2020 was marked by a decline in investment activity compared to 2019. According to statistics, in the first half of 2019, 84 wholesale buyers were active in Moscow's primary real estate market, purchasing 1,072 apartments in new buildings. During the same period in 2020, half as many lots were transferred to wholesale buyers, while their number decreased to 59. Therefore, while in 2019, investments in the primary real estate market amounted to 16.4 billion rubles, in 2020 their volume decreased to 7.2 billion rubles. Moreover, only eight individuals concluded transactions for 10 or more lots.
Thus, in Moscow, as well as in St. Petersburg, there has been a sharp decline in the volume of wholesale transactions in the primary real estate market. As a reminder, this is generally defined as the simultaneous purchase of more than five lots. Experts believe this is due to the fact that some large real estate investors have left the market, while those who remain have refocused on small-scale wholesale transactions.
Therefore, it was easy to spot two individuals who invested over 3 billion rubles in Moscow's new developments. They were Gavriil Yushvaev, who purchased 116 apartments in the Headliner residential complex for a total of 2.1 billion rubles. Previously a shareholder in Wimm-Bill-Dann and Polyus Gold, he is now a co-owner of the Oko Tower in Moscow-City and a shareholder in Melkombinat No. 4, where the Headliner residential complex is being built. According to Forbes, Gavriil Yushvaev is ranked 51st among Russia's richest businessmen, with a net worth of nearly $2 billion.
Alexey Bogachev became the second major investor in the Moscow real estate market. He purchased 77 apartments in the Metropolia residential complex for approximately 0.9 billion rubles. Alexey Bogachev ranks 141st in the Forbes ranking and is the chairman of the supervisory board of Sistema Bank. He is also a minority shareholder in the Magnit chain and is directly involved in other MR Group development projects, including the iCity tower currently under construction in Moscow City.
Also during the first half of 2020, wholesale transactions were carried out with apartments and flats in the Dynasty complex, where 12 lots were purchased simultaneously, as well as Paveletskaya City, Alcon Tower, Monodom Family and YE'S Technopark.
