¿Will I go back to staying in the city locked in a home office apartment with the whole family? The idea of the uncertainty of intermittent confinement and, above all, the home office establishment in Spain which, in many companies has come to stay, have given a push to residential relocation, specifically in the second homes market and outskirts and suburbs for residents.
A Solvia study reveals that, as a result of the confinement, the priorities to invest in a new property have changed. In addition to the effects on the purchase of a habitual residence, the COVID-19 will also be tangible on the second home market.
According to sources from the newspaper, El País: Only in 2019 over 30,000 Madrilenian bought a home outside their community
This implies changes in the characteristics of second homes, due to the new customers’ profiles that request spacious working space, more light, and other extras. These are some of the factors that you should take into account if you are considering where and how your second residence should be:
The regulations and legal permits of the plot of land of my new home.
For a rural land to be buildable, it must be reclassified as a plot of land. There are three main uses of land: urban, developable, and rustic. The urban land is the one that is destined to build while in the rustic, in principle, houses cannot be built. Developable land, on the other hand, is in a phase before becoming urban land, are lands that can absorb the growth of the populations in the future, but that for the moment are not fully enabled (since they do not have services such as sewerage or the electrical network, for example).
It is also recommendable to review the municipality’s construction regulations and to make sure that the land is free of loads.
GRUPO PAGÈS BCN, once the permits and licenses have been granted, can offer you:
- Prefabricated of Steel Module: in 3 months
- Prefabricated Panels of Light wooden frame: 6 months
- Prefabricated Panels of Reinforced Concrete: 9 months
- Traditional construction: 1 year / 1 year and a half
You can see some of our projects on the website.
The quality and characteristics of the land and the orientation of the plot
When looking for land to build a house, there are many factors to take into account. One of the first questions that come to us regarding the purchase decision is how to know if a land is good enough or appropriate to build.
The orientation seems very basic but it is perhaps the most important factor to take into account and that will be key to building a house that achieves natural light and heat from the sun, thus reducing energy consumption.
Especially if it is a sloping land, the south orientation will be crucial for the proper functioning of the house. either lighting and heating a home naturally, a main south façade with a considerable window area is essential.
Other factors to take into account refer to the quality of the plot. For example, vegetation can play a very important role in the design of a house since it can act as an acoustic, visual barrier, or natural shade against excessive solar radiation.
The presence of water in the ground or underground currents also affects and should be considered in the planning of a house, especially concerning the foundations. In GRUPO PAGÈS BCN we have experts capable of carrying out a geobiological study that will help us to know the phreatic faults with the presence of water currents and where it is not advisable to locate the rest areas of our house, among other characteristics.
On the other hand, we must also take into account other characteristics of the subsoil. One of the most important checks before buying a plot will be the condition of the subsoil and its composition, for example, if it is rocky.
The location of the plot, connections, and supplies
After preparing all the regulations and permits and having analyzed the state of the plot of land: orientation, slope, and other important characteristics, the project may seem settled but it is advisable to also check what type of electricity, water, and gas supplies reach the plot. Or check the internet and telephone services that can be contracted in the area, for example. Everything that can refer to the equipment and services.
The social composition is an essential element to take into account as well. The urban fabric that makes up each neighborhood varies depending on some specific elements and within the characteristics of the neighborhood, it is interesting to also contemplate its social composition, that is, the profile of the people who inhabit it.
Other elements to take into account are the access by the public and private transport, the existence or not of pedestrian paths, the distance to schools or the workplace, as well as the proximity of shops and leisure facilities or industries to take into account everything related to noise pollution and traffic.
As we mentioned before, mobile phone or radar antennas or electrical substations and high voltage lines produce biological imbalances, weaken our immune system and cause diseases such as insomnia, fibromyalgia, irritations, or headaches, among others.
Before remodeling or purchase of a home or work area, it is recommendable to get information about the materials present in it and the nearby elements and to do a geobiological survey, which detects these alterations, makes us aware of the space in which we stay and proposes solutions to improve health and well-being.
Would you like to start your second home project but still don’t have a plot of land? You can contact us, without obligation! Our specialists will help you find the terrain that best suits your needs.
Even if you already have a rustic plot of land, we can offer you a mobile home that, although not recommended for living, is a good choice for second homes.
Future home and elements to be considered
First of all, people are no longer looking just for a second home on the coast, usually less than 50 square meters and close to the beach. Now, “the priority will be to have more surface area, flexibility and, above all, open spaces”.
The decoration will also undergo a major change for the better. New interior designs with its personality will occupy second homes, with the consequent financial outlay to enjoy them for longer. Nevertheless, if it’s bad timing for you to be able to carry out the project or for work reasons, you can’t move to the extra radio.
In that case, let our interior design department help you to improve your current property, to adapt it to the needs of this new reality, making the most of all the space you have.
The commitment to extra elements such as balconies, terraces, and gardens is another key in the housing changes. Due to the confinement, the citizens now give greater importance to open spaces at home and also in second homes than before.
Along the same lines, natural light has become a source of well-being for the consumer. Natural light has an important influence on physical and mental health, in addition to promoting concentration and energy when working.
On the other hand, energy and environmental awareness is increasing among consumers. Thus, now that more time is going to be spent in the second residence, the savings and decrease in energy demand will be much more important. Likewise, this ecological awareness will be transferred to construction materials, a concept that GRUPO PAGÈS BCN has well internalized already.
From the city to the country, or the beach, a change of habits
As you may have realized, the coronavirus crisis was the last push that the owners needed to think about leaving their city apartments and moving forwards to a smaller municipality, or even a town, where they could buy a better home or remodel the one they currently have to adapt it to this new reality. It will not be from today on and it will not be massive either because not all jobs can be relocated, but unintentionally the virus has accelerated an inevitable process over the next decade in Spain.
Factors such as quality of life, since teleworking represents the possibility of a change in the quality of the home or free time, since there is no need to physically move to the workplace every day and the people who do home office earn several hours that until now they have dedicated to traveling by public or private transport, these are some of the characteristics that will surely also make you consider the project of a second residence in the suburbs or to remodel your current home.
GRUPO PAGÈS BCN we will be happy to accompany you in this new stage and offer you a comprehensive and complete service for your project, putting a multidisciplinary team of professionals at your service.
REFERENCES
EL PAÍS. Las 6,5 millones de segundas residencias esperan la llegada de sus propietarios https://bit.ly/39cZIAu
EL PLURAL. Las segundas residencias ya no serán lo que eran. Sara Cordero https://bit.ly/31dOnLW
LA NACIÓN. De la ciudad al campo: el teletrabajo impulsa un éxodo inmobiliario en España. Sandra López Letón https://bit.ly/2PuejA9
