Medellín registers the biggest drop in the country in housing purchase intention: it plummeted 42.5 points in January
Medellín was the city where the willingness to buy housing deteriorated the most in January 2026. According to the Consumer Opinion Survey (EOC) by Fedesarrollo, the indicator fell 42.5 percentage points compared to December, going from -0.8% to -43.3%, the worst result among the five cities analyzed.
TL;DR
- Medellín saw the largest decline in willingness to buy housing in January 2026, dropping 42.5 percentage points from -0.8% to -43.3%.
- The national average for willingness to buy housing fell 13.3 points to -22.0%, with Medellín showing a much deeper pessimism.
- A significant factor is the expected increase in the price of social interest housing (VIS) in 2026, rising by approximately 49 million pesos compared to 2025.
- This price increase is driven by a 23.7% rise in the minimum wage, setting the VIS price up to 262 million pesos in large cities.
- Antioquia, where Medellín is located, has a high proportion of non-VIS housing sales and investment purchases, creating a disconnect between purchase sentiment and sales growth.
- Households are showing more caution regarding high-cost decisions, and the willingness to buy durable goods also declined in Medellín.
- The drop in purchase intention may have implications for the construction sector in the Aburrá Valley, especially for new housing.