Between a building of flats and a house of your own: housing in Vilnius is like Druskininkai in the summer and Switzerland in the winter

In Vilnius, between Justiniškės and Pilaitė, surrounded by forests and ponds, cozy, spacious, low-rise neighborhoods tailored to modern people are rising one after another, with residents moving in as soon as construction is complete. What attracts them so much and why, after buying a home here, do people no longer want to return to an apartment building or move into a house?

"I didn't even consider changing my home. We had a nice apartment, and I liked living there. But one day, my husband brought me here, just to have a look. I couldn't believe that in Buivydiskes, surrounded by forest, greenery, ponds, and a stream, there could be such houses. Today marks exactly four years since we moved here," recalls Jolanta, a resident of the "Town House" neighborhood, remembering the unexpected twists and turns of life.

Now, she says, she would never go back to living in a "box" in the apartment building. Every "Town House" resident has their own yard where they can barbecue, sunbathe while reading a book, or simply enjoy the fresh air while sipping their morning coffee.

The two-level apartments here resemble cottages, and residents have no neighbors above or below them—only next door, on the other side of the wall. This creates a peaceful atmosphere in the home, with no footsteps or voices echoing through the radiators. However, the greatest advantages of having neighbors—socializing, celebrating together, and helping one another—remain.

Jolanta says that "Town House" combines the advantages of an apartment and a private house. "In terms of maintenance, living here is more like living in an apartment. And our private yard has everything we need. We have several fruit trees, a couple of blueberry bushes, a two-story garden bed, and we grow strawberries and cucumbers. We haven't had a big harvest yet, but it's more interesting than sitting in front of the TV," she smiles. "And there's no shortage of activities in the neighborhood. In winter, we go skiing, and when the pond was frozen, we even tried ice skating. We also go for walks, and in summer, we can play volleyball, swim, or go fishing. My husband and I joke that in summer, it's like Druskininkai here, and in winter, it's like Switzerland."

15 minutes from the city centre

Jolanta is echoed by Andrius, a resident of the nearby "Naujoji Anglija" neighborhood: living surrounded by nature shapes different leisure habits. Incidentally, "Naujoji Anglija" was the first project in Vilnius to feature apartments with yards and separate entrances, and Andrius was one of the first residents.

Nature, a private yard, privacy, enclosed grounds, interesting architecture – these are just a few of the advantages that led Andrius to move here five years ago. However, the most important factor was the convenient location, from which the city center can be reached by car in just 15 minutes.

"The environment here is very balanced. I would say that we live in the city, but nature is easily accessible – a few steps and you're in the forest, a few more and you're at the ponds. But what I like most is the convenient location and good transport links. The western bypass is right next to Vilnius, so you can quickly get to any part of the city," says Andrius.

Infrastructure development continues, with work currently underway on Helsinkio Street, which, once completed, will provide pedestrian access to Justiniškės. Shops and entertainment are also close at hand – everything can be found at the recently opened "Vilnius Outlet", the largest shopping and leisure center in Northern Europe.

Like having your own house, but without the hassle of a house

Similar advantages can be enjoyed by the owners of the "Nok Nok Home" housing estate a few kilometres away, on the other side of Pilaitė Avenue, close to Gilužis Lake.

One of them, A. Markevič, says that before that, the family lived in an apartment and had a garden plot with a small house. But there was a lack of balance: they felt too confined in the apartment, and when they came to the garden, they would rush to work without enjoying the surroundings and nature. They realized that if they bought or built a house, they would continue to live immersed in work and worries.

"We needed something in between an apartment building and a private house. We chose "Nok Nok Home" and we are very happy with it. Our lifestyle has also changed: we used to go to the gym, but now we just go to the lake, where there is outdoor exercise equipment. Overall, we didn't walk as much before as we do now. We admire nature, the woods, the lakes, and discover something new and beautiful in the Pilaitė area every time," says A. Markevič.

It doesn't take long to get set up

One of the key advantages was that the homes were sold with full partial finishing. A. Markevič says that this helped save a lot of time and money, and he was able to furnish the home mostly on his own, with the help of friends and family, in just two months. "Aerothermal heating was also a very important factor for me. We also have the option of installing solar panels on the roof, which will further reduce heating costs," she points out.

Although all of these projects have already been completed and the apartments sold, similar benefits and more are offered in the "MO Garden" neighborhood, which is rising between the "Naujoji Anglija" and "Town House" neighborhoods.

"MO Garden" apartments are sold with full partial finishing, interior partitions, installed stairs, underfloor heating, an aerothermal heating boiler, a recuperation system, and terraces. It is also possible to purchase a storage room, for example, for storing less frequently used leisure equipment, and a parking space located next to the apartment. Incidentally, unlike previous projects, "MO Garden" apartments are sold fully built, not while seeing apartment plan on paper, so buyers can take a walk around the property before making a decision.

You can plan your leisure time here in the enclosed inner yard or take the paths leading from it to the forest and ponds. The spacious inner park not only ensures a cozy time with your family in a private space, but also allows children to play safely outdoors in the integrated playgrounds.

Each of our low-rise construction projects is unique, with its own distinct atmosphere. For example, "MO Garden" stands out with its large floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a cozy view of the forest. When planning this project, we also envisaged larger distances between houses, up to 35 meters, so that residents would have more privacy, and the park inside the residential area further blends it with nature," says Edvinas Malevskis, head of real estate developer Rewo.  

You can find out more about "MO Garden" online at Mogarden.lt.