Spain was evacuated. And there is overcrowded Spain; have no choice but to live in tiny apartments where, due to availability and real estate market prices, placing furniture, clothes and other items has become a challenge fit only for Tetris masters. Among the latter is an increasingly coveted object of desire: storage rooms. Families demand this. And companies demand them. Their rise is not new – we have talked about their “boom” on other occasions – but the market is giving clear signs that there is an increasing demand for them and that the companies exploiting them are expanding across the country.

This is another effect of the increase. micro flats.

Who has a warehouse… He has quite a large treasure. The “boom” in demand for storage rooms in Spanish cities is not new; However – in the absence of more precise and up-to-date studies – it is necessary to look at regional newspapers to find news showing how much these are needed today. There are places where these are starting to become scarce, and there are places where businesses to rent storage space have opened, spurred by high demand. It is sometimes promoted by large chains.

A few days ago in Castellón there was talk of its “spread”, in Vigo there was talk of the “minimum” offer, in Idealista with barely twenty ads, in Barcelona and Madrid there was talk of a “boom” in rentals. It is possible to come across similar news or news regarding the increase in supply in various points of Extremadura, Jerez, Galicia, Vitoria or Cáceres. Although the details vary, the picture is always the same: A demand that pushes the market and encourages new rentals.

Facts to consider. There are more indicators. The latest annual report of the Federation of European Self Storage Associations (Fedessa) reveals that Spain is the fourth country in Europe in terms of self storage spaces, with a market share of approximately 10.4%. Only England is ahead with a share of 32.9%, followed by France (13.4%) and Germany (10.9%).

Moreover, the federation talks about a 68 percent growth in the number of centers in five years and an 18 percent growth in surface area. A Savills study conducted in 2023 showed that: self storage It has already exceeded one million square meters in Spain, with a significant emphasis coming from Madrid and Barcelona.

looking at houses. Although the gaps self storage These are also requested by companies and freelancers; To understand their rise, we first need to understand the changes in houses. At the end of the day, demand increases and businesses open. self storage It coincides with another trend: the “explosion” of small apartments of less than 30 square meters is making it difficult for families to have space to store their furniture, clothes and other belongings. Data from INE shows that it is increasing rapidly in Spain. And in a few years.

The INE Population and Housing Census reflects that in 2021 there were 167,134 main family houses in Spain measuring less than 30 m2 and almost 1.02 million main family houses between 30 and 45 m2. The same survey from 2011 shows much lower results: 50,438 and 535,426 respectively, although in the latter case INE states that this means “usable surface area”. In other words, in just ten years between 2011 and 2021, the weight of apartments smaller than 30 m2 in the total number of main residences has increased by almost a tenth.

It’s a matter of demand… and facilities. Demand and good business prospects are not the only keys to understanding the rise of storage rooms. There will be another factor. With private supply at low levels, companies committed to renting them have found themselves facing a greater incentive: the high availability of empty ground floors and warehouses, refocusing a business that leaves average net annual rents, according to Fedessa. m2 275.56 euros.

Viva Jerez recently announced the creation of between 2,500 and 3,000 spaces in disused warehouses and commercial facilities in the Andalusian town. And yours is not a unique situation. There is also room for the sector to promote itself.

Storage and more. The rise of storage rooms is largely explained by the drift of the real estate market and the rise in its prices. And the same factor is behind other, much less traditional uses: there are those who use them as bedrooms. The COPE network warned in March that people were starting to spend the night in warehouses in A Coruña due to a lack of affordable housing. Again, this is not a unique situation. Just three months ago the Balearic Government fined a company of two million euros for managing the rental of 68 warehouses and rooms as homes.

Pictures | Bluespace and Joshua Coleman (Unsplash)

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