{"id":68765,"date":"2025-05-18T11:41:40","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T11:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/israelhuertas.com\/estado-especulador-inmobiliario\/"},"modified":"2025-05-18T11:47:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T11:47:31","slug":"real-estate-speculator-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/israelhuertas.com\/en\/real-estate-speculator-state\/","title":{"rendered":"What If the Real Estate Speculator Was the Spanish State?"},"content":{"rendered":"

What if the Real Estate Speculator Was the Spanish State?<\/h1>\n

Spain’s housing crisis has more culprits than we think.<\/strong> While investment funds, developers, and large property owners are often blamed, there is a silent actor involved in every real estate operation\u2014one that, in many cases, fuels the problem: the State.<\/p>\n

How Does the State Drive Up Housing Costs?<\/h2>\n

1. Withholding Developable Land<\/h3>\n

A large amount of potentially developable land is blocked due to administrative decisions. This artificial scarcity drives up land prices, which in turn increases the cost of new homes.<\/p>\n

2. Inflated Cadastral and Reference Values<\/h3>\n

The cadastral value and the new reference market value directly affect taxes such as property tax (IBI), transfer tax, and municipal capital gains. When these values are inflated, taxes increase\u2026 and so do sale and rental prices.<\/p>\n

3. A Tax Model That Punishes Instead of Incentivizing<\/h3>\n

Housing is treated more as a revenue source than a basic right. This discourages both buyers and owners who might otherwise offer affordable rentals.<\/p>\n

Real Solutions Exist<\/h2>\n

The situation is not irreversible. Here are some key measures that could change the current dynamic:<\/strong><\/p>\n