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News published in San Telmo Business School

Experts from the Alfil Real Estate Chair highlight the 40% increase in the luxury residential market

International firms such as Savills and Pininfarina and local companies from the Golden Triangle debate in San Telmo on the strategic impact of branding on luxury residential properties.

The Alfil Real Estate Chair at San Telmo Business School has held a new academic conference dedicated tothe luxury residential market and the phenomenon of branded residences, addressing how the brand has ceased to be an aesthetic attribute and has become a strategic asset capable of sustaining positioning, price, and reputation over time, increasing the value of assets by up to 40%.

The session brought together international firms such asSavillsandPininfarina, along with leading local companies from the Golden Triangle, in a meeting that combined global vision, financial analysis, and operational experience to understand luxury as a system rather than a product.

Structural transformation

The international opening was led byLouis Keighley and Sinéad Canning from Savills London (Global Residential Development), who contextualized the global growth of branded residences. On the one hand, Keighley explained that the market has evolved from a model concentrated in the United States to a clear expansion in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, emphasizing that "branded residences are not a temporary trend,but rather a structural transformation of the high-end segment." He insisted that, in large-volume transactions, often in jurisdictions other than that of the buyer, "the brand acts as a mechanism of trust. It doesn't sell square meters; it sells certainty."

For his part, Canning pointed out thatgrowth in the sector is largely driven by hotel brands, as buyers associate luxury hospitality with proven standards of service and maintenance. "The reputational component is decisive," he said, noting that the market projects sustained growth for this type of development in the coming years.

Both agree thatthe Costa del Sol is now part of the international luxury circuit and competes in terms of qualitative indicators—quality of life, climate, residential ecosystem—with traditional established markets such as Miami and Dubai.

Francisco de Asís Gómez Palma, President of Alfil Patrimonial SOCIMI, and Javier Reviriego, Managing Director of Valderrama, advisor to the Four Seasons Marbella project and former Managing Director of Finca Cortesín.

The buyer on the Costa del Sol

The global vision has landed on the local market in a panel discussion moderated by José Félix Pérez-Peña (Savills Spain), with the participation ofJavier Nieto (CEO of Pure Living Properties)andCarlos Rodríguez (CEO of Sierra Blanca Estates Developments). The speakers agreed that high-end clients are not only looking for quality construction—which is taken for granted—but also three essential elements: security, service, and peace of mind.

Nieto stated that "luxury in this segment means reducing friction, delegating with peace of mind, and buying time," noting thatthe buyer profile has evolved toward a more patrimonial and long-term vision: "We are seeing more and more clients who are not just coming on vacation, but are establishing their primary or semi-permanent residence here."

Rodríguez, for his part, emphasized that ultra-prime customers are sophisticated and analytical: "Nobody gives anything away for free. These are buyers who perfectly understand value anddemand consistency between price, product, and experience."

José Félix Pérez-Peña (Savills Spain),Javier Nieto (CEO of Pure Living Properties) andCarlos Rodríguez (CEO of Sierra Blanca Estates Developments)

Luxury financing

The financial panel brought together Juan Jesús Serrano Gallardo, Director of Real Estate and Hotel Risks at Banco Sabadell; José González Cañabate, Investment Director at the Cosentino Group Family Office; and David Ventoso, CEO of Autonomy Capital and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hotel Finca Cortesín. Serrano explained that risk analysis in the prime segment cannot be limited to financial ratios:"We must incorporate the quality of the developer, the consistency of the positioning, and the overall soundness of the project."

On the other hand, Cañabate has defended discipline in capital allocation and the importance of preserving reputation and alignment of interests: "In this type of asset,the integrity of the project is as important as profitability."

Ventoso, for his part, contributed the perspective of international capital, highlighting that high-end transactions are influenced by non-financial variables such as the quality of the operator and strategic consistency. "The physical experience and uniqueness of the asset are elements that capital values particularly highly," he noted. The panel reached a clear conclusion: financing in the luxury sector is not more flexible; it is more demanding. Andbrand credibility reduces risk and facilitates structure.

The brand as a heritage concept

The presentation byJavier Reviriego, CEO of Valderrama, advisor to the Four Seasons Marbella project, and former CEO of Finca Cortesín, provided an in-depth analysis of how value is built over time. A panel discussion moderated by Francisco de Asís Gómez, director of Alfil Patrimonial Socimi, S.A.

Reviriego has structured his thinking around four concepts: positioning, consistency, discipline, and ecosystem. "Brand value is created in a sustained manner, based on the customer's real experience," he said, adding that "the brand is, in essence, what others say we are."

He has argued that, in adverse cycles, maintaining standards and not altering positioning protects the reputation of the asset: "Discipline is the ability to stick to the initial plan." In relation tobranded residences, he has insisted that the brand cannot be understood as a cosmetic element: "It is a heritage concept. Its strength lies in sustained consistency."

Pininfarina: integrated design and premium value

The day ended with a talk by Giovanni de Niederhäusern, Senior Vice President of Architecture & Product Design at Pininfarina, accompanied by Luis María Marín Gálvez, Pininfarina's ambassador for Spain, in a discussion moderated by Sofía Polo, CEO of Grupo Polo.

Giovanni explained how industrial design methodology can be applied to real estate, advocatingfor the integration of beauty, technology, and process under the equation "Beauty + Tech = Impact." He compared the highly industrialized automotive industry with construction, which remains fragmented and inefficient, and advocated for more coordinated and integrated processes.

In the field of branding, he pointed out that the brand directly influences the ability to generate value premiums, indicating that in certain markets, branded residences can achieve price increases of up to 40% compared to comparable assets.

New additions and business vision

The day included the incorporation of the law firmEJASOand the real estate agencyVista Hermosa Villas, from El Puerto de Santa María, into the Chair's Advisory Board. In addition, Antonio Bazán, CEO of the developer BZH, Rubén Solís, CEO of the construction company B.Solís, and Javier Nieto, CEO of the agency Pure Living Properties, had the opportunity to share with attendees the experience and market knowledge of their companies, which are leaders on the Costa del Sol.

The meeting concluded by reaffirming that when backed by discipline, consistency, and process, a brand acts as an economic infrastructure and amplifies the impact of the asset and the destination. The next meeting of theReal Estate Alfil Chair at San Telmo Business Schoolwill take place in April, continuing a program that has consolidated the Chair asan academic analyst of one of the main drivers of the economy, bringing rigor, strategic vision, and high-level debate to the quality real estate sector.

Attendees at the academic conference

New additions and business vision