Renting Dominates in Colombian Housing, Barranquilla Bucks Trend

Bogotá accounts for 63% of all housing searches registered in Colombia during the first half of 2026, according to a report from Fincaraíz.com Source: portafolioco. However, the national trend leans heavily toward renting, with four of the five largest cities showing a preference for leasing over buying.

Renting vs. Buying

In Bogotá, 69% of searches are for rentals, while only 31% seek to buy. Cali and Bucaramanga show similar splits (68% rent vs. 32% buy, and 66% rent vs. 34% buy, respectively). Medellín is more balanced, with 55% rent and 45% buy Source: portafolioco. The outlier is Barranquilla, where 61% of searches are for purchasing, making it the only major city where buying surpasses renting Source: eltiempoco.

Credit Recovery

The mortgage market shows signs of recovery: disbursements for home purchases grew 4.8% in Q1 2026, and housing leasing increased 10.6% Source: portafolioco. Martha Valencia, CEO of Fincaraíz, noted that users are more analytical and patient, comparing options and evaluating financial capacity before deciding Source: portafolioco, eltiempoco.

Local Dynamics

The report highlights that housing decisions are increasingly local, with each city exhibiting distinct patterns driven by economic, cultural, and price factors. Buyers are favoring smaller, high-rotation apartments, especially for rental and investment purposes Source: portafolioco.