In the midst of the debate on whether the purchase of housing should be limited to non-residents of the islands or to those who have been living on the islands for less than five years in order to guarantee access to housing for residents of the archipelago, the Vice-President of the Govern and Minister for Energy Transition, Productive Sectors and Democratic Memory, Juan Pedro Yllanes, has called on the Govern to “put pressure” on the central government to begin negotiations with the European Union to limit the purchase of housing by foreigners. He added that this is an issue “that could be dealt with at the next Consell de Govern”.
“It would be a definitive step towards solving the housing problem,” said the minister, who insisted on the possibility of certain territories within the European Union to limit purchases in a context of free movement. In the Balearic Islands, the average price of housing until the third quarter of 2022 has experienced an accumulated increase of 13.1% and residents pay on average €1,157 for their mortgage, a figure “well above the national average”, according to Natalia Bueno, president of the Association of Real Estate Agents of the Balearic Islands.
Canada, “an example to follow”
For Negueruela, the measure approved by the Canadian government with the aim of controlling prices – booming since the start of the pandemic – in the North American country, which will prohibit non-resident foreigners from buying homes over the next two years, represents “an example to follow”.
Justin Trudeau’s government blames the increase in housing prices on foreigners buying homes as an investment, while some experts doubt the effectiveness of the measure, given that foreigners only own 5% of Canada’s housing stock.
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