Ekaterina Rumyantseva: "Gorki-Gorod" is the only urban development project in Russia over the past 100 years that does not contradict common sense.

Interview with Ekaterina Rumiantseva for the blog Futuresochi.ru

- Sochi as a resort. What is good/bad about it? When was the last time you were there? How do you perceive the updated Sochi after 2014? Will you go there for vacation?

I was in Sochi last summer for vacation - my child's international passport expired and it became impossible to stay in Moscow due to smog. But usually I only end up in Sochi for business purposes. From a climate point of view, Sochi is undoubtedly a unique place on the map of our country. But there are many similar places in the world. They have long been developed and their infrastructure and services are of a different quality compared to Sochi.

- How do you assess the market of resort real estate in Sochi today? What changes await the market from an Olympic perspective?

The current state of the luxury resort real estate market in Sochi is lamentable. Building an expensive house by the sea or in the mountains is not enough to position it as elite housing. The concept of "eliteness" includes a whole list of parameters. We all know that the beaches in Sochi are not well-equipped, the infrastructure on the ski resorts is poorly developed, and the transportation network requires serious modernization. The upcoming Olympics, for which the whole country is preparing, and the fact that the development of Sochi is one of the priorities of state policy, gives hope that the situation will actually change. The "Gorki-Gorod" project, in my opinion, fully corresponds to the new approach when everything is carefully thought out. It is not just housing that is being designed, but a qualitatively new living environment.

- The offer to buy real estate in the mountains of Krasnaya Polyana is unique and has no analogues. In your opinion, which target groups will be interested in this offer?

Russians traditionally vacation in the south of the country. The advantages of the region include the understandable mentality of the local population, the factor of proximity to home, the possibility to invite friends - all of this has great significance for many. Vacationing abroad, despite all the obvious advantages, is accompanied by a number of difficulties that can be avoided by owning property in a resort area in Russia. In Sochi, it is possible to attract people with free professions, those who have the opportunity to work remotely without being tied to business centers. We already have a group of successful active people who understand that one can live not only on Tverskaya Street. In light of the upcoming Olympics and the related changes, the project will be interesting to businessmen who plan to do business in Krasnaya Polyana. And we should not ignore pensioners: the cost of an apartment in the resort area of Krasnaya Polyana is significantly lower than in Moscow or the Moscow region, while the natural and climatic conditions favor a long and happy life. However, at the moment, it is quite difficult to attract all these target groups. The understanding of all the values and opportunities related to the acquisition of real estate in Sochi has not yet been formed. We have formed a stereotype that there is nothing better than an apartment in the center of Moscow.

- What are the chances for Sochi to become a popular destination for the purchase of "second" (after Moscow) luxury housing? Do you think it is possible to turn Sochi, a classic Soviet resort, into a high-class alternative to popular ski resorts abroad, after several years of intensive construction and development?

The policy of the city authorities in Sochi, as well as the administration of the entire Krasnodar region, should stimulate the development of the service sector. Improvements in the ecological, transportation, and crime situation are necessary. Investors and developers alone cannot solve anything here. I believe that the redistribution of production and business in the region is very important. The state and local authorities must decide whether they want Sochi to become a high-class resort of international level or a center of business activity in southern Russia. It can only be one of the two.

- How can we reduce the demand of Russians for buying real estate in Europe and draw attention of buyers to domestic resorts?

Our goal globally is to create healthy competition for European real estate on our own territory. In my opinion, Sochi can become competitive through lower investment costs, ease of legal procedures for property transactions, low maintenance costs for homes, and travel time from the main place of residence.

- What difficulties can consultants and agents face when helping to buy real estate in Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana?

The main difficulty that local real estate agencies can face is the lack of high qualification and insufficient understanding of the target audience, while Moscow consultants may struggle with a poor knowledge of the real estate market in Sochi.

- What is your favorite vacation spot?

I usually vacation in Europe. In the summer, I visit friends who live in different countries and cities in Europe. In winter, I go skiing in Switzerland.

- What is your idea of an ideal resort? What are its components?

There are no perfect resorts, only an approximation to the ideal. The key word here is quality.

- What is your opinion on the "Gorki-Gorod" project?

"Gorki-Gorod" is the only urban development project in Russia in the last 100 years that does not contradict common sense. A whole city is being created from scratch on a separate territory. The creators of the project have the opportunity to initially consider the requirements and demands placed on the concept of a "resort city." Our belief in the success of the project is connected with the fact that professionals have taken on the task.

- What is your recipe for successful project development?

The team is engaged in the project with enthusiasm, and the idea itself is very bright. The price/quality ratio also seems optimal to me. With a cost of 100,000 rubles per square meter of housing in "Gorki-Gorod," the offer becomes realistically affordable.