"You don't need to take risks for the sake of risk, but you shouldn't be afraid of storms either"

The prospects for housing construction in Russia were discussed at the federal real estate forum "Movement" in Sochi and earlier at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025). In an interview with Izvestia, one of the participants of these events, Vladimir Shchekin, co-owner of the Rodina Group, spoke about the state of the industry, the components of success in the current conditions and what will help the development of construction in the country.

— Experts often disagree about the prospects of the construction and real estate markets. What do you think, how do you see the future of the industry? What are the prospects for developers?

— The situation is not easy, it is stormy, the wind is blowing the sails. Periods of calm are needed for respite, but wind and wave are needed to move forward towards the horizon. You don't need to take risks for the sake of risk, but you shouldn't be afraid of storms either. It is necessary to think, make decisions and not let go of the steering wheel.

We have entered a period of direct involvement of developers in achieving national development goals, and the construction industry has ceased to be an auxiliary industry today. They expect complex design solutions from us, which are a direct tool for implementing the state agenda.

Therefore, those developers who are interested in business success need to focus on clear reference areas: people, family and children, traditional values, the national visual code, creative industries.

There was a lot of talk about this at the Sochi plenary discussion. These are the values that are the cornerstones of success for the state, society and business. Today it is an opportunity, and tomorrow it is a growing marginality.

— What mechanisms will help the industry adapt to the new demands of the state?

— I won't reveal all the secrets. I also need to run a marathon and I want to be ahead. But I will outline the main tools for solving new tasks.

The first is master planning. We need to understand this deeply, today it is the basis for the formation of new urban spaces. Influence the structure and content of master plans, work closely with the HOUSE.The Russian Federation and the Ministry of Construction.

Secondly, we need to quickly and carefully look at those 2,160 stronghold settlements, which, as the head of state stated at an expanded meeting of the State Council, will form and strengthen the economic and infrastructural framework of Russia.

The third is to pay close attention to the 1,000 historical sites that are to be restored in the next 5 years on behalf of the President. They will become points of attraction not only for tourism, but also for the integrated development of territories.

Fourth, the importance of collaboration should not be underestimated. Collaborate with the leaders of the creative industries. They will boost the economy, and our segment is the first in line for its dose of adrenaline. And, of course, we need to take technology and science as allies. Artificial intelligence should be integrated into the implementation of projects. It's a base now.

In addition, when a person becomes a central figure in design, intuition is no longer enough. Making informed decisions requires a deep, scientific understanding of human nature. In such matters, a subjective approach is an unreliable guideline. Only objective research and professional scientific conclusions can serve as a solid foundation. That is why we strive to use and develop neuro—urbanism, a field that is recognized worldwide as one of the most effective tools in creating a modern, comfortable and supportive living environment.

— Urbanism in Russia has been a hot topic of professional discussion for many years. Which of those whose opinions are now also taken into account when developing new projects, could you single out?

— Recently, professional discussions in the industry have been conducted with the participation of those whom we previously perceived as distant partners, but today, on the contrary, we actively include them in our work processes. We are talking about representatives of the creative industries, as well as psychologists, sociologists, IT experts and specialists in the field of artificial intelligence. Advanced development is now impossible without their active involvement in projects.

For example, our Rodina Park project originally planned a large-scale media cluster. We are already building a partnership with the Russian Media Group and are ready to create together not only a concert and event venue, but also a full-fledged educational environment that will allow future artists to go from their first studio trials to full-scale stage success. Most recently, on behalf of our president, Mikhail Mishustin held a strategic session on the development of creative industries. And the performing arts are among the 16 priority sectors of the creative economy identified by the government. We at the Rodina Group consider our participation in this process as a real opportunity to contribute to shaping the cultural future of our country.

— In addition to expanding partnerships and collaborations, what was discussed during the discussions in St. Petersburg and Sochi?

— The city, as an integral object, has become the dominant feature of the vast majority of panel discussions. The creation of infrastructure for life becomes not only a driver of the economy, but also a driver for the person himself. This fundamentally changes the role and importance of the construction industry for the state. And there are new rules behind it. Success awaits those who feel, understand, and accept these rules now. In fact, immediately.

— You have already mentioned several times the importance of interaction with the state at the global level, including in matters of financing. At the beginning of the month, the Central Bank decided to lower the key rate and indicated its intention to reduce it further. How can this affect the real estate market?

— At the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin announced important data for our industry: the issuance of construction permits has decreased by 28%, and by 2028 the volume of supply on the market may decrease by almost a third. This will objectively lead to a gradual increase in prices. In this situation, I would especially like to note the Central Bank's move to reduce the key interest rate, which has become a significant signal to the market. And we are already seeing the effect: people have started withdrawing funds from deposits and investing them in a reliable asset, residential real estate. After all, this is the main way to preserve and increase family capital. This is already being felt in the sales offices: interest is growing, and it happened in just a matter of weeks.

In the next two to three years, we expect an increase in demand, higher prices and a change in the structure of consumer behavior. More and more attention will be paid to family lots, not because there is support in the form of a family mortgage, but because the children are behind the family, and this is the basis of the state strategy, our sovereignty. Development has a special role here. Our contribution to the future of the country is that we must learn how to create such an urban environment so that people have more confidence in the future and a desire to have more children. Having many children should be perceived as a new norm.

— If we summarize the results of the past forums with a couple of suggestions, what can we say?

— The President said: "It seems to me that we have every reason to believe that we will be able to resolve the main issues in the construction sector in a way that they have never been resolved, neither in tsarist times nor in Soviet times. There are technologies, there are well-developed production of building materials, there is science, and the organization is good." He's right. And there are people, reliable people. Professional, motivated. Ready to build something that "will look from Mars and wonder." That's what the forums are for, that's what we work for every day. For this, hundreds of raised hands on the "Movement", in response to my simple but important question: who is ready to continue working in development — honestly, for a long time and with full dedication.