Better apartments. Better returns.

Understand what you are paying for, where value can realistically be created, and which improvements are unlikely to pay back.

I combine financial analysis, spatial thinking and real-world renovation experience to give property investors an independent second opinion before significant capital is committed.

Independent apartment investment advice · Frankfurt & online · English, Russian & Ukrainian

Book a €390 Strategy Session See the Results

Editorial apartment interior renovated using the Premium Rental Methodology

15 years in international finance

Finance Director experience

Real-estate investor and renovation operator

Projects from my own portfolio in Frankfurt and Moscow

The Opportunity

Price per square meter is only the beginning.

Most investors begin with the purchase price and the number of square meters. I begin there too — but I do not stop there.

Extra square meters can cost you three times: when you buy them, when you renovate them, and while you continue to maintain them. That does not mean a tenant or buyer will value them proportionally.

I look at three things:

What creates value?
What only creates cost?
Can the downside be contained if the realistic scenario does not work?

The objective is not to make every apartment more expensive. It is to understand whether the apartment is worth buying — and where your money will work hardest if you proceed.

Selected Results

What better decisions changed.

The methodology has been tested on my own investment projects in Frankfurt and Moscow — across full renovations, targeted furnishing projects, premium rentals, and resale.

The cases below show the starting point, the decisions made, and the achieved result.

Same Building, Same Start, Different Approach — Before — Plan

Same Building, Same Start, Different Approach — After — Plan

Same Building, Same Start, Different Approach

Frankfurt — 68 m², 2 bedrooms

Situation

Two identical apartments in the same building, in the same original condition — outdated and untouched for decades.

Decision

One was renovated with a standard, budget-conscious approach. The other followed this methodology: full layout rework, new systems, considered lighting and finishes throughout.

Achieved result

Achieved rent: €36.60/m², compared with approximately €20/m² for the conventionally renovated apartment in the same building.

Solving Vacancy in a Mass Market — Before — Plan

Solving Vacancy in a Mass Market — After — Plan

Solving Vacancy in a Mass Market

Moscow — 37 m² studio

Situation

A studio in a 3,000-unit complex, bought with standard developer finishes. Comparable furnished units in the complex often sit empty for months.

Decision

We reworked the layout so the small footprint works harder — a larger bathroom, real storage, built-in furniture — and upgraded finishes and lighting.

Achieved result

Across each letting cycle to date, a new tenant was secured within one day. The achieved rent was approximately 31% above comparable furnished units in the same residential complex.

Proof Without a Full Renovation — Before — Photo

Proof Without a Full Renovation — After — Photo

Proof Without a Full Renovation

Frankfurt — 45 m², 1 bedroom

Situation

Already renovated when purchased — no structural work required.

Decision

Decor, lighting and furnishing only, for approximately €11,600 in total.

Achieved result

The previous unfurnished cold rent was €1,100 per month (€24.40/m²). After furnishing, the achieved furnished cold rent was €1,785 per month (approximately €40/m²).

Proof at Exit, Not Just on Paper — Before — Plan

Proof at Exit, Not Just on Paper

Moscow — 67 m², 2 bedrooms

Situation

Bought as an unfinished shell — walls, layout and all systems had to be built from zero.

Decision

Full renovation, three years of personal use, then sale.

Achieved result

Held for three years and used personally, the apartment generated no rental income. The sale produced a 66% after-tax return on total capital invested, with the purchase price, transaction costs, renovation, furnishing, bank interest and taxes included in the cost basis.

These figures describe achieved results from my own projects. Comparisons reflect the relevant property and market context at the time. Results vary by object, location, regulation, financing and execution and are not guaranteed.

See How This Could Work for Your Property

Independent Second Opinion

Before you commit significant capital, get an independent second opinion.

Apartment Strategy Session€39060 minutesOnlineAdvance preparation included

Final price. No VAT is charged pursuant to § 19 UStG.

A property decision is difficult to reverse once the purchase is complete or the renovation has started. The purpose of this session is to test the decision while there is still room to change it.

This is a working session focused on your property, alternatives, assumptions and investment goal. I am not selling you the apartment, the renovation or a predetermined solution. My role is to challenge the decision — and to show where the value and the risk actually sit.

This session is particularly useful when you are:

choosing between two or more apartments
evaluating a property before purchase
deciding whether a particular apartment is worth pursuing
planning a renovation for rent or resale
questioning whether the planned budget will create enough value
unsure which improvements tenants or buyers will actually pay for

Before the session

Send the available listing, floor plan, photographs, financial assumptions and key questions. I review the material before we meet, so the session can focus on decisions rather than basic context.

During the session

Depending on your case, we examine:

Is the layout using the square meters well?
Are you paying for space that will not improve rent or resale value?
Who is the target tenant or buyer?
Which changes affect perceived quality — and which stay invisible?
Which renovation costs are unlikely to pay back?
What happens in the realistic and the worst scenario?

After the session

You leave with:

a written summary of the discussion, key takeaways and agreed next steps
a clear recommendation — proceed, investigate further, change the plan, or walk away
the strongest and weakest aspects of the apartment
what should be changed, investigated, or left alone
where the proposed budget creates value — and where it does not
the specialists or checks you may need before you proceed

If the property does not appear strong enough, I will say so.

