Belgrade Apartments for short term rent market has seen yet another ridiculously dynamic period, and notwithstanding our own expectations, took its own unexpected course. As benign advocates of far eastern philosophies, we have duly accepted the fact and followed suit. Some of the results of this period are compiled in the digital scrapbook beneath this paragraph, while the rest of this article deals with what may be called an informed guess regarding the theme. So, the short term rentals in Belgrade are currently enhanced by the following.
The foremost impression from the period behind us is the one of the increased interest on behalf of the hosts and service providers. We are witnessing a literal torrent of short term rentals suppliers in the market which has overrun the demand, so one can, with certain degree of certainty, claim that the market has entered its maturity phase. In any line of business, this is almost inevitably followed by a surge.
The negative consequences were felt by all participants in the process – and somewhat unexpectedly some of the consumers as well. The flood of short term rentals has brought about an interesting phenomenon – one we’ve coined Half Cuban eight. The term comes from aerobatics and denotes a maneuver by which an aircraft makes an inverted loop to a 180 degree turn of the previous direction of flight, ending it on a slightly higher plane. Similarly, some of the apartments stormed though our offer without a decent presentation on our behalf (that was in all sincerity well deserved) and disappeared from the map of short term rentals. Just like the maneuver, these flyers have taken a 180 turn, and left the short term rentals market on a slightly higher plane – that is financially better off.
Half Cuban Eights – the metaphor ought to be obvious
Those less ethical among the suppliers avoid updating their offer in order to create an illusion of an abundance. Those with even lower morals, accept a reservation for a non-existent item in the offer and then transfer the guest into something that does not even remotely resemble the original imaginary abode.
Under these circumstances, questions with no straightforward answers literally pile up like flies to manure. We can, however, discuss the consequences of this unprecedented affray. And the one that is as certain as a multiplication table is ironically the one that has changed the business practice upside down. It is also the root of all other changes and it is the the redefining of the offer.
The first of the factors contributing to the redefinition, was an introduction of an entirely new segment into our offer, that would have been absolutely unthinkable of a year back. It enlisted the apartments that have raised the bar in terms of convenience and furnishings, and lowered it in terms of barriers to entry – owing to the fact that they are outside of Belgrade’s city center. Whether it is the actual perception of the city center that has changed, or the guests have started experiencing a certain level of saturation with the existing accommodation capacities is open for discussion. At the end of the day, these trends are less important compared to the fact that these apartments are truly top-notch and they come at a price that is far more egalitarian to their city center counterparts.
The second on the list are the cheap apartments in Belgrade – and when we say cheap we would like to avoid the appended meanings usually attributed by users of British English. We mean really affordable and not of inferior quality. Anyhow, this particular segment has seen an explosion of quality, variety and the like. Apart from the entry of basement flats, wherewith the latest acquisition has officially tipped the benchmark further down in favour of customers (to an incredible 7 euros per day), there is a whole bundle of of spacious studios for four persons. The two bedroom apartments have also seen an entry with 7 euros per day rate with Vrachar’s own ZEBRA. And then, there is the TRIANGLE which has officially become the cheapest apartment in our offer at a 25 euros per day rate.
Last but not the least are the reinforcements of the most sophisticated residential complex in Belgrade – the beautiful Belville. The offer has literally doubled. Nowadays you can cherry-pick from a whole dozen of beauties that rest in the finest of New Belgrade’s Commieblocks.
All in all, dynamic as said.