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Real Estate News By bicycle: How the network of Buenos Aires bike paths influences the choice of housing and neighborhood in the city - Infobae

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By bicycle: How the network of Buenos Aires bike paths influences the choice of housing and neighborhood in the city - Infobae



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June 16, 2024


What are the CABA routes where using it as transportation is a real option. There is increasing interest in neighborhoods that integrate sustainable mobility services.

By José Luis Cieri


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With the bike lanes, the use of bicycles to move within CABA has grown. In addition, users look for homes near areas with easy connection (Illustrative Image Infobae)

The demand for properties depends on several factors. Price is decisive, but location and access to transportation, including cycling, are also crucial. The city of Buenos Aires, according to a private analysis, already stands out in the region for the use of bicycles: about 7% of trips are made by this means of transportation.

This situation makes it essential to identify neighborhoods where the bicycle is a real transportation option. From a real estate point of view, there is a growing interest in neighborhoods that integrate sustainable and sustainable mobility services.

According to a work by Properati, Palermo, Balvanera and Belgrano register the highest indicators in the list of searches for properties to buy or rent. “According to the data from visits to the network portals, Caballito and Almagro also lead among the five most bike-friendly neighborhoods and the most in demand for housing in 2024. Although no causality is demonstrated between cycling infrastructure and the demand for real estate, These data reflect a comprehensive image of what these neighborhoods offer, including bike mobility and its attractiveness in the market,” Ricardo Meneses Flores , from Properati in Latin America, told Infobae.

On the other hand, Villa Soldati, Villa Lugano and Villa Riachuelo are the ones that received the least demand.

A neighborhood is considered bike-friendly due to the number of kilometers of cycle paths, public bicycle stations, bicycle parking lots and specialized assistance workshops or stores.

Regarding the profile of people who choose to live near the bike lanes in CABA and what factors influence this decision, Rodrigo Saldaña , from Oslo Properties, pointed out: “The profile of people is varied, but young people predominate, between 18 and 40 years old, who understand that sustainable mobility is here to stay. The main capitals of the world use this means of transportation not only as an alternative to automobile transportation, but also as a way to promote people's health and well-being.”

Characteristics

Palermo is the district with the best conditions for bicycle use. It has more than 39 km of cycle paths, 39 public stations, 27 bicycle shops and 190 parking spaces.


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Palermo, in CABA, is the most sought after neighborhood due to demand to rent or buy. Provides options for cycling (Illustrative Image Infobae)

Balvanera, Belgrano, Caballito and Almagro complete the first five places on the list and have more than 16 km of cycle paths and at least 17 stations each. The difference between Palermo and the rest is accentuated by the number of bicycle lanes in Parque 3 de Febrero.

Meneses Flores said: “Without a doubt, Palermo is the neighborhood that stands out in this area of urban cycling. The Forest area is a real option to move around this area.” Given the high costs of maintaining the home and transportation expenses, the multiplicity of means of transportation is highly valued by buyers and tenants when moving.


The bicycle is key in urban development. According to the IDB, cycling strengthens sustainable lifestyles, reduces the carbon footprint of transportation, calms traffic and reduces pollution and noise levels.


“The presence of cycle paths and green spaces, such as parks or squares, is gaining more and more preponderance, as they promote a healthy, outdoor life, complementing the choice of mobility. In addition, riding a bicycle is a more economical option compared to using a car or spending on gasoline,” Saldaña added.

Prices

According to Properati, to buy an apartment in the five bike-friendly neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, you need an average of between USD 1,700, in Balvanera, and USD 3,200, in Palermo, per square meter.

Saldaña added: “Home value continues to be determined more by the neighborhood than by the presence of a nearby bike path. However, in the neighborhoods with a greater presence of bicycle lanes, the value per m2 ranges from approximately USD 2,500, depending on the age and characteristics of the home.”


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Palermo leads the preferences for those who choose to ride a bicycle through the city

The average cost of renting a 2-bedroom in CABA is around $450,000, and that of a 3-bedroom is around $600,000 per month.

On the other hand, the least bike-friendly neighborhoods, such as Villa Soldati, Villa Lugano and Villa Riachuelo, have average prices below USD 1,500 per m2.

Impact of cycle lanes on prices

It is difficult to say that cycle paths exclusively influence property prices. However, bike lanes are a public investment that benefits the neighborhood with new construction and additional mobility options.

Meneses Flores pointed out that the ranking considers the unevenness of the terrain and the total area of each district. “The flatter the terrain, the smaller the unevenness and the greater the comfort when pedaling. Parque Chas is the sector with the least natural elevation range, with only 12 meters.”


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Investment in cycling infrastructure is key for large cities (Illustrative Image Infobae)

The correlation between real estate prices and cycling infrastructure is proportional. The sectors with more expensive housing have more cycle paths, stations and workshops. According to studies by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), living in areas that promote the use of bicycles can improve the quality of life.

With bicycle rack

Since the planning code change in 2018, new housing developments must include an additional bicycle rack for each unit, available with the purchase of the unit.

