Study on public perceptions of real estate market trends and needs in the department of San Vicente, 2025

Abstract

This study was conducted by the Center for Public Opinion Studies (CEOP) at the Paracentral Multidisciplinary Faculty of the University of El Salvador, with the aim of analyzing housing characteristics, access to financing, and public perception of the real estate market in the department. The research was conducted using a descriptive quantitative approach, through the administration of a structured questionnaire to a sample of 382 individuals over the age of 18, distributed across the department’s 13 districts, with a 95% confidence level and a margin of error of ±5%. The sample included both urban (58.1%) and rural (41.9%) residents. Among the main findings, 63.1% of respondents live in fully paid-off homes, while 17.0% rent. However, access to mortgage credit is limited, as 67.5% reported not having had access to housing financing. In terms of housing characteristics, single-story homes predominate (91.1%), with three bedrooms (35.3%) and one bathroom (81.4%), reflecting a traditional single-family housing pattern. The results reveal a real estate market characterized by high homeownership rates, low access to formal financing, and limited mortgage banking penetration, suggesting the need to strengthen policies regarding access to credit, property registration education, and land-use planning tailored to local socioeconomic conditions.