A newly constructed apartment building in Helsinki's Tapanila district stands nearly empty with just two residents occupying one of its 109 units. Laura Kankaanpää and her spouse moved into the building in early June and have become the sole inhabitants of the three-story complex that completed construction in late 2024.
The couple rents their 54-square-meter, two-room apartment with sauna from Kankaanpää's parents, who purchased the only sold unit in the building. They reside in the Fallkullan kiila development area adjacent to Tapanila railway station, a city-built residential project facing unprecedented market challenges.
Kankaanpää expressed surprise at their unique living situation. "We've wondered what's going on," she said. "Helsinki now has these completely new developments with many empty apartments."
Helsinki's housing production department confirms only one apartment has sold in the Tapanila building. The project operates under the city's 'puolihitas' system, where the municipality sets initial prices before owners can resell freely. Units became available in spring 2023 through a lottery system that failed to find suitable buyers, leaving the apartments in open market circulation since then.
The department head acknowledged the slow sales but couldn't pinpoint exact causes. "Demand doesn't exist and this shows elsewhere too," she stated. "Apartment sales periods are longer than before."
Finland's housing market shows slight improvement with transactions up over 12% this year compared to last, according to real estate industry data. Yet sales periods remain record-long amid abundant supply. General uncertainty and consumer distrust continue affecting purchase intentions.
Kankaanpää enjoys some benefits from their unusual living arrangement. The building's courtyard often sits empty, allowing her to occasionally let dogs off-leash. Laundry facilities never face competition. Still, she hopes for neighbors eventually.
The empty building reflects broader Helsinki trends. Similar situations exist in Pohjois-Pasila's Postipuisto area, where another city-owned newly-completed building struggles to find buyers despite excellent location near Ilmala station and Central Park.
Kankaanpää criticizes the city's marketing efforts. "We've wondered with my spouse how poorly Helsinki has marketed this project," she noted. Online materials show outdated images, while social media advertisements promote similar city apartments in other districts.
Apartments in the Tapanila building offer relatively affordable options for Helsinki. Two-room units measuring 39-55 square meters range from €192,000 to €270,000, while three-room apartments of 60-75 square meters cost between €260,000 and €370,000. The average price per square meter ranges from €4,500 to €5,300—significantly below premium new developments like Kruunuvuorenranta (€5,700-6,200/m²) or Herttoniemi (€5,000-6,500/m²).
The city plans no conversion to rental apartments or price reductions for the Tapanila building. Officials emphasize marketing efforts instead, highlighting the area's proximity to train services, upcoming spring park construction, nearby grocery stores, and daycare facilities.
This situation illustrates Finland's challenging housing market where few dare to take mortgages for ownership apartments despite reasonable pricing. The city has several similar projects completing in Jätkäsaari and Maunula, with no new developments currently planned afterward.
The empty building represents both a personal oddity for its two residents and a symbol of Helsinki's broader housing market struggles, where even well-located, reasonably priced new constructions face unprecedented sales challenges.