• Culmia presents a new report that gauges opinions and analyzes the homebuyer experience in Spain, from the initial search through to the signing of the purchase agreement.
• Among the main reasons that prompt Spaniards to start looking for a home are the desire to have a terrace or garden (21.5%) and/or the desire to move to a quieter area (18.8%).
• Eight out of 10 homebuyers in Spain say it takes them less than a year on average to find a home, and 26% of them need only one to three months.
• 49% of people who are actively looking for a home choose an apartment in a building, followed closely by those who prefer a house, at 40%. 24.9% are looking for an apartment in a gated community, 22% are looking for penthouses, and only 16.9% prefer a standard apartment.
• Twenty percent of Spaniards would like their neighbor to be a scientist, and 17% prefer an entrepreneur. Only 2% would like to live near a politician.

May 11 , 2022.—The pandemic and the effects of lockdown have changed homebuyers’ priorities in Spain at every stage of the process, from the start of the search to the final closing of the purchase. Specifically, nearly 40% acknowledge that they are currently considering a move and, in general, are prioritizing larger spaces, the availability of a terrace or garden, or even the chance to live in a quieter area.

Here are some conclusions from the report“The Homebuyer’s Journey in Spain” by Culmia. Prepared by the polling firm Sigma2, it offers a current snapshot of the profile of homebuyers in Spain based on surveys conducted this year among a sample of more than 1,800 citizens over the age of 26 residing in the most populous autonomous communities (the Community of Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia, Valencia, Galicia, and the Basque Country).

According to the report’s data, this search for larger spaces is primarily driven by the average profile of today’s homebuyer in Spain, the majority of whom (57%) have households with three or more members, followed by couples (30%). In contrast, only 9% of people currently looking for a home live alone.

Regardless of the type of home, after the lockdown, space is now valued more than ever. For the most part, 54% of buyers are looking for an average of 3 bedrooms; 24.1% prefer two bedrooms; and 17% are looking for 4 bedrooms or more. Only 3% opt for a one-bedroom home.

For the most part, people in Spain who are looking for housing already own their own home. Nearly half—47.7%—are homeowners, and only 14% are looking for a home while living with their family. Notably, 24.5% of people are currently renting and looking to buy a home, in line with the current trend in the residential market.

New housing, the main driver of the market

New homes continue to be the main driver of the real estate market in Spain. Forty-three percent of Spaniards say they are currently in the process of looking for a new home to buy, compared with 33% who prefer a pre-owned home. At 14%, the rental market remains the least popular option among those seeking housing in Spain, with those looking for new rental properties (7%) and pre-owned rental properties (7%) split evenly.

When it comes to the typical type of home Spaniards want, apartments remain the top choice, although single-family homes have gained ground since the pandemic. Forty-nine percent of people who are actively searching for a home opt for an apartment in a building, followed closely by those who prefer a single-family home (40%). In line with this trend toward open spaces, 24.9% say they will choose a condo in a gated community, 22% prefer penthouses, and only 16.9% prefer a standard apartment.

Main reasons for moving

The pandemic has shifted the priorities of the typical homebuyer, and along with more spacious homes, other aspects beyond the interior itself are now being valued. Among the main reasons that have prompted Spaniards to start looking for a home, 21.5% cite the possibility of having a terrace or garden as the primary reason, and 18.8% say they are looking to move to enjoy a quieter area. Lack of space (16.9%), the opportunity to purchase a newly built home (16.6%), and a change of residence (15.3%) are the other reasons for the search.

