Ep. 26 – Denis Buyanov – Kyiv, Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has dominated the headlines for many months. Since February 2022, nearly 9 million Ukrainians have fled their country, and tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers have died. My guest today, Denis Buyanov, has lived through the sirens, explosions, and tragedies that come with war. During this episode, he openly shares his experience of leaving Kyiv, returning to Kyiv, and being separated from his family. He thinks of himself as one of the lucky ones in comparison to so many of his fellow citizens; however, his story is an incredible display of the strength and resilience of human beings. Although we delve quite deep into his personal story, since this is a real estate podcast, we of course also get into his take on real estate in times of war, including the approach he took as a landlord. 

Key Points From This Episode: 

[01:28] – Episode Overview

Kyle returns to the podcast world with an episode about what is globally one of the most noteworthy topics right now: the war in Ukraine. Kyle and his returning guest, Denis Buyanov discuss this topic from both a personal and a real estate perspective. 

SURVIVING THE WAR: THE PERSONAL SEGMENT

[08:55] – Misunderstanding Russia

Denis shares why he, along with many others, didn’t believe a war between Russia and Ukraine would ever happen. 

[14:30] – The Day Everything Changed

On the 24th of February 2022, Denis knew he had been wrong about the war. Suddenly, the sounds of sirens and explosions were inescapable and his world was turned upside down. 

[18:56] – Leaving Home

Denis and his wife, along with their child, their dog, and her three puppies, attempted to leave Ukraine the day after the invasion began. They packed their cars with their most important possessions and found one of the few routes that were not blocked.  

[22:45] – Returning to Kyiv

After 5 hours of driving, Denis realized they weren’t going to be able to make it safely to another city, so they decided to return to Kyiv and move in with their friends.

[25:11] – Difficult Decisions

After 2 days of acquiring information about the war, Denis and his wife decided they needed to leave Kyiv. They went to stay with other friends in Ukraine. They were lucky in comparison to many others but it was a challenging time and after a week they moved back to Kyiv.  

[30:52] – Underestimating Ukraine

The Russians thought that overthrowing the Ukrainian government would be an easy task, but they underestimated the power of the Ukrainian people. The conflict in Kyiv escalated and people were being killed on the streets. 

[37:18] – Separation

New laws prevented Denis from leaving Ukraine, but with the help of his fellow citizens, he was able to get his family out. He has spent the past few months separated from his family, but their return to Kyiv is imminent.

SURVIVING THE WAR: THE REAL ESTATE SEGMENT

[43:18] – Real Estate In Times of War

From February to June, most commercial and residential landlords did not expect their tenants to pay rent. Now, most rental prices are reduced by up to 50%. As a landlord himself, Denis explains the approaches that he has used with his tenants.

[51:15] – Can the Government Be Trusted? 

Denis shares why he is not convinced that people who have lost their houses or their businesses due to the war will receive compensation from the government. 

[53:21] – How Different Parts of Ukraine Have Been Affected By the War

Not every city or town in Ukraine has been impacted by the war in the same way. Denis tells us which areas have become overpopulated, why, and how this is affected rental and sales prices. 

[01:00:50] – Issues Facing the Construction Industry

Although there is lots of work to be done, finding workers is a major challenge, as is the drastic increase in costs of raw materials, so there isn’t as much construction going on in cities like Kyiv as one might expect.

SURVIVING THE WAR: MOVING FORWARD

[01:03:47] – Looking Ahead

Denis had to close down his real estate consulting and brokerage firm because of the war, and he is now looking for work in the IT sector. He is choosing to focus on the future, but he doesn’t think he will be able to forgive Russia for what they have done and hopes that the world doesn’t forget about it.  

Additional Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Denis Buyanov LinkedIn 

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