Experts of portal ee24.com often talk about "alternate aerodromes" and "airbags", implying that the purchase of real estate in Europe will protect the buyer from unforeseen political and economic upheavals in his country. Such an argument in favor of the acquisition of property, together with references to good climate, friendly people and all the opportunities for recreation, is a classic set of benefits that every realtor recites. That's why sometimes we don't take it seriously. But bad things happen, and usually in bad time.
Ukrainians decided: it's time to buy real estate in Europe and move there. It's obvious: if Europe won't come to Ukraine, the Ukrainians must go to Europe. According to the latest data on search queries on the Internet, more and more people want to leave Ukraine.
State of emergency in Ukraine
Ten years ago the endless confrontation during the so-called Orange Revolution has made Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independance square, Kiev) a famous place. Maidan had already become a symbol of political instability, protests and clashes. Now, ten years later, Euromaidan has got the great popularity on the net and become a trend in social networks.
Battles and conflicts not only happen in Kiev but everywhere in Ukraine. Protesters are using stones, sticks and Molotov cocktails, and policemen from Berkut are using stun grenades. Opposition invades and occupies entire buildings of ministries in the capital and of city halls in regions. In some cities population and local deputies have formed illegitimate executive committees. Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, who resigned on 28 January, described the events as an attempted coup.
Euromaidan goes east and west: Trends in search queries
No wonder that more and more people are thinking about how to leave Ukraine. They fear for their lives, for the health of their parents and for the happy future of their children. In January 2014, Ukrainians were asking how to leave Ukraine and where to move much more often in Google. Kiyani increasingly wonder about the "entry into Russia." Searches of "permanent stay" and "immigration" were coming mainly from Kiev, Odessa, Eastern Ukraine, Crimea and Lviv. Searches of "passport in Russia" and "visa to Russia" also were more popular than usually, despite the fact that neither one nor the other is required for Ukrainian citizens to enter Russia.
Ukrainians google real estate prices in Poland and Germany
Euromaidan has forced Ukrainians to think about buying property in Poland and Germany. Queries about moving to these countries, as well as about acquisition of property there, showed an increase in January 2014. By the way, queries come not only from the people of Kiev, who've decided to get away from the turmoil, to sell an apartment in Kiev and to buy real estate in Europe. These requests also come from Ukrainians who've saved money for an apartment in Kiev, but due to the recent events decided to pay attention to other countries' markets. Note, that home sales in the Ukrainian capital began to fall in mid-December .
Property in Poland is inexpensive by European standards. Apartments in Warsaw cost an average of €1,922 per sq.m. In other Polish cities with a population of over half a million people (Krakow, Lodz, Wroclaw and Poznan) a square meter of housing is worth from €1,100 to €1,600. For comparison: in Kiev the price is €1,300, in Lviv and Odessa - €900 per sq.m. Ukrainians having Polish roots, can easily get a "Polish card". It does not give the right to permanent residence in Poland, but it's a work permit, and moreover it allows to get a multiple Schengen visa.
Wealthier Ukrainians are considering Germany. Buying an apartment in Berlin will require around €2,333, and apartments in Hamburg are worth €2,850 per sq.m. But Germany doesn't grant a residence permit for property buyers.
In Jan 2014, Ukrainians were looking for a property in Poland and Germany, Spain and Portugal, Latvia and Bulgaria, even in Ireland and Norway. It seems that Ukrainians are ready to go anywhere, but not stay in a state of uncertainty and chaos, which, to everyone's regret, continues to reign in their homeland. Of course, we'd like Ukraine to become a stable country, finally. But nowadays it's more like a dream.
Text: Cyril Ozerov ee24.com