Around 12,000 real estate agents in El Salvador have seen notable growth in the property market, thanks to improved security under President Nayib Bukele’s administration, according to Douglas Suriano, president of the Salvadoran Association of Real Estate Advisors (ASAI).
Suriano reported that ASAI’s 115 members currently manage around 5,000 properties for sale and 3,500 for rent nationwide. He stated that “property sales have risen by 70% over the past five years compared to pre-2020 figures.”
He attributed this rise to enhanced safety, which has opened up previously avoided areas like Soyapango and Ilopango. “Homes that once sold for $600 are now valued at over $20,000,” he noted.
Government initiatives such as Surf City and increased private investment have further raised property values across the country. “Just the announcement of a government project boosts prices and increases demand for our services,” said Suriano.
The growing market has also led to greater professionalization. ASAI launched a real estate diploma with a local university and partnered with KAZU Real Estate, the region’s first digital real estate platform. “One of our core goals is to professionalize the sector,” Suriano affirmed.
ASAI is also working on a plan to regulate and organize the industry nationwide. “We aim to create a framework that supports a more professional and orderly market,” he concluded.