Apartments are commonly referred to as flats and are the most popular residential dwellings in Lautoka and have become a necessary market to cater to a large urban drift, the city’s hub for university students, and a burgeoning workforce.

Many savvy proprietors have latched onto this incentive; renovating their homes accordingly to sub-let additional living units for rental income.

They are prevalent all over Lautoka; Simla, Kashmir, Field 40, Rifle Range, Balawa, Natokawaqa, Natabua, Tavakubu and Balawa. Settlements located on the city’s outskirts also feature a considerable percentage of apartments such as at Waiberatia, Naviyago, Lovu and Saru, towards the surrounding mountains.

Aside from features, prices of apartments vary upon location as like in most cities, certain neighbourhoods are more desirable for convenience and general security. In Lautoka, these include Simla and Tavakubu, a hilly suburb noted for great vistas of the ocean, parklands and respective proximity to the CBD and golfing greens.

Fiji has a relative housing shortage and Lautoka provides a major residential inventory compared to other urban areas, with a sizable percentage of apartments and realtors. 

There are apartments listed for around $160,000 and $750,000, reflecting the large variations of apartments for sale in this bustling port city, with  municipal boundary expansions for Lautoka in the pipeline. 

Given their huge popularity as investment properties, real estate agents often invite tenders and offers for apartments they list, which are often within walking distance to shops, schools, main transport routes and other key points of lifestyle convenience.

Many apartments for sale contain up to 3-bedrooms per unit, and there is usually a shared car parking space. It is also common for flats to be attached to a main house or to be part of a commercial building in the CBD.

Strong cultural ties also mean that many people reside as an extended, multi-generational family under a single roof, making apartments a popular choice for their easier availability and affordability compared to other property types.