- In Tallinn, affordability rose by 10.1 points in the first quarter this year compared with the same period in 2015 due to an 8.5% rise in net wages and almost stable apartment prices.
- In Riga, the HAI increased by 15.1 points, due to a 4.6% drop in apartment prices.
- In Vilnius, the HAI rose a bit (by 0.5 point) because of 7.1% higher wages.
- The time needed to save for a down payment decreased by 2 months and 1 week in Tallinn, to 28.5 months, by 2 months and 2 weeks in Riga, to 23.5 months, and almost did not change in Vilnius (35.8).
The housing affordability index (HAI) is calculated for a family whose income is equal to 1.5 of average net wages with an average-sized apartment of 55 square meters. The HAI is 100 when households use 30% of their net wages for mortgage costs.
When the HAI is at least 100, households can afford their housing, according to the established norm. The higher the number, the greater the affordability.
