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AGV: Almost One Third Of Madrid’s Citizens Think More New Homes Are Required

20 November 2017 – Observatorio Inmobiliario

Almost one third of Madrid’s citizens believe that there is not sufficient housing in the city to meets their needs in terms of prices and features. This perception increases as the respondents’ annual salary and age decrease. Similarly, more than half of future buyers believe that there is not sufficient supply to allow them to choose the most appropriate home and almost 45% think that more housing needs to be built. Those are some of the findings of a study conducted by the Association of Housing Managers (‘Asociación de Gestoras de Viviendas’ or AGV) amongst citizens of the capital, which reveals the needs of house buyers in the city of Madrid.

The people surveyed, of whom 3 out of 4 were buyers aged between 31 and 39, revealed that buying a home or apartment in a building is their preferred option. The vast majority confirmed that they would choose to buy a private home (rather than a subsidised property). In fact, almost 80% stated that they are most tempted by that type of home; 90.5% of them are aged 40 or over (86.3%), compared with the younger population, where only 56.7% said that they would be able to buy a private home.

The youngest people who do not own their current homes stated that they will invest less than €160,000 in the purchase of a home as they cannot afford more expensive properties. Moreover, only 11% of the respondents said that they would spend a maximum of €300,000 to buy a property in Madrid.

Price and location are the top priorities

Both price and location stood out as the main factors to take into account when it comes to buying a home. More than half of Madrilenians (63.4%) rank price as one of the most important considerations, along with the characteristics of the home. The study confirmed that price and the lack of help or tax incentives are the main obstacles preventing the majority of Madrileños from affording to buy a new home.

In terms of the housing market, potential future house buyers claim to be those who have planned their savings (29.6%), have good prospects in terms of employment (23.9%), and monthly earnings that allow them to afford the expense (35.7%). Of the latter, the population aged between 31 and 39 stands out, with annual earnings of more than €36,000.

Limited information and a sensation of complexity when accessing social housing

The survey confirmed the existence of a firm interest in social housing properties in the city of Madrid, even though only 30% of those surveyed said that they were informed about subsidised housing, and 61% consider that the application procedures are too complex. In fact, almost 60% of women and 63.3% of young people (under 30) consider that they will have to go down this route.

Juan José Perucho Rodríguez, President of AGV, declared that “we are facing a critical situation given that demand from citizens is clear and the situation is not adapting to reflect what is happening in Madrid. The construction of social housing properties is vital for citizens, who have seen their purchasing power diminish, to be able to afford to buy a home. In this sense, we think that starting to discuss the option of creating more homes is necessary to cover the needs of the citizens who demand them”.

Original story: Observatorio Inmobiliario

Translation: Carmel Drake