Consultations are currently available in English, Russian and Ukrainian.

See Available Times

The Method

How I evaluate an apartment.

Four perspectives. One investment decision.

Financial and investment logic

An apartment has to work financially in both the short and long term. I consider rental potential, value creation, investment trade-offs and whether the proposed renovation is realistic to execute — not merely attractive on paper.

Spatial potential

Volume, geometry, windows, circulation and layout determine how effectively the apartment uses its square meters. I look for space that could work harder — without assuming that every property requires structural change.

Value-focused design

Design is not decoration added at the end. It is the way the apartment's layout, lighting, materials, storage and details work together.

When these decisions are coherent, the apartment feels like a category above. When they are random, even an expensive renovation can feel ordinary.

Tenant or buyer demand

An apartment is not created for everyone. It needs to work for a specific tenant or buyer, with a clear understanding of what that person values and which sources of friction can be removed.

The objective is an apartment that works better financially — and feels better to live in.

Quality does not mean expensive. Quality means thought through.

Similar apartments can produce very different results. The difference is often not the size of the budget, but the quality and sequence of the decisions.

Portrait — Mariia (Masha), founder of Masha-Immolab

About Masha-Immolab

Finance discipline. Real-estate experience. Hands-on execution.

I began my career in real estate and then spent 15 years in finance, progressing into Finance Director roles at one of the world's largest international companies.

But apartments were never only a theoretical interest.

In my first apartment, I had a very specific idea of how the space should work. Several professionals told me the layout was unrealistic. I kept working through the constraints until it was built.

That project showed me something I have continued to test ever since: the idea is only the beginning. The result depends on the quality of the decisions and the execution behind them.

I later applied the same structured thinking to investment apartments in Moscow and, after relocating, in Frankfurt. I tested it with my own capital, my own renovation budgets and real rental and sale outcomes.

Today I combine financial analysis, investment ownership, renovation execution and a deeply practical understanding of space. I know the numbers have to work. I also know why two apartments with similar numbers can produce very different results.

Book a Strategy Session

Ways to Work Together

Start with the decision. Continue with the right level of support.

Apartment Strategy Session

€390 · 60 minutes · Online

A focused independent review before purchase or renovation. Best for investors who need clarity on one property, several alternatives, or a proposed strategy.

Book for €390

Investment Renovation Blueprint

Scope and pricing on request

A more detailed renovation strategy covering layout, target tenant, investment priorities, materials, value-adding improvements and implementation sequence.

Request Scope and Pricing

Personal Investment Advisor

On request

Ongoing strategic support through property selection, purchase and renovation. Suitable for investors reviewing several objects or managing a more complex project.

Discuss Ongoing Support

Not ready for a consultation?

Join the list for the forthcoming guide: "How to decide in 10 minutes whether an apartment is worth viewing."

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Who is the session for?

The session is for investors and property owners evaluating an apartment before purchase, renovation, rental positioning or resale. It is most useful when the decision is still open and you need to understand where the value and the risks actually sit.

Do I need to own the apartment already?

No. The session can be used before purchase or for an apartment you already own.

Can you compare several apartments?

Yes. Comparing a small number of shortlisted properties is one of the most useful applications of the session. Send the available information in advance so we can confirm what can realistically be covered in 60 minutes.

Will you tell me not to buy?

Yes. The purpose of the session is to improve the decision — not to justify a purchase. If the risks, limitations or economics appear unattractive, I will explain why.

What will I receive?

After the session, you receive a written summary of the discussion, key takeaways and next steps, including the prioritized assessment, recommendation, main risks and trade-offs. It is not a formal valuation and does not include architectural drawings, technical planning, income projections or promises of a specific result.

How is this different from an agent or architect?

An estate agent is involved in marketing or selling a property. An architect develops and executes a design. This session comes before those stages: it helps determine what may be worth buying, changing or leaving alone, based on investment logic, spatial potential and market demand.

Is this financial, legal or architectural advice?

No. The session provides strategic property assessment and decision support. It does not replace regulated financial advice, legal or tax advice, architectural planning, engineering, valuation or a technical property inspection. Where necessary, I will identify the questions that should go to the appropriate specialist.

Which languages are available?

Consultations are currently available in English, Russian and Ukrainian. The website is available in English, German and Russian.

Do you guarantee a higher rent or sale price?

No. Property outcomes depend on the market, regulation, financing, execution and the individual object. The consultation is intended to improve the quality of the decision; it does not guarantee a particular economic result.

What happens after I book?

You receive a confirmation and instructions for submitting the property information. I review the material before the meeting, and the consultation takes place online via Zoom.

What does the session cost?

The 60-minute Apartment Strategy Session costs €390.

Can I cancel or reschedule?

Yes — free of charge up to 24 hours before the session. Full details are in the Terms of Consultation.

Book Your Session

Apartment Strategy Session

60 minutes€390OnlineAdvance preparation included

Final price. No VAT is charged pursuant to § 19 UStG.

Available in English, Russian and Ukrainian.

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