Analysts have announced an increase in investment risks in suburban real estate
In 2026, suburban real estate is increasingly becoming the subject not of emotional, but of rational choice: the cottage is no longer perceived solely as a place for summer holidays. Against the background of rising maintenance costs, changes in infrastructure and transformation of demand, buyers are wondering whether a country house is a comfortable asset, a long—term investment or a financial burden. All the details are in the Izvestia article.
The situation on the real estate market
Valery Tumin, Director of Russian and CIS Markets at Pham Properties, said that in 2026 there was a 5% increase in the number of house transactions, and demand for land increased by 11% compared to 2025. Ready-made modern buildings with an area of 80 to 120 square meters are the most popular. m in organized settlements with connected utilities. Traditional cottages are gradually losing relevance, giving way to facilities with developed infrastructure near the city.
"In the premium segment, buyers are increasingly choosing personalized projects: houses designed for a specific lifestyle and customer needs," the expert said.
The cost of property ownership
Igor Rastorguev, a leading analyst at AMarkets, told Izvestia that over the past three years, the maintenance of suburban housing has risen in price by 30-40%. Electricity tariffs increased by 85%, gas tariffs by 60%, and property taxes increased 2.5 times on average due to the transition to cadastral valuation. The annual basic expenses for the maintenance of even a modest cottage, including membership fees to gardening associations and garbage collection, now amount to about 50-70 thousand rubles.
"Repairs are becoming an additional factor in the burden on the budget. According to statistics, 70% of country house owners face the need for unplanned repairs every year. The cost of building materials, gardening tools and seeds has also increased significantly, which makes owning your own cottage more expensive compared to previous periods," said Tumin.
Dacha as an asset
It is possible to consider a cottage as an investment, but taking into account the seasonality and complexity of evaluating such facilities. Land retains the potential for value growth, but country houses sell slower than apartments, and banks do not always approve them as collateral. There are risks of real estate becoming an illiquid asset if the house is outdated or located too far from the city and transport hubs.
Rastorguev notes that the financial difference between buying and renting a house for summer holidays is gradually decreasing. In his opinion, after 5-7 years, the total cost of owning an inexpensive cottage can be compared with regular rent, although ownership allows you to return some of the invested funds when selling.
Tumin, in turn, warns against purchasing plots for children "to grow up."
"A site without a developed infrastructure may lose liquidity in 10-15 years, and it is almost impossible to predict where a child will live in adulthood. Therefore, it is more reasonable to consider the cottage as an asset for one's own use here and now, and leave more liquid assets to the children as an inheritance, for example, a city apartment," the expert said.
Rent remains profitable for those who plan to use the house for no more than two months a year or are not ready to deal with household issues and repairs on their own. Experts recommend carefully checking the legal purity of transactions and the prospects for the development of the area before buying.
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