A three-bedroom flat is a long-term family purchase. Buyers here are not looking for a compromise that lasts a couple of years, they buy for a specific household, often planning for children and sometimes for older relatives. That makes the district, the school and the courtyard as important as the flat itself.
The stock varies. Older buildings often offer generous total space but awkward pass-through rooms. Panel housing from the 1970s gives a compact sixty to seventy square metres with separate rooms. New developments start around eighty and usually include an open-plan kitchen and two bathrooms.
Utility bills are noticeably higher than for a two-bedroom, especially through the heating season and in buildings with old windows. Budget for this in advance.
Older stock gives more space for the money and a central location; a new development gives a modern layout, two bathrooms and new utilities.
Slower than a one-bedroom, there are fewer buyers in this segment. Flats with genuinely separate rooms and in districts with good schools sell best.
The key question is how many rooms are genuinely separate. A three-bedroom advertised with a pass-through living room is really a two-bedroom with a large lounge, and the price should reflect that. The second is a second bathroom, for a household of three or four it changes daily life more than an extra five square metres.
Assess the whole building: the lift and its condition, whether there is an active owners association, parking, the courtyard and the state of the entrance hall. A three-bedroom is bought for a decade or more, so anything that looks like a small annoyance today will have time to matter.