Jean Galea

Analysis of the Real Estate Market in Barcelona in 2018

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Let’s have a look at some general trends in the real estate market in Barcelona for 2018. This market is very much influenced by foreign investors, so there tends to be more activity and somewhat different prices than surrounding areas that are not much in demand by foreigners.

Rental prices have already reached the top or are already at a level where the potential growth is very low. The prices are far away from the prices of large European cities, but their limit is closely related to salaries (much lower in Barcelona) and these have a limited growth for now.

We still have the problem with Energy Efficiency Certificates not being provided by the owners or showing “in process” perpetually. There needs to be better enforcement from the authorities on this.

While rentals have generally stabilized, the sales market is very active with the highest volume in the last 5 years.

The fastest selling properties tend to be priced in the €400,000 range.

Interestingly, in nearby Sant Cugat, there is a strong demand for plots for family housing construction. In this case, buyers build their own house instead of reform an existing one. In this case, the location of the plot is a key factor.

Another interesting point is that new properties are selling at 26% above the prices of second-hand properties. In many cases the developers are overpromising on the returns that investors will get when they purchase these new properties, so one should be very careful when buying new properties. We’ve also seen on plan properties being sold in various phases, with the first phase being more or less the real market price, and subsequent phases being arbitrarily higher, mostly to show that the development is already appreciating and is hence a great investment.

Also interesting is the fact that a substantial number of properties sold this year were bought on a cash basis without the need for financing, indicating that they were buyers with a significant level of savings.

The most popular buyer profile is that coming from rental, around 40 years old and mostly local.

Picking the Perfect Personal Email Address

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Gmail is the preferred (and free) email address solution for individuals using email in a personal capacity. Everyone should have a personal email address, even if they have additional professional email addresses they use in their business dealings. It’s always better to keep things separate. If your name is Joe Bloggs any of the combinations are great:

If you have a very common name (a la “Joe Bloggs”) you will probably find that the obvious combinations mentioned above will be taken. In that case, you might want to add a number, for example, your year of birth. This is up to you, some people don’t want to make that public so that would not be a good choice for their email address. A favorite number might also be another option to go for.

You might also have a name that is not easy to pronounce, very long or that can be misinterpreted (e.g. Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor). In such cases, I would suggest you go for something simpler than your name. Here’s when things might go south. The first rule you have to keep in mind is that you might very well be keeping the same email address for the rest of your life, and it’s not that straightforward to change the address at a later stage.

To give you an idea of bad choices people do, [email protected] might be OK for a teenage girl, but chances are she will be regretting the choice when she is applying for a job a few years later.

Fitness for Padel

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Physical preparation for padel is very similar to tennis. I would say that padel is perhaps less demanding than tennis; in fact in the top 16 players of the World Padel Tour you will see some players who are noticeably overweight. It’s impossible to see the same thing in tennis. These players are obviously super talented in their tactical acuity and accuracy with shots, and they compensate for their extra weight with these attributes. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s not important to take great care of your fitness and physique if you want to be a top player or just improve at this sport.

As in tennis, your grip is very important as it will facilitate hitting the ball in a consistent manner, thus avoiding the unforced errors that many times are the main factor between losing and winning a match.

Another problem with playing padel is that you will be using your dominant side of the body all the time with your shots. That can lead to imbalances in your body and which in turn leads to a greater chance of injuries. It could also look a bit funny, you don’t want your forearm on one side to be double the size of the other 🙂 It’s therefore important to work on keeping your body in balance. A great way to do this is to use bodyweight exercises or kettlebells. These two methods of training employ many muscles at one go and hit both sides of the body.

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Should You Switch to a Standing Desk?

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For the last few years, I’ve been coming across articles extolling the benefits of standing desks. Due to being a digital nomad, however, I’ve found it difficult to actually get one and try it out. Finally, in our condo building in Chiang Mai (Thailand), I found the perfect place to experiment with standing desks.

This was the first experiment with working standing up. In Chiang Mai I got the opportunity to switch between a standing desk and a traditional seated desk in the same office.

Claimed Benefits of Standing Desks

Before I share my experience, let’s take a look at the claimed benefits of standing desks:

  • More energy
  • Improved posture
  • Reduced risk of diseases (cancer, diabetes)
  • Lower long-term mortality risk

Perhaps more worryingly is the fact that research has indicated that sitting is killing us, shortening our lifespans by up to 15 years. Sitting has also been referred to as the new smoking in terms of harmful effects.

Many people try to restore balance in their lives by sitting for six hours at work and then heading to the gym afterward, however, this does not seem to do the trick. Evidence suggests that the negative effects of extended sitting can’t be countered by brief bouts of strenuous exercise.

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Visiting or Staying, You Will Say ‘Barcelona is Beautiful’

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This is a sponsored post from our friends at HousingAnywhere.

Spain has much to offer its tourists and locals. It is a country chock full of history and culture, and no better place to visit, or live in, than one of its major cities – Barcelona.

Being one of the country’s major cities, Barcelona has several of the most iconic Spanish landmarks. In fact, they never run out of it. That is why when people visit the place, some have loads of stories to tell, and that is why in some cases, others decide to look for housing for rent in Barcelona.

What are some of the hotspots in Barcelona that would make you want to stay?

  • Sagrada Familia

An ongoing project since 1882, the Sagrada Familia is still under construction to this day. Interrupted so many times, it has now been made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Through private donations, it has passed its midpoint by 2010, and is currently still under construction.

If you want to witness history in the making, literally, then, you may find housing for rent in Barcelona. Of course, if you do not want to experience the loud noises from the construction, you can wait until 2026, when it is expected to finally take its final shape.

  • Columbus Monument

If you are an American, you might want to see the man responsible for the discovery of your country. Just around the lower end of La Rambla, Barcelona, is a 197 ft statue of Christopher Columbus. This was erected to commemorate the first voyage of Columbus down in Americas. In addition, he is shown pointing towards the direction of the New World to where he travelled to discover which eventually became the United States of America.

  • Arc de Triomf

Said to be the gateway to the New Barcelona in the 19th century, this arch has been used for so many events. Most notably, as the gateway for the 1888 Universal Exhibition where all manners Barcelona was for the world to see.

You could say that it marked the beginning of the city opening to the world. It is around a very busy street however, that is why, it may not be smart to look for housing for rent in Barcelona around these parts. However, you can always look for something nearby. In fact, it might be a good place to have romantic stroll with your loved one.

  • Parc del Laberint

A unique park that features an artistic and intricately made labyrinth from where the park’s name was derived from. It is a place full of corners to be discovered and mythical figures to be seen.

Its gardens also add a romantic touch that even couples might want to personally experience.

In addition, its Torre Soberana is also a highlight for anyone who might want to look for more Spanish architecture around Barcelona.

There are many reasons to look for housing for rent in Barcelona, regardless of how long you are planning on staying. With a country, and a city rich in culture and history, you might just want to come back for more.

Spain is a beautiful place. So is Barcelona, and there are many cities more to discover.

Jean Galea

Online Entrepreneur. Global Citizen. Padel Player.
Founder of WP Mayor & WP RSS Aggregator.

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