The desire for silence, a greener environment, and larger living space are becoming increasingly relevant criteria when looking for a new home, especially in the capital. According to experts, people are looking not only for an attractive price or larger square footage, but also for a more peaceful lifestyle - close to nature, but with all the amenities.
"People are concentrating on areas with developed engineering and social infrastructure, bicycle and pedestrian paths, and easy access to all amenities and services. Although historically these areas usually develop around the city center, today we see that smaller sub-centers are forming not necessarily in the heart of the city," says Mindaugas Statulevičius, President of the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association (LNTPA).
15 minutes to the city
Many real estate trends have changed or become more evident after the pandemic - working from home and the desire to spend more time with family have led people to look for places to live that are easily accessible to all amenities.
"The 15-minute city is an urban principle where all the most important infrastructure is accessible within just 15 minutes on foot: schools, shops, medical institutions or parks. This concept is becoming increasingly relevant in Vilnius - especially around the central part, where other districts offer convenience without the prices of the central part of the city," says M. Statulevičius.
In addition, the 15-minute city concept is also associated with improving the quality of life - shorter trips, more time for family, less noise and Air pollutionThe expert notes that recently people have also been quite often looking for projects that are closer to nature, forests, bodies of water, or have their own yard.
"Vilnius is expanding very rapidly, so today you can have both - the peace of nature and not far from the center or the most important infrastructure facilities. The rapidly developing polycentric districts, such as Žvėrynas, Lazdynėliai, Pašilaičiai or Šeškinė, are becoming a kind of city within a city," he says.
Seeking a balance between city and nature
Inga Račevska, the head of the real estate company Rinvest, reiterates that the priorities of people looking for housing have changed over the past year. Increasingly, people value not only the quality of the housing itself, but also what surrounds it - greenery, privacy, and the opportunity to spend quality time near their home.
"Quality time in the fresh air has become a necessity for many, not a luxury. However, accessibility to infrastructure facilities is also important: kindergartens, schools, shops, and convenient connections to the most important objects in the city," she says.
According to I. Račevska, both Rinvest and other developers are increasingly looking for places where these expectations can be reconciled: "Projects are often developed where the city meets nature: near forests, parks, and water bodies. For example, the "Riverland" quarter is located on the edge of the Bukčiai Forest Park, right next to the Neris River - surrounded by nature, but only a few minutes from the center. Another example is the "PortoFranko" project near the Buivydiškės Pond and a massif of mature trees, but only a few minutes from Constitution Avenue".
"The quality of life is determined not only by the area or furnishings of the apartment, but also by what a person can experience when leaving the house. Even when there are natural areas nearby, additional leisure spaces are still important for residents. Places where you can meet neighbors, play with children, do sports, or just hang out, create real value - not only financial, but also emotional," says I. Račevska.
The company's manager notes that buyers are more often interested in properties with views of nature, and the first homes purchased in projects are often those with private courtyards or terraces overlooking a green area. Similar design solutions are no longer the exception, but increasingly the market standard.