When it comes to location, potential buyers are generally reluctant to relocate or make moves that involve long distances. 36.4% say they are looking for a home in the same city and even the same neighborhood where they currently live; 23.5% are looking for something more central within the same city; and 20.9% prefer to stay in the same city but a little farther from the center. To a lesser extent, only 13.7% are expanding their search range to areas within the same metropolitan area that are farther from the city center, 13.5% are looking in the same area but slightly closer to the center, 10.7% are looking in another city within the same autonomous community, and 4.2% are looking to move to a different city in another region

Search Process: More Digitization and Family Support

Culmia’s “Buyer’s Journey in Spain” report also reveals some issues related to the decision-making process and subsequent advice. In this regard, Spaniards tend to seek advice and guidance from the people they consider closest to them. Some 62.1% acknowledge that they value advice from family and friends most when making a decision, while 39.5% say they value advice from a real estate professional more. 25.1% say they prefer to take a walk around the area where they plan to buy and ask neighbors for advice; 23.3% say they trust reviews found on leading websites or blogs, and only 7% say they value advice from a coworker.

When it comes to the most commonly used methods for starting a home search in Spain, digital channels—and specifically those specializing in the real estate sector—are gaining more and more ground. Some 65% say they conduct these searches through real estate portals, 30.9% use Google to find options, and 29.9% visit developers’ websites to review their listings and/or consult a real estate agent. It is noteworthy that 21.3% consult friends directly to assist with their search. Finally, among the least-used channels are social media, at 14.7%, and direct sales offices, at 8.4%.

When it comes to advice and support, Spaniards consider the role that real estate agents play throughout the entire home-buying process to be essential. The aspects most highly valued in relation to real estate agents include product knowledge (30%), advice on financing (22%), and assistance with necessary administrative procedures such as earnest money deposits and taxes (16%). Promotional and informational materials (15.9%) and personalized property searches tailored to buyers’ needs (12.7%) are other aspects that buyers value most about the real estate agent’s service.

Sustainability and greater environmental awareness are playing an increasingly important role as decision-making factors when purchasing a home. More than half of buyers—51%—cite energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy as the most valued sustainable features in a new home, ahead of environmental quality and thermal control (20%) and water consumption (15%). Home automation and technology are the least valued, at 3%.

Regarding the time Spaniards spend buying a home, the Culmia report reveals that the process moves along fairly quickly, as 8 out of 10 buyers take less than a year to complete this task. Of this figure, 26% say they spent between one and three months on the search, 22.6% between three and six months, and 20.4% between six months and one year. Only 10% spent between one and two years, and 8.8% took more than two years.

Spaniards’ Favorite Neighbor

The report “The Buyer’s Journey in Spain” also reveals some interesting facts about Spaniards’ behavior at home, many of which are related to the “new normal” following the end of the pandemic. In fact, 40% of respondents say the first thing they do when they get home is take off their shoes. Putting down their keys (20%) and greeting their family (18%) are the second and third most common responses, respectively.

When it comes to Spaniards’ preferences for neighbors, 19% would like to have a scientist as a neighbor. Seventeen percent prefer a businessperson, 11.2% would prefer an actor or actress, and only 2% would want to live next door to a politician. Bullfighters, with 1% of the votes, rank last.

Finally, among the most embarrassing situations in which Spaniards have encountered their neighbors, more than half of Spaniards—57%—admit to having heard their neighbors argue at some point, and 27% say they have seen them drunk.

“Vitamina Home” Section and Analysis of the New Homebuyer’s Needs

Following the presentation of the report by Beatriz Toribio, a real estate expert, there was time to analyze, from the perspective of Casa Decor, the new housing trends that have emerged in the wake of the pandemic—trends in which the home is identified as a space for happiness, streamlined and built on the principles of sustainability and innovation. Amagoia Eizeaguirre, an expert coach at Habituatea; Virginia Gasch, founder of the interior design studio VG Living; and Cristina Ontoso, sales and marketing director at Culmia, shared their expertise from the three perspectives of client, interior designer, and developer.

In line with the general conclusions outlined in the report “The Buyer’s Journey in Spain, ” which highlights that interior design and comfort now play an important role in a family’s comfort at home, Culmia has created a concept known as Vitamina Home, which aims to promote a way of developing homes centered on the real needs of the people who live there, prioritizing their well-being and happiness.