More than 2.5 billion hryvnia has come in for eVidnovlennia housing certificates. The first tranche of 50 million euros came from the Council of Europe Development Bank and the Italian government, enough for close to two thousand certificates. More than 33 thousand families have bought homes under the programme so far. The Ministry of Community and Territorial Development published the figures on 20 October 2026.
A certificate pays for one specific apartment, by bank transfer, through the bank that holds it. That single fact drives everything else about the purchase.
Who the programme is for
Certificates go to Ukrainian families whose homes were destroyed in the war. They are not available to foreign buyers. If you are buying in Odesa from abroad, the reason to know about them is different: certificate holders are active buyers on the same market, and on apartments that suit the programme you may be bidding against one.
Start with the bank, not the listings
Funding moves down a queue of priority categories. Holders check their own status in the Diia app or with the bank servicing the certificate. Buyers routinely spend a month shortlisting apartments before finding out where they stand in that queue.
The Odesa market right now
Certificates are not restricted to new builds, so the whole market is worth looking at. As of 22.10.2026 there ares 7 851 apartment for sale: 4 317 on the primary market and 3 530 on the resale market. The median price per square metre across the city is 1 222 $, which is the middle of the list: half the apartments cost less, half cost more. In new builds the metre is 1 260 $, on the resale market 1 211 $. Apartments in Odesa sell from 13 500 $.
The bank sets the requirements for the property and the document package. Confirm both with the participating bank or in the Diia app before any money changes hands.
What to know about the certificate itself
A certificate is valid for five years from the date it is issued, and housing bought with one cannot be sold for five years: the restriction attaches to the property purchased. Both conditions are set out in the Cabinet of Ministers explanations and in Diia (erecovery.diia.gov.ua).
There is no restriction on the construction year of the home being bought. The construction year matters in the other direction: it feeds into the certificate amount calculated for the destroyed home, together with its area, its class and the average resale price per square metre in the region. An older building can be bought, provided it passes the bank review.
The documents that cost people time
Title, and the grounds on which the current owner acquired it. A recent inheritance adds time, because the bank checks whether all heirs are accounted for.
Encumbrances, seizures, mortgages. A mortgaged apartment needs the seller bank to consent in writing, and that consent runs on its own schedule.
Registered occupants, minors above all.
The technical passport against the actual layout. A removed partition, or a bathroom relocated without approval, often stops a transaction.
Utility arrears.
For a new build, the developer paperwork for the specific building and phase, not for the complex as a whole.
Where buyers lose time
A certificate does not restrict which apartment you choose, but it adds a step: the bank has to review the property. While the documents are being sorted out, the seller can find another buyer. Look at the paperwork first and negotiate the price second.
Can the holder top up from their own funds if the home costs more than the certificate?
Yes. The bank sets the procedure and the timing, so confirm the details with the participating bank or in the Diia app.
Does resale property qualify?
The programme is not limited to new builds, but the bank reviews every property. Confirm the requirements before paying a deposit.
Where is the certificate status shown?
In the Diia app, or with the bank servicing the certificate.
The apartment is right but the documents are not ready. What now?
Do not pay a deposit until it is clear how long the documents will take. When a purchase stalls, you lose time without postponing the purchase.
Is there room to negotiate when paying by certificate?
That depends on the property, not the payment method. A bank transfer is no worse than cash for a seller whose documents are in order.
We will shortlist options for your budget and guide the deal from the first viewing to signing.
