Real estate with values, the demand of new owners

By Matías Villarroel, development director of Palo Alto Marbella

Values are becoming increasingly important in the daily lives of many people, who are very clear about what they demand to the companies, people and administrations they interact with. Buying in sustainable stores a , traveling to countries with high democratic standards, or working for companies with clear environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies are practices more common every day. Therefore, it is reasonable that these requirements arrive to homes and living communities too.

New buildings should not be devoid of values that identify the moral pillars on which the community is built. This is an expanding trend that will become increasingly common in residential projects, especially in the most exclusive communities.

Today, homeowners not only demand exclusive designs, differential finishes and unique services. They want to know that the home where they will spend their time has been built and in accordance with certain values. First and foremost, sustainability plays a key role. Ensuring that the impact of the building and of its construction on the surrounding natural environment is minimal, or even positive, is essential. Energy optimization through the use of renewable energies and the application of designs that minimize possible waste are also key, ensuring a sustainable present and future. At this point, sustainability ratings in construction gain relevance, like BREEAM being the most relevant environmental assessment of properties according to a scale that takes into account the economic, environmental and social benefits it brings.

Palo Alto

Beyond the environmental impact are the social and personal values that are promoted by the community. The construction of spaces adapted to the needs of families and their diversity is key. This is influenced by the location, the availability of external services and the supply of facilities and infrastructures within the complex itself. Management must be aware of the different needs that may arise in the heart of the community, offering spaces for work or study, together with leisure environments and facilities, entertainment, and socialization services. This facilitates the creation of bonds beyond the persons coexisting, allowing owners to be more than just neighbours and establish personal relationships to create a community with common interests.

Palo Alto Marbella, an example of the importance of values in a community

Palo Alto Marbella is a pioneering community in Spain based on four key concepts: family, lifestyle destination, customization and sustainability. The complex is a reference in the Costa del Sol, where it is a leader in the new lifestyle destination concept, thanks not only to its facilities, infrastructure and housing offer, but also to its leisure activities. Its team includes the figure of a Resort Manager who is in charge of managing all the activities organized in the community, focused on providing owners with the best possible experience both inside and outside their residences.

In this way, it seeks to enhance the feeling of family and belonging to the community, with the objective of creating bonds beyond being only neighbours. Palo Alto has been conceived as a meeting point for an international and cosmopolitan community that shares interests, affinities and, above all, values that are also reflected in their homes.

Sustainability has accompanied the project throughout its entire trajectory, from design to construction. Respect for the natural environment, the integration of the local ecosystem in the community itself, and the use of respectful materials has been a basic requirement that has led several Palo Alto developments to be BREEAM certified, an advanced evaluation and certification method that ensures sustainability in buildings.

Fachada Palo Alto

Finally, the customization of properties is another fundamental value at Palo Alto, which offers homeowners the opportunity to adapt the designs to their personal needs and tastes. In this way, perfect spaces are achieved for each Family.

Through these values, Palo Alto has become an international reference community. Working by and for specific objectives allows us to offer homeowners a differential value, assuring them that the place where they live or where they spend their free time is in line with their personal values.

More information about Palo Alto:

Luxury Estates in Spain for Sale | Palo Alto Marbella

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THE ROLE OF THE DATA PROTECTION OFFICER IN THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

Costa del Sol News

THE ROLE OF THE DATA PROTECTION OFFICER IN THE REAL ESTATE SECTOR

Real estate brokerage is a multi-agent process where sensitive data are handled and exchanged, from commercial communications to end clients, to contractual relationships with real estate portals and notarized documents.

The arrival of the new EU General Data Protection Regulation has introduced a good deal of new procedures impacting the sector, such as keeping an updated security document, asking customers for consent to processing of their personal data, maintaining a record of processing activities, implementing GDPR-abiding protocols upon data breaches, or guaranteeing the exercise of ARCO rights (Access, Rectification, Cancellation, Opposition) by customers. The biggest novelty, however, is the incorporation of the Data Protection Officer (DPO) role as reflected in the Article 34 of the Spanish Law on Data Protection and Digital Rights Guarantees (“Ley Orgánica de protección de datos y garantía de los derechos digitales”), where the obligation to appoint a DPO is mandated for companies and professional such as real estate developers and agents.

The Data Protection Officer must be a professional with accredited legal expertise on GPDR and a minimum of eight year previous experience. Companies can appoint a staff person to serve as DPO or else contract an external consultant: in either case, the name of the DPO must be communicated to the Spanish Agency for Data Protection (“Agencia Española de Protección de Datos”, AEPD).

The DPO is the professional in charge of reporting, assessing and supervising all personal data-related procedures within the organization.

At Muriel Gestión Consultores, we recommend contracting an external consultant to serve as your company’s DPO, not only for the internal benefits such a professional can bring to the organization, such as guaranteed GPDR abidance, legal counselling and avoidance of non-compliance fines of up to 4% of your annual revenues, but also because this measure will improve your corporate image and your customers’ trust.