“In addition, some new developments are beginning to offer complimentary bicycles for co-owners, encouraging sustainable mobility as an additional means of transportation,” concluded Saldaña.



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I love the idea of having more bike lanes and infrastructure. One of my activities there was taking a night time bicycle tour and just love biking in general. Here in the US most places it's difficult to bike, with the terrible infrastructure, lack of bike lanes, and everything being built for cars especially in the suburbs, I rarely bike at all. Hopefully, in BA they continue with expanding bike friendly roads.

One of my favorite channels that got me interested in biking, public transportation, and trying to remove our dependency on cars is the channel Not Just Bikes.
watch it til the end
 
I love the idea of having more bike lanes and infrastructure. One of my activities there was taking a night time bicycle tour and just love biking in general. Here in the US most places it's difficult to bike, with the terrible infrastructure, lack of bike lanes, and everything being built for cars especially in the suburbs, I rarely bike at all. Hopefully, in BA they continue with expanding bike friendly roads.

One of my favorite channels that got me interested in biking, public transportation, and trying to remove our dependency on cars is the channel Not Just Bikes.
watch it til the end
This is great. Thanks for sharing. BA has come a long way with bike lanes. I still don't feel comfortable with all the crazy drivers. Plus a few of my friends have gotten their bikes stolen. You can't park these anywhere even with a very good quality lock so keep that in mind.
 
Many of the bikes aren't in the best shape. But people do use them to get around but it's not as extensive like other major cities. These aren't the best bikes so not sure people would want to steal them. The bike thefts are usually nicer bikes. Wherever you are getting lessons will probably have a place you can park the bikes. Most of these places have a security guard at the entrance.
 
How are the city bikes in CABA? I've arranged some tennis lessons and would love to bike there but don't want to worry about getting my rental bike stolen. The city bikes in NYC are fantastic that way, pretty much hassle free.
@CraigM they have these city bikes around the city. Some of them not in the best of shape but you can get around in them.

 
Thanks, NYC is similar in terms of quality but they're rideable and the stations are everywhere so pick up & drop off is very convenient. If that's the case in BA I'll give it a shot.
Some tourists complain they weren't able to sign up without a DNI. I'm not sure if this was resolved or not. So you might not be able to use it. Try the online chat @CraigM to see if they can help you get signed up with your passport.

 
Some tourists complain they weren't able to sign up without a DNI. I'm not sure if this was resolved or not. So you might not be able to use it. Try the online chat @CraigM to see if they can help you get signed up with your passport.

You should be able to get registered by contacting them. My sister came and used it. IIRC, she contacted them via Whatsapp. There are around 100 stations around the city. They city has gotten much better about this. You can see more information about this @CraigM here:

 
Excellent, thank you both!
Craig if you want a nicer bike you can rent one. I used BA Bikes and they were great! They have tours as well if you don't want to do it alone. Bikes are in great condition and highly rated.


 
Craig if you want a nicer bike you can rent one. I used BA Bikes and they were great! They have tours as well if you don't want to do it alone. Bikes are in great condition and highly rated.


Thanks! I actually found one near our AirBNB in Palermo, but am leaning towards city bikes for the convenience.
 
Thanks! I actually found one near our AirBNB in Palermo, but am leaning towards city bikes for the convenience.
Probably makes sense to just rent one near where your Airbnb is. Just make sure you have a good lock or keep an eye on it if you park yours. I ran into an American tourist that rented a bike and it got stolen. He just locked it up and went in for a coffee and they robbed it within 3-4 minutes. I guess if they offer you some insurance take it but probably will be a deductible.
 
Found this graph interesting
View attachment 6525
Wow I'm surprised it shows bikes as high as it is. I saw some people riding bikes but it didn't seem like there were that many people. I wonder how accurate this is? Where do people lock up their bikes? I would think it would be tough as several people told me their bikes were stolen and they had to carry it up to their apartment or had a private room in the garage to store their bike. Good to see it so high.
 
Wow I'm surprised it shows bikes as high as it is. I saw some people riding bikes but it didn't seem like there were that many people. I wonder how accurate this is? Where do people lock up their bikes? I would think it would be tough as several people told me their bikes were stolen and they had to carry it up to their apartment or had a private room in the garage to store their bike. Good to see it so high.
That's not just bikes but what they called "active mobility" for biking, walking, skating etc. Looked further into it and biking is only 3% with walking 24% totaling 27% shown.
Data BA ways transport.png
 
OK that makes more sense. Because I was going to say this was false. Biking is a very tiny portion of people's transportation needs.
 
That's not just bikes but what they called "active mobility" for biking, walking, skating etc. Looked further into it and biking is only 3% with walking 24% totaling 27% shown.
View attachment 6527
Thank you for posting that follow up info. I had a feeling it had to be less than 5% based on what I saw in the city. This looks fairly accurate. Maybe walking is even higher. I was surprised how many people walk and very easy to get from one neighborhood to another just walking.
 
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