Living in Prague
Pearl of former Eastern Europe; Prague is one of the best-preserved cities in Europe. For expatriates life is quite comfortable: everyday shopping is still relatively inexpensive, the country has a continental climate with real summers and real winters. Actually hardly anything comes to mind that is not possible to do or get in Prague and with the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union in may 2004 and the entry into the Schengen zone as of December 2007 Prague is more accessible than ever.
In the center of Prague you envision yourself in a fairytale; Gothic churches, lovely bridges en charming alleyways surround you. Numerous historic buildings and cathedrals surround picturesque squares. Gold-plated façades and spires cause the entire city – which has been rewarded the status of monument by the UN in 1992 – to shine in the sunlight. The main attraction in Prague is the Charles Bridge, the longest bridge originating form the Middle Ages in Europe. Prague was founded in the thirteenth century around the Prague castle and has been the cultural and administrative centre of the Czech Republic for over one thousand years.
Central Prague
The historical centre of Prague is so charming and offers so many possibilities for entertainment that many expatriates prefer to live in the centre. Especially for expatriates without children and who will stay in Prague for a relative short period (about one year) living in the old town can be a special experience. The abundance of shops, restaurants, bars, galleries, theatres, cinemas, etc. cause the centre to be very lively throughout the year. The offer of accommodation mainly focuses on furnished and unfurnished apartments. The rents are noticeably higher as in other parts of Prague and finding a parking space can be quite a challenge.
Families with children often prefer to live close to one of the international schools. The international schools are located in Prague 4, 5 and 6 and finding accommodation within 15 minutes travelling distance is no problem. Prague is still a relatively ‘small’ city and as a result the access to most districts is quite good. The public transportation system is excellent and we recommend selecting a district for living, which offers the right atmosphere, and not focus too much on accessibility. Throughout the city, including the suburbs, good quality housing is available; experience learns however that there are several areas which are preferred by expatriates. Apart from the city centre these preferred areas include:
Vinohrady
Vinohrady is part of Prague 2 and very popular with expatriates looking for high quality apartments but who try to avoid the everyday hectic of the old town centre. Vinohrady is located directly next to the city centre and offers an abundance of shops, restaurants, possibilities for entertainment but also a lot of green areas.
Nebusice
The character of the formerly rural village of Nebusice has changed completely over the last years. The village is now part of Prague 6 and with the opening of the International School Prague an explosion of construction activities has taken place. Many good quality houses have been built specifically targeting the expatriate market. In general the houses are modern, quite spacious and of good quality, the rents are noticeably higher than in other parts of Prague.
Hanspaulka / Ořechovka / Břevnov
These traditional residential areas of Prague 6 offer impressive properties dating back to the twenties and thirties of the last century. Many of these properties are completely renovated and being used as Embassy or Ambassadors residences. The houses are generally more spacious than in other areas of Prague and sometimes a property is after the reconstruction divided up into several luxury apartments.
Hodkovicky
The district of Hodkovicky is located in Prague 4 and is much favoured by expatriates looking for a green surrounding not far from the city centre. Hodkovicky is characterized by its forest; the spacious houses are of good quality but the number of houses offered on the market is limited.
Kunratice
Kunratice is also part of Prague 4 and is ideally located with regards to the international schools in Prague 4. Kunratice offers lots of green and did not yet adopt a ‘big city’ character, due to the presence of the international schools there is a good offer of recently constructed houses.
Průhonice
During the last 5 years this charming village south of Prague has developed into one of the favourite locations for expatriates. A castle with beautiful parks and a cosy square with restaurants, hotels, and several small shops dominate the centre of Průhonice. Around the centre several new housing projects have arisen with modern houses most of which are offered on the market for rent. The village also offers a large-scale shopping centre incorporating both hypermarkets and specialty shops.
Renting
The rents in Prague are comparable to the rents in other European capitals and are mainly determined by location, quality and size of the property. Apartments are offered for short term (less than one year) and long-term rent, the usual period of lease for a house is 2 to 3 years. The rents are in most cases mentioned excluding utilities and for apartments there sometimes are additional service charges.
In Prague plenty of real estate agencies are registered but since it does not require any formal qualification in order to register as a real estate agent, the quality of the provided service varies greatly. It is still a common practice for real estate agents to represent the landlord and the tenant and to receive commission from both parties. Properties are usually offered through several real estate agencies with sometimes significantly different conditions. By cooperating with IBS you can be assured your interest are represented correctly and that the rental conditions meet all legal requirements.