The percentage of people who search houses to rent has skyrocketed and reaches 67.2% of the total real estate searches average made each month on the internet during the last two years. This is more than double those related to the purchase of a property, which reached only 32.8% in the same period, according to a study carried out by the Impulse Data Intelligence Unit commissioned by Babylon.
According to Boris Osterling, Babylon’s general manager, people choose to rent because it does not represent a high financial commitment and provides flexibility in an environment of uncertainty.
The research that includes data recorded between January 2021 and February 2023 at the national level also shows that around 7 out of 10 people (77.9%) are looking for apartments to rent, while the rest (22.1%) are looking for houses . The ages of 58% of these users range from 26 to 40 years.
“Houses have a higher average ticket since the footage is larger than apartments. That’s why people who choose to rent look for an apartment,” says Osterling.
Meanwhile, in what corresponds to the purchase, only 39.5% look for houses, while more than 60% prefer an apartment. 74% of people looking to buy houses are over 34 years old.
Apartments are also the type of property most sought after by users with a participation of 69.3%, followed by houses (33.9%), offices (21.8%), commercial premises (15.4%) and land (9.1%).
According to Osterling, this result is driven by the vertical growth of cities and the new features that these buildings offer. “The preference of users in recent years has been evolving. There are factors, such as all the amenities that the buildings have (gyms, exercise room, game room and security), that have made people opt for an apartment “, he highlights.
The preferred district is Surco
Regarding the geographical location, Lima leads the purchase searches with 71.4%; Arequipa (20.2%), Ica (19.5%), Trujillo (15.7%) and Chiclayo (11.2%) continue.
In the case of users looking to rent a property, Lima and Arequipa also top the list with 69.5% and 26.4%, respectively. They are followed by Chiclayo (14.9%), Cusco (13.8%) and Trujillo (10.5%).
In detail, in Lima, the Santiago de Surco district is the place that generates the greatest interest both for renting and buying homes, with 25.8% and 23.1% in each case. In terms of rent, Lince, Miraflores, San Borja and Jesús María complete the top 5. On the other hand, for shopping, San Borja, Pueblo Libre, San Miguel and Surquillo are preferred.
“These districts are also preferred by real estate developers today. They are still relatively cheap districts, but they have super potential to become developed and of high quality in the future,” Osterling stresses.
Source: Larepublica
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