In the midst of one of the biggest housing crises in Spain in memory, as in all difficult scenarios, there are many losers and a few winners. With the housing problem, it could be said that those few winners are the owners of more than one home who even manage to make their properties profitable, either through rentals or through the purchase and sale of properties.
One of those winners could be Carlos Carbonell, a real estate investor and former soccer player who currently has 14 properties. This owner explains how his business works and how he earns income every month thanks to his assets.
This is the real estate market in Spain
Spain has been facing a housing crisis for years marked by the constant increase in both housing prices, which are already at historic highs, and rents, as well as difficulties in accessing a mortgage for the youngest and not so young.
In large urban centers such as Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia, housing prices are well above average salaries, forcing many families to reconsider their emancipation or to continue living with their parents for longer than expected.
This situation has caused growing social pressure, in which the lack of access to housing is mixed with phenomena of real estate speculation, making it difficult for citizens to find a stable home at a reasonable price.
The rise of investors and the case of Carlos Carbonell
In this context, real estate investors focused on the purchase of multiple properties have gained prominence, acquiring buildings or homes to use them for high-performance rentals or tourist use.
One of these profiles is Carlos Carbonell, a former professional soccer player who is currently dedicated to buying and renting homes, mainly in the Valencian Community.
“I was a footballer and played for Valencia, Atlético de Madrid, Recreativo de Huelva, Alcorcón but I didn’t have a million-dollar salary,” Carbonell explained on his TikTok profile (@carlostropi).
“From the age of 19 to 30 I had salaries of between 40,000 and 150,000 euros per year and I had two options: spend it on cars, parties and unnecessary things or, do what I did, invest in real estate,” said the former Valencia CF player.
Carbonell himself recounted his evolution within the real estate sector: “In less than a year I bought 9 apartments and little by little I created my assets until today, where I live off my income.”
In addition, he clarified: “I am not a millionaire but I have what many people dream of: a house for my family, the security that I will never lack for anything and financial freedom.”
In another video published on his profile, the former soccer player showed how he reviews some of his rental homes.
“I have 14 apartments because I am dedicated to real estate investment,” he indicated. “I was just going to go up to see how the tenant had left my apartment, lest it be damaged, and if everything is fine, in this area I can rent it perfectly for 1,000 euros a month.”
During the visit, he detailed the property: “We have a living room-kitchen together, a terrace, quality furniture. We passed by here and we have four bedrooms and two bathrooms. I was dedicated to football but I had an injury and decided to specialize in real estate investment to achieve all this.”