A Buyer’s Agent in Kyiv and Renovation Manager
How the real estate market is structured in Kyiv
First of all, read my article on real estate investments in Kyiv here.
- There are some real estate agencies, but they mostly target foreigners and are more often than not overpriced.
- The vast majority of apartments are sold by the sellers themselves, without an intermediary.
- In some cases, mostly when the seller is abroad, a selling agent is hired. In such case, the selling agent charges a commission, and it’s the buyer who is expected to pay the commission.
- It’s a hugely inefficient market.
- The concept of buyer’s agent is very common in Kyiv, so this is a good way to proceed. A buyer’s agent is an agent who represents you, and goes out to find properties that are in line with your objectives. Your buyer’s agent then splits his commission with the other agent, if there is one, or charges you a % to find a property.
- Hiring a buyer’s agent Is one of the best ways to proceed in the Kyiv real estate market, especially if you don’t speak Russian or Ukrainian. Very few agents speak English.
Meet Alex, my buyer’s agent and renovation manager in Kyiv
Alex is a graduate of law, psychology, and cybernetics. Notably, he is the first Ukrainian to have swam across the Gibraltar Straight. He also does ultra long distances – his latest feat was 33km in 9h15.
For a number of years he has been an independent buyer’s agent for locals, and renovation manager. As he speaks English fluently, I am helping him expand his business to help foreigners as well. He has lived in Kyiv his whole life and knows the market in & out.
Alex and I did this video together, in the depth of the Ukrainian Winter, where he goes swimming in freezing water for his training. From the 3rd minute onwards, he shows us an apartment that can be cut into four studios for a gross rental yield of over 10%.
Alex can also help you buy real estate in Kyiv using crypto. The conversion fee to fiat is about 3.5%.
So what is the workflow with Alex, my buyer’s agent and renovation manager in Kyiv?
1. You get in touch with Alex directly with the form below or by sending an email to alex@thewanderinginvestor.com.
2. You have a 15 minute, free, discovery call where you discuss your objectives, and Alex elaborates on how he can help you, and whether your expectations are realistic.
3. If you want to recruit Alex as your buyer’s agent he’ll ask for a $500 deposit for the process of finding and sending you properties he’ll have carefully filtered to be in line with your objectives. If you end up buying one of them, the $500 will be credited towards his commission. If you don’t, he keeps the deposit as compensation for his time.
4. Alex charges 3% of the list price of the real estate being bought. In such cases when a commission must be split with a selling agent, then his part of the commission gets credited towards the 3%. There is a minimum commission amount of $1250 for small apartments.
5. If you are looking to do a renovation after the purchase, Alex will provide you with a full quote. You are more than welcome, and encouraged, to get other quotes as well.
6. If you recruit him for the renovation, he’ll manage it from A to Z, and work with you and the interior designer to get a great result.
7. He also offers full property management services, but only for clients who bought or renovated a property through him. His fees for finding tenants is one month of rent, and 10% of monthly rent for property management.
Alex is also available for consulting if you want to discuss the market in depth. Send him an email with your requirements and he’ll give you a quote.
Below are some pictures of an apartment he recently renovated from scratch (electricity, pipes, everything). You don’t have to like this specific design. If you were to do a renovation with him he’d put you in touch with an English speaking interior designer. However, do note the quality of the finishings.
Other available services in Ukraine:
- Real Estate Lawyer in Kyiv, Ukraine
- How to obtain residency in Ukraine
- Easy Permanent Residency in Ukraine for IT Specialists
Other articles on Ukraine:
