According to YIT's Sustainable Urban Environments barometer, the residents of Finland's largest cities (42%) still regard owner-occupied housing as the most attractive option economically, and its importance for the quality of life and flexibility of living is increasingly emphasized. People now want a home that can adapt to different life situations.

An increasing number of city dwellers value efficient use of space more than spaciousness provided by a large home. Functionality of the home and ease of day-to-day chores are increasingly important in housing choices, and according to the barometer, less than a fifth (17%) of all respondents would like to have a larger kitchen or to update their kitchen and its equipment. The next most popular areas for improvement are the bathroom and toilets, where more facilities or space are thought important. The respondents would also like more bedrooms and storage space. One in ten respondents dreams of having a balcony or a sauna in their apartment. This is reflected in the new rise in the popularity of glazed balconies (increase of 5 percentage points from last year). Glazed balconies offer additional space that serves both living and remote work.

The choice between a new and an old property - from renovation worries to modern comfort

When choosing between new and old apartments, special emphasis is placed on different values. For the buyer of a new home, the most important benefits are renovation-free, clean and tidy spaces and modern solutions that facilitate hassle-free day-to-day living.

Reasons for favoring old, renovated apartments include the atmosphere of the building. But at the same time, many homeowners are worried about future repair needs (43%) and the increase in the cost of major renovations (21%).

"Old homes have their own charm - they can offer unique history and architectural traditions that are attractive to many homebuyers. On the other hand, modern solutions, pleasant indoor air and temperature, better energy efficiency and maintenance-free housing make new homes an attractive option, especially from the perspective of future housing. Modern common areas of housing companies also bring flexibility to life," says Pekka Helin, Head of Customerships and Living Services at YIT.

Eco-friendliness is increasingly important in housing

Eco-friendliness is an increasingly important factor in housing. Almost 70% of the respondents valued environmentally friendly heating highly or very highly. Even more (72%) pay attention to the ease of recycling and location within good public transport connections (79%). Also, more than 60% of the respondents thought that a house built or renovated to be energy efficient is a valuable feature. Thus, housing companies' energy investments can have a significant impact on the development of the property's value and the choices of residents.

"The results of the barometer show that Finns no longer think of owner-occupied housing only as an economic investment but also as a lifestyle choice. In an owner-occupied apartment, you are also free to decide on interior design choices, as well as on the style, quality and color scheme.  At YIT, we want to develop owner-occupied housing that not only meets today's requirements but also enables sustainable and adaptable living in the future," explains Helin.

The Sustainable Urban Environments barometer was conducted for the seventh time at the end of 2024. It is targeted at the residents of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Turku, Oulu, Jyväskylä and Kuopio. The number of respondents for the online panel was 1,000 + 350 (separate sample of office workers). The dataset represents the urban population aged 18-80 by gender, age and the size of the cities. Prior Konsultointi was commissioned by YIT to conduct the survey.

Learn more:
Sustainable Urban Environments Barometer | YITGroup.com
Owning your home is considered financially attractive - a sense of community increases commitment to a residential area | YITGroup.com
Research: remote work is common and many companies have scaled down their office spaces to accommodate 60% of their employees | YITGroup.com

For more information:
YIT Group Communications, tel. +358 44 743 7536, press@yit.fi

We build and develop sustainable living environments: functional and comfortable real estate as homes, public and commercial buildings for future needs, infrastructure to promote the green transition, and industrial, production and energy facilities to support our customers' processes. YIT's vision is to be the most competent partner in the development of sustainable homes, spaces and cities - for a good life. The company employs around 4 100 professionals, and in 2024 our turnover was EUR 1.8 billion. YIT's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.

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