Iltalehti and Oikotie reported on the most attractive neighbourhoods, putting Lauttasaari and Töölö as the most desired areas for home purchase in Helsinki. We thought it would be interesting to compare this with online search data to gauge overall demand for different neighbourhoods. Our data shows that Kamppi leads by a significant margin, with 2.45 million searches, marking an impressive 245% growth over the past 12 months. This makes it the ninth fastest-growing category among Helsinki neighbourhoods.
We are using online search data that accounts for everything searched for within each area. Products like the Kalevala Eira series and Nordsjö (Swedish for Vuosaari) paint supplies have been excluded. However, search terms related to services in the neighbourhoods, such as restaurants, daycares, and shops, are included.
In terms of search data, Pasila, Suomenlinna, and Herttoniemi trail behind Kamppi. In Suomenlinna’s case, searches often include terms related to ferries and museums, suggesting that tourism significantly contributes to its high search volume. Pasila and Herttoniemi, both of which have undergone extensive development—such as the construction of shopping centres like Tripla and Hertsi and an increase in new builds—are also seeing heightened online interest.
Kamppi, in particular, saw a sharp increase in searches from September 2023 onwards, around the time when Euribor interest rates began to plateau and eventually declined. This may have contributed to the surge in interest, not only as a potential place to live but also for its restaurants and entertainment offerings, as people felt more secure financially. Kamppi's popularity can be attributed to its wide array of shops, restaurants, and its status as a key transport hub for both local and national traffic.
While Lauttasaari remains a strong contender as highlighted by Oikotie, its online search volumes just barely place it in the top 10, with several other neighbourhoods showing larger volumes. Nevertheless, its popularity has been on the rise over the past four years, with a notable increase in searches from September 2023.
Strong growth along the north-east rail line
The top three neighbourhoods for growth are along the northern rail line: Pukinmäki (+359%), Malmi (+347%), and Oulunkylä (+331%), with Puistola (+264%) ranking sixth. Oulunkylä has seen steadily increasing interest due to the introduction of the light rail, which has made commuting to the city centre easier. Malmi, as part of a suburban regeneration project in Helsinki, is benefitting from new infrastructure, including apartments, parks, and services.
Historical data shows that search volumes for these four neighbourhoods remained steady until September 2023, after which they spiked.
Ullanlinna is the most searched neighbourhood for property sales
When narrowing the search data to focus on keywords related to property sales (such as "ullanlinna myytävät asunnot oikotie" or "myytävät asunnot ullanlinna"), Ullanlinna emerges as the most searched neighbourhood, while ranking fourth in the Oikotie report. Ullanlinna also experienced a surge in interest after September 2023, although this was short-lived, with search volumes returning to previous levels by January 2024.
What do you think about predicting demand using online search data?
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