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t the 2025 Miami Real Estate Forum, 120 industry leaders convened to reaffirm the United States as a resilient property market, citing Florida—particularly South Florida—as a top U.S. destination for investment. The event, hosted by the Spanish‑U.S. Chamber of Commerce with ABANCA USA as chief sponsor, featured panels covering office, retail, residential, multifamily, and hotel sectors.
The opening discussion, led by ABANCA USA’s General Manager and Spanish‑U.S. Chamber Chair Mónica Vázquez alongside Related Group President Jon Paul Pérez, underscored Florida’s growing appeal to out‑of‑state and international investors. They highlighted the attractiveness of less densely populated coastal regions while warning that rising tariffs inject uncertainty for developers and buyers. Pérez noted a slowdown in Latin American investment due to domestic political instability, but expressed confidence that the trend will normalize over time.
Estates Companies Principal Alejandro Arrieta praised the sector’s outlook, calling South Florida “the strongest market, if not in the world, then certainly in the United States.” Rilea Group President Alan Ojeda pointed out the need for affordable, transit‑connected communities to sustain the area’s growth.
Other speakers emphasized the adoption of advanced technologies—particularly AI—and sustainable practices to improve residential management. In the “Structuring and Financing Real Estate Projects” panel, ABANCA Chief Lending Officer Margarita Sánchez‑Lloria stressed that banks prioritize trusted relationships over high‑leverage deals, contrasting with the more transactional approach of funds and institutions. She highlighted bureaucratic hurdles and limited local financing options as key obstacles for foreign investors.
Executive Director Juan Carlos Pereira of the Spanish‑U.S. Chamber outlined the forum’s ambition to become an annual nexus for decision‑makers, fostering cross‑sector dialogue. Chair Vázquez echoed this sentiment, noting the forum’s role in facilitating open conversations about opportunities, challenges, and industry trends. ABANCA USA’s general manager echoed the importance of the platform for communication among leaders and investors.
The forum arrived amid a projected U.S. real‑estate market value of $3.11 trillion by 2030, according to the Chamber. Vázquez highlighted the United States as a strategic market for ABANCA, a Spanish bank with a presence in 11 countries across Europe and the Americas. In six years of U.S. operations, the country has become ABANCA’s third‑largest market by turnover, surpassed only by Spain and Portugal.
