- Urban centers are in the midst of a transformation process to attract capital to create districts of disruption, talent and creativity
- Spain is the fourth European country with the best expected return on investment, with Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga being the cities that capitalize on the sector's interest
The Real Estate is undergoing a transformation that is affecting the markets of European countries, including Spain. According to the Investor Intentions Survey 2023 report, prepared by CBRE, our country is one of the EU territories in which international investors are looking the most, ranking fourth only behind the United Kingdom, Germany and France. In terms of specific cities, Madrid and Barcelona continue to be, according to this study, the poles that attract the most real estate capital at the national level.
In this sense, Madrid, according to experts, has the conditions to attract even more investment in segments such as Life Science, in order to become an international hub in this field. According to data provided by the Madrid Association of Economists, the capital has attracted 4.8 billion euros in investment by 2022, while Barcelona has raised some 3.8 billion euros.
Likewise, in the Spanish market, the industry points to Malaga as another of the most booming poles in terms of real estate investment in recent years, partly thanks to its policies of attracting companies in the technology industry, which are revitalizing the city. Spaces such as the Malaga TechPark, a district that attracts leading technology companies and startups, are underpinning the capital of the Costa del Sol as a reference for capital in southern Europe.
Spain's push for international real estate investment and the transformation that cities are undergoing will be the subject of analysis at the new edition of The District, the largest European real estate summit for all capital players, which will take place from September 20 to 22 at Fira de Barcelona - Gran Via. The event will host executives of the stature of David Vila, CEO of Renta Corporación; David Martínez, CEO of AEDAS Homes; and Saïd Hejal, Partner & CEO of the real estate group, Kronos Real Estate Group, who will examine the attractiveness of the country's regions, and the potential for long-term growth and profitability, as well as the unique risks associated with investment.
This year, the summit will also feature the vision that British investors have of the Spanish Real Estate market, as the United Kingdom is the guest country. In this regard, Johan Groothaert, CEO of the financing company Fiduciam; Javier Galán, Senior Associate of Zetland Capital, and Jason Ham, Managing Director of the design Real Estate agency, Fantastik Frank, among other specialists, will delve into the current state of the Real Estate landscape in Spain, the change that cities are going through, and explore the most promising segments and locations, both traditional and emerging.
Urban planning and innovation enter into the investment equation
Part of The District's agenda will address the latest trends in urban planning, a fundamental aspect in shaping the cities of the future and one that has become especially important in recent years due to the need to make them sustainable places.
The congress will address the importance of incorporating green, social and governance (ESG) aspects in the planning decisions of new cities at a time marked by the climate crisis and social challenges such as homelessness. Mazyar Mortazavi, CEO and President of TAS Impact; a Canadian company that seeks opportunities that create value for investors and generate measurable social and environmental impact; Miguel Hernández López, Director of Strategy and Corporate Development at Crea Madrid Nuevo Norte, and Manuel Pérez Romero, President of the Center for Sustainable Cities at IE University, will be in charge of shedding light on urban planning, including terms such as 'smart cities', mixed-use developments and design that respects the environment.
In turn, representatives from the City Councils of Bilbao, Madrid and Malaga will explain how technology and innovation can be harnessed to address current urban design challenges, or build innovation districts, offering new investment frameworks. An investment that is motivated by the changing profiles of the same districts due to the newly emerging mobility models, such as car sharing, micromobility or Mobility as a Service. All this will be analyzed in The District by José Manuel Llovet, CEO Tertiary Iberia in Lar España.
LATAM is interested in investing in European territory
Latin American investors are increasingly interested in investing in the European market. This is reflected in the latest 'Barometer of the business climate in Spain from the foreign investor's perspective', published this 2023, which confirms Spain as the fourth country in which more investment is entering, after the United States, United Kingdom and France. In figures, LATAM investment in Spain accounts for more than 63,000 million euros, which translates into 12.1% of the country's foreign direct investment.
Private equity funds in countries such as Mexico, according to this study, are focused on making disbursements by family offices, in the luxury residential segment and in the acquisition of strategic business assets with local R&D. In this regard, to examine what is driving this market to boost its commitment to the old continent, experts such as Julian Matos, Partner at Osborne Clarke, will share their views at The District on the most promising segments and locations for investment, and offer advice on how to overcome the specific challenges of investing in the EU market.
In addition, Andrea Rodríguez, founder of Proptech Latam Summit, will present the territories in Latin America, and all that they offer, to attract the best talent and cutting-edge projects, and therefore, investments.