Real estate agents lure customers into buying mini-apartments using rope ladders and gas masks.

According to Le Anh Hai, a real estate agent specializing in selling mini-apartments in Thanh Xuan district ( Hanoi ), since the mini-apartment fire in Khuong Ha, almost no customers have shown interest in this type of property due to concerns about fire safety.

However, in the last two days, after he posted information about fire safety systems, rope ladders, and gas masks, the houses priced at 1.2 - 1.3 billion VND have started attracting inquiries from potential buyers.

" Even though the customer hasn't finalized the deal yet, this is a good sign, after a whole week with no inquiries ," said Hai.

According to Mr. Hai, in reality, with a budget of around 1 billion VND, the mini-apartment segment is still of interest to many low-income families who want stable housing, despite the legal and safety risks associated with this type of housing. Because if they don't buy these apartments, they will have to rent, which will still be similar to mini-apartments.

Many advertisements for mini-apartments include fire safety certificates. (Screenshot).

“ Housing prices in Hanoi are currently too high; apartments priced at 2 billion VND have almost disappeared from the market. Therefore, mini-apartments priced at around 1 billion VND will still be the choice for low-income earners. However, when buying, they will have to pay more attention to fire safety, so apartments with emergency staircases and rope ladders will be more attractive to buyers ,” Mr. Hai said.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Men, another real estate agent in Hanoi, also said that customer demand for mini-apartments remains very high. Therefore, after the fire in Khuong Ha, they may be temporarily cautious, but after a short time, homebuyers will return to this segment, of course with conditions regarding fire safety.

Therefore, to attract customers, in the past few days she has prioritized posting information about fire safety in the most visible location when advertising the mini-apartments for sale.

" We post what customers are interested in to meet their needs. Although not as many people have inquired about buying these past few days, we still receive 2-3 calls each day from customers asking about our products, unlike the quiet days after the fire ," Ms. Mến said.

According to real estate experts, demand for mini-apartments in Hanoi will remain very high, and rental prices for this type of property are unlikely to decrease, but both developers and residents will pay more attention to safety issues.

According to data from Batdongsan.com.vn, in the first eight months of 2023, apartments with an area of ​​less than 35m2 were typically studio apartments in large projects or apartments in mini-apartment buildings, which attracted people's attention due to their affordable prices and ease of liquidity and rental.

Mr. Dinh Minh Tuan, Director of Batdongsan.com.vn in the Southern region, also stated that the supply of apartments is likely to decrease because it will be more difficult for developers to obtain construction permits and launch sales as fire safety and rescue management and inspection are intensified.

The market for mini-apartments will face difficulties in the coming period, but prices may not decrease. (Illustrative image: Cong Hieu).

In addition, the construction and operating costs of the apartment building are also projected to increase in accordance with the design and the acceptance and maintenance work in compliance with fire safety regulations.

“ Demand for mini-apartments may decrease, but the reduction will be insignificant. Given limited supply, high demand, and rising costs, prices are unlikely to fall ,” Mr. Tuan said.

Commenting on the future of the mini-apartment market, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Anh, Deputy General Director of Batdongsan.com.vn, said that after the particularly serious fire at the mini-apartment building on Khuong Ha Street (Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi), the mini-apartment market is expected to face difficulties.

“ The next phase will be very difficult for those involved in the mini-apartment business, as well as those buying and renting this type of property, because authorities will be reviewing projects, not only in Hanoi but across the country, ” said Mr. Nguyen Quoc Anh.

According to Mr. Quoc Anh, this move will force many owners of mini-apartment buildings to temporarily suspend business operations if they have not yet complied with strict fire safety regulations. They will also lose a lot of time and money on repairs to meet the operating requirements of the apartment building.

According to experts, tenants can terminate their leases and find new accommodation if their current place is unsafe. However, the number of affordable apartments that meet security and safety criteria is very limited. Therefore, rental prices will increase.

Chau Anh

Source: https://vtc.vn/moi-gioi-du-khach-mua-chung-cu-mini-bang-thang-day-mat-na-chong-doc-ar821902.html