Roommates Prague: Demand fell by half during the pandemic
Roommates mainly concern large cities with universities. Over three quarters of the market are in Prague and Brno. “It simply came to our notice then not only students but also other groups of people are looking for roommates. For example, those who commute to the city for work want to save on housing and do not mind the company in the apartment, or they clearly prefer it, “said Michal Hrbatý, director of UlovDomov.cz.
Half the demand
Demand before the start of the school year 2021/2022 was only about 50 percent of demand from the end of summer 2019. “It is possible that with the onset of the pandemic, some people set strict rules for contact with the environment, so they gradually withdrew from this way of living. In addition, the study lasted only a long time, so the need to live in a university place receded into the background, “says Hrbatý. He points out that rents have also fallen slightly in the past two years, so that the percentage of students who could afford to live alone has probably risen.
Interest in roommates is growing again, but it is still ahead of the pandemic that began in the Czech Republic in March 2020. “It is necessary to take into account that the dynamics of the rental market is a certain contractual cycle. Most rents thus have conditions practically fixed for a year, sometimes even longer, “added Hrbatý. Thus, for example, if some students have rented without roommates for a good start or during 2021, they are likely to continue this regime for at least the duration of the contract.
For many students, roommates are an alternative to college dormitories. “In the current school year, for logical reasons, interest in dormitories was again much higher than a year earlier. This is related to the fact that we announced full-time teaching long in advance, which we have managed to maintain throughout the school year, “said Filip Vrána, spokesman for Mendel University in Brno.
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