Students eye house sharing
Soaring rents in Attica are bringing back trends that had long gone out of fashion for students looking for the best accommodation options, such as sharing and searching for a house well ahead of the academic season, not at the end of August, as was customary in previous years, but from the beginning of July.
The reason, of course, is the fact that there are not many quality properties available for rent, while the situation is clearly more difficult for small apartments, which are becoming popular because of their relatively lower overall cost, compared to larger properties.
However, depending on the area and whether sharing is feasible, it is probably more beneficial for students to look for a larger, two-bedroom apartment, as the average cost per square meter is more reasonable compared to the equivalent of a 40-45 sq.m. residence.
For example, in many parts of downtown Athens the average asking price for an apartment approaches or even exceeds 9 euros/sq.m. In fact, in the case of small apartments and studio flats, which are even harder to find, the asking price may even exceed €11/sq.m.
At the same time, a larger property can have an asking price of €8/sq.m. The final monthly price is similar, but the tenant gains surface area and can more easily live with a friend or a fellow student, sharing the costs and related expenses.
In any case, high rental prices are a factor that interested students should consider. There are properties currently offered in the market, which in the past were refurbished and furnished, with the aim of being exploited through short-term leases. However, because they are located in areas not in high demand from foreign visitors, their owners have chosen to exploit them with a similar model, but now focusing on students.
Therefore, there are classified ads for fully equipped properties, with the price of the ad incorporating all relevant costs, such as utility bills, etc. Essentially, the owners of these properties try to rent them out with a corresponding approach with the short-term lease.
