Developers have reduced the average area of the two-room apartments they build, which now cover some 49-50 sqm. These are 5% smaller compared to the apartments built in the 1980s, so that companies can get more attractive sale prices, according to an analysis by real estate consultancy firm RealTime.

Developers sometimes reduce the surface of two-room apartments below the legal limit, said Cristina Rosca, Managing Partner RealTime.

Two-room apartments have the largest share in residential projects. Almost 60% of the new complexes include these type of houses. In Bucharest, the share reaches about 63%.

The consumers’ decreased purchasing power after 2008 determined developers to reduce the apartments’ surfaces, so that they can sell them cheaper. The quality of these apartments has also dropped, as some of these houses have kitchens without an external window.

editor@romania-insider.com