Slovaks buy flats as investments

Approximately one in five flats in Slovakia are being bought as investments, according to the Hospodárske Noviny daily. Investment flats have become popular chiefly in the Slovak capital and those choosing them mostly use them as financial assistance in repaying the loan they took for their own housing. The rental price of investment flats is going up along with the gradual growth of their popularity. The rental price of a two-room flat in downtown Bratislava is about €710 per month, while it is as much as €1,100 in the case of a three-room flat. "The rental price is influenced by a flat's locality, transport availability and its condition," said Michal Krížik of the REMAX real estate agency. As the market in Bratislava is oversaturated, those interested in investment flats are now focusing on other towns, such as Žilina, Trnava and Nitra, where Jaguar Land Rover will start its production next year.