important to know what is the maximum amount the bank can give you in the form of a mortgage.
11. How soon do I want to buy an apartment?
If you are buying in a very limited time, you must be prepared to dedicate time to the search process. You have to be ready to analyze the hundreds of offers on the sites with ads, but also to go to presentations.
Also, you have to prepare all the cash in case you find an apartment at a very good price so you do not miss the opportunity to buy it until you find the money (borrowed from relatives or bank).
12. Do I buy myself or call a real estate specialist?
If you have a very long time and you are very well informed financially and legally in the real estate field, you can try to find the apartment on your own. Be ready to meet dozens of online real estate ads that do not match the reality. Be prepared to meet owners who do not have all the property documents in order.
If you do not want to have a lot of headaches, you can contact a professional real estate specialist who will help you throughout the process of buying an apartment. Real estate specialists are the ones who know what the real market prices are and who can ensure a legally correct transaction.
CONCLUSION
The search and purchase process of an apartment can be much more effective if you prepare yourself from the very beginning. The answer to the 12 questions above will help you morally prepare yourself and define for yourself what are the most important aspects of purchasing an apartment.
If you need a specialist specialist to help you throughout the search and purchase of real estate, then we are waiting for you Acces Imobil Office: Chisinau, 12/1, Grigore Vieru av.,or contact us: 078 888 900.
Acces Imobil - with us you make the right choice!
