Currently, studio apartments, 1-bedroom units (1N), or 1N+ units are scarce in the market. If you want to buy one, you’ll have to pay an additional service fee, which is an extra premium on top of the developer’s listed price,” said Minh Đức, a real estate agent selling a project in Văn Giang, Hưng Yên, leaving me stunned.
Given the project’s location on the border of Hanoi, I assumed purchasing a 1-bedroom unit for living or investment wouldn’t be too difficult. However, after numerous calls, dozens of messages, and lengthy consultations with agents from various large and small agencies, I realized: 1-bedroom units are truly a “rare find,” and owning one requires paying an additional premium ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of dong.
The story truly unfolded when Minh Đức explained how 1-bedroom units are distributed. “The number of 1-bedroom units in the project is limited. Developers often reserve these units as rewards for top-performing sales agents. These agents then reward their best brokers, who either sell them to familiar investors or invest in them themselves,” he explained.
According to Đức, because 1-bedroom units are rare and in high demand, buyers must pay an additional premium to secure one. “The premium amount varies depending on the unit and the agent. For instance, I charge a lower premium, but others may charge more,” Đức added.
Immediately, Đức offered a 1-bedroom unit with an area of 38m². The early payment price was 2.13 billion dong, the installment payment price was 2.23 billion dong, and the loan price was 2.34 billion dong. This unit had a premium of around 160 million dong.
“Smaller, lower-priced units tend to have higher premiums. Larger, higher-priced units have lower premiums. For example, a 3-billion-dong unit might have a premium of only 100-120 million dong,” Đức shared.
At a luxury apartment project in Cầu Giấy, located at the intersection of Xuân Thủy and Cầu Giấy, the “heat” of 1-bedroom units was evident from the launch.
Ngọc Mai, a Hanoi-based apartment specialist, recounted: “The project’s premiums ranged from 150 to 180 million dong. Recently, my client purchased a unit in the last tower (F3) with a premium of 230 million dong. Some units even had premiums of 250-300 million dong, or even 400 million dong. Buyers still accepted due to the limited availability.”
Mai added, “These premiums are set by agents, who buy the units and then resell them at a markup. Essentially, it’s due to high buyer demand. Agents often invest heavily, sometimes 20-30 billion dong, to secure units. So, the premium isn’t excessive compared to their initial investment. Every agency hopes to recover some of their costs,” Mai explained.
If a buyer agrees to the agent’s premium, the additional amount is paid directly to the agent’s personal account, while the initial deposit is transferred to the agency’s account. In subsequent stages, the buyer signs with the developer and transacts through the developer’s account.
Newly launched 1-bedroom units have premiums ranging from 150 to 400 million dong per unit.
In Mai’s inventory, two 1N+ units with areas of nearly 50m² remained. “One unit is listed at 9.7 billion dong. If paid through a loan, it’s around 9.6 billion dong. For early payment, the price drops to over 7 billion dong. If you’re interested, I’ll check the premium for this unit,” Mai said.
However, about two hours later, Mai informed me that both units had been sold. She then mentioned that out of the 20 agents’ listings, only one unit remained, priced at nearly 10 billion dong with a loan option, requiring an initial investment of 2.45 billion dong. For early payment of 95%, the price was 8.26 billion dong.
“This is the last unit in the project available for direct purchase from the developer, with a premium of 100 million dong per square meter. This premium is quite reasonable compared to the project’s initial launch. If you don’t invest in this unit now, you’ll only be able to buy it through resale later,” Mai advised.
According to agents, 1-bedroom units are in high demand but low supply, making them scarce. “Smaller units with lower initial investments are easier to resell and rent out, especially among young singles or newlywed couples. This makes them a popular investment choice,” shared Thanh Tùng, a Hanoi-based apartment specialist.
As a result, with the limited supply of 1-bedroom units in the city center and buyers having to pay premiums, many young people with limited budgets are shifting to satellite urban areas. In projects like Vinhomes Smart City, Vinhomes Ocean Park 2, and 3, 1-bedroom and studio units are more available at significantly “softer” prices.
“My clients are mostly young people. Now, they can’t afford units in the city center, so they’re moving to Vinhomes Ocean Park 3 in Hưng Yên. Additionally, there are many investors looking to capitalize on rental demand, especially with news of schools expanding into Văn Giang,” Tùng shared.
In reality, 1-bedroom units—once considered “too small to live in”—have become highly sought-after. Not only singles or newlyweds but also long-term investors view them as a “just right” product, easy to buy, sell, and rent out, fitting the current high-priced apartment market.
According to Savills Vietnam, in Q3 2025, apartment prices in Hanoi remain high. With the rise of luxury and high-end projects, the average primary market price reached approximately 101 million dong per square meter.
Notably, 7,300 units were sold, an increase both quarterly and annually. New supply had an absorption rate of over 80%, consistently outperforming the overall market.
Đỗ Thu Hằng, Senior Director of Research and Consulting at Savills Hanoi, stated: “Primary market prices continue to rise. In the first nine months of 2025, most sold units were priced above 4 billion dong, with no units below 2 billion dong. Facing limited affordable housing in Hanoi, the development of satellite cities may be essential to expand housing options.”
Phương Hoàng
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