Tallinn and Tartu rents up again as Estonian students head back to school
With the new academic year fast approaching, rental rates in Estonia's two largest cities have climbed as much as 3.3 percent on year, driven by limited student housing and students' growing preference for more privacy.
Compared with last August, rental prices have climbed 2 percent in Tallinn and 3.3 percent in Tartu, Estonia's main university town.
Karin Noppel-Kokerov, head of real estate portal City24, said this summer surge is predictable.
"Every year around July or August, prices are seasonally higher because all the cheaper listings get snapped up as quickly as possible, leaving only larger, more expensive [apartments]," Noppel-Kokerov explained.
When searching for a place to live, second-year University of Tartu (TÜ) student Iris Altmets' top priority was peace and quiet. Her apartment hunting took her across the city's Supilinn, Karlova and Tähtvere disricts.
"Quiet is really important to us, since we previously lived in a street-facing dorm room on Narva maantee, and the noise levels were unbearable," Altmets explained.
Noppel-Kokerov noted that students are primarily looking for a place to lay their heads while in school, rather than additional amenities.
"Parking or storage isn't usually a priority for university students," she said. "Most of our listings in Tartu are in the city center and Annelinn, but Karlova and Vaksali are also popular thanks to their proximity to the university."
In the capital, she added, rental apartment listings remain concentrated in Central Tallinn and Põhja-Tallinn, though students will also consider Nõmme and Mustamäe, depending on their school's location.
According to Noppel-Kokerov, continued limited dorm availability fuels demand.
"There aren't enough dorms, so they fill up quickly," she said. "Of course, many students also prefer more privacy."
Despite rising rents, students still want affordable rent.
"€500 [a month] is generally what renters are willing to pay," Noppel-Kokerov said. "At good prices, apartments go fast. If [rent] is too high, it will either take longer to find a tenant or [the landlord] will need to lower it."
She added that rental prices usually fall again once the new academic year starts.
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Editor: Mait Ots, Aili Vahtla
