Audrius Gudanavičius: Lithuania's experience shows that a stable economy is more important than currency

Will real estate prices rise after the introduction of the euro? Lithuanians asked themselves the same question ten years ago – and today they have a clear answer. According to real estate expert Audrius Gudanavičius, the effect of the new currency depends not so much on the euro itself as on the strength of the economy and investor confidence.

Audrius Gudanavičius is a leading figure in the real estate sector, based in Vilnius, Lithuania. As managing director of Capital Commercial, UAB, he oversees the sale, rental, and valuation of commercial real estate. Audrius Gudanavičius is also president of the Lithuanian Real Estate Agencies Association (LNTAA) and a member of the board of the Lithuanian Real Estate Business Association (LNTVA). With extensive experience in entrepreneurship and sector development, he is one of the leading names in the Lithuanian real estate market.

On October 31, Audrius Gudanavičius will join the XI National Conference "Inspire to Higher 2025: The Real Estate Market in the Eurozone," organized by the National Real Estate Association (NSNI), where he will share his in-depth knowledge of the eurozone's impact on real estate markets in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as his experience in Lithuania.

Mr. Gudanavičius, Lithuania joined the Eurozone in 2015. From your perspective, how did the introduction of the euro influence the property market in Lithuania - both in terms of prices and investor confidence?

It helped to boost investor confidence and which a longer term it helped commercial real estate. Residential real estate in Lithuania is pretty much  local market, so even though prices went up big time ever since the euro was introduced, but it had more to do with overall economic situation rather thar currency itself.

Many Bulgarians fear that adopting the euro will trigger a surge in real estate prices. Did Lithuania experience similar concerns before joining the Eurozone, and how did the actual market developments compare to those fears?

We had more fear about everyday goods and services rather than real estate. And in fact that fear had a real base, because the prices for cheaper goods and services did go up almost immediately after the euro was introduced. In real estate we did not see immediate jump because it’s kind of expensive purchase, so it was only due to currency round ups to even numbers.

As the Managing Director of Capital Commercial, you’ve witnessed the evolution of both residential and commercial markets. What long-term structural changes did the euro bring to Lithuania’s commercial real estate sector?