Marbella, September 16, 2026. The President and CEO of Alfil Group (Alfil Patrimonial SOCIMI), Francisco Gómez Palma, discusses in the Tribuna de Andalucía the company’s 74-year history.

The CEO of the Marbella-based company was featured this month in an interview in a regional newspaper specializing in economic and business news, as part of its construction special, in which he looks back on the company’s seven and a half decades of history and explains the direction of its growth strategy.

The company, founded by his parents, is celebrating its 74th anniversary and has evolved in step with the region: from renting agricultural machinery in Marbella in the 1950s to road construction, the opening of the first hotels as tourism took off, and, later, a foray into the film industry. “He always knew how to adapt to market trends,” says Gómez Palma of his father’s vision.

Diversification with a Focus on People

Today, that same logic is reflected in various business lines. One of them is university housing, a market that continues to grow, where the group has been active for 16 years with the Alfil University Residence and student apartments. Both properties are located in a strategic area of Málaga, the Teatinos Campus.

The Alfil University Residence Hall was once the third or fourth of its kind in the city; today there are more than twenty, driven by the arrival of three private universities and the sustained growth of the university community. Gómez Palma believes that living in a residence hall during the first few years makes it easier for young people to transition into university life, and he warns that the lack of available spots is already a problem that is spreading to other parts of Spain.

Another issue identified by Grupo Alfil—and one that will pose a challenge in the near future—is the promotion of professional housing. The Málaga-based company is currently working to consolidate a business project designed to address the housing shortage for workers in the Mediterranean region, combining public-private partnerships to offer affordable prices. The reason, as summarized by the president himself: “If workers can’t find a place to live, they’ll leave, and if we don’t have workers, the entire industry will collapse.”

A direct criticism of bureaucratic delays

When asked about access to housing, Gómez Palma attributes the problem to the government rather than to the sector’s capacity: according to his figures, approximately one-sixth or one-seventh as much housing is being built in Spain today as was being built in the early 2000s, because while construction can take three years, “the administrative process can drag on for up to 15.” He cites as an example a project by the group on the largest lot in Málaga’s historic center, where five years were spent solely on detailed design and three more on obtaining the building permit—in contrast to other municipalities where it has taken fourteen months to construct a building and eighteen months to obtain the first-occupancy permit.

His proposal, which he himself describes as “radical,” is to repeal the existing regulations and replace them with new ones that are simpler and focused on providing real solutions for people, in addition to easing the financial requirements that currently make it difficult for young people to access financing.

Your First Home: Buying a Home Without a Down Payment

The group has already taken a step in that direction by acquiring a 20% stake in Tu Primer Hogar, the company that allows people to buy a home without paying a down payment. The first development will take place in Estepona, with the construction of 27 homes, and there are already other projects well underway in the Seville area (Umbrete, Tomares, Villanueva del Ariscal) as well as other locations in Andalusia. This is a plan with a clear national scope that, even so, in Gómez Palma’s opinion, cannot solve Spain’s housing problem: “There is land and space, but without streamlining the bureaucratic procedures, the housing problem won’t be solved.”

Growing Up Without Losing Touch with One's Family Roots

Looking ahead, the president of Grupo Alfil confirms that the company will continue along the path that has allowed it to reach its 74th anniversary: diversifying and growing, with a focus on expanding beyond Andalusia—particularly in Madrid—without compromising the values inherited from its founders. The third generation of the family is already part of the company, and Gómez Palma hopes that the fourth generation will join soon as well.

Source: Tribuna de Andalucía, Construction Special page 39, September 2026.