Cottage housing with access to water bodies in the suburbs of Kyiv is more expensive on average by 90% compared to projects without reservoirs, and housing in the segment of apartment buildings – by 23%, according to a study of the housing market of Obukhiv district of Kyiv region by Urban Experts.

"Housing projects with access to water are on average more expensive [by 23% for comfort class residential complexes and 90% for cottage complexes] and actively use the natural features of the territory in promoting housing on the market," the study said.

According to it, most of the cottage townships, as well as all townhouse projects in the area, do not have access to water bodies, which is why the price difference is more than 90% compared to objects near rivers and ponds.

So, the price of cottages in Obukhiv district without access to water bodies is on average $980 per square meter, while projects with access to common areas near the water cost $1,400 per square meter, and with individual access – $2,100 per square meter. The number of cottages in projects with shared access to water bodies is on average about 130 (a total of 394 cottages in three projects), while in towns with individual access – 33 (a total of 200 cottages in six projects).

"The big price difference between the two categories of cottage townships with access to water bodies is explained by the scale of construction and the segment – the latter are more elite, and have more interesting architectural proposals. In addition, the use of individual access to water bodies in projects is a great difference between such objects in terms of living standards, which strongly affects the price," the study said.

At the same time, half of the comfort class residential complexes for sale, located in the area, have access to water bodies, which act as common areas and public space. The cost of such housing is on average $700-1,000 per square meter for the comfort class, and about $1,100-1,600 per square meter for business class.

"In suburban projects of multi-apartment housing near water bodies, it is important to maximize the use of the natural characteristics of the territory: improvement of the river bank, creation of recreation areas, arrangement of walking routes to the protected area, and organization of water activities," the company's experts said.

According to the study, projects with access to water bodies use the natural features of the territory as an advantage of suburban housing, and the developed infrastructure allows it to be presented as an alternative to urban housing.

"Rational use of the access zone to water can become a competitive advantage of such projects," the Urban Experts said.

Urban Experts is an architecture company that provides full-stage architecture and consulting services for mixed-use, commercial, residential, infrastructure and transportation facilities in the Eastern Europe region. The company is also a licensed evaluator of projects and buildings in accordance with the international environmental certification BREEAM.