The property market in Marianao

Marianao lives off one very concrete geographical advantage: it borders Playa. Neighbourhoods like Buen Retiro, Almendares and Santa Felicia are minutes from Miramar and sell for a fraction of what it costs to cross the municipal boundary, which makes Marianao the natural fallback for anyone who wants west Havana without west Havana prices.

The housing stock is mostly detached houses and duplexes from the mid-twentieth century, on reasonably sized plots and with plenty of garages. It is a market negotiated on floor area and condition rather than on address: the name of the neighbourhood carries less weight here than in Vedado.

Towards the south and east the profile changes. Pogolotti, Los Quemados and the areas near Ciudad Libertad have clearly lower prices, smaller homes and more variable building condition.

The municipality’s usual weak point is infrastructure: water supply and the state of the sewer system vary a great deal from one block to the next. That is the first question to ask — before the one about paperwork.

Neighbourhoods and areas

• Buen Retiro
• Almendares
• Santa Felicia
• Pogolotti
• Los Quemados
• Zamora
• Libertad

What to check before buying here

• check_circleWater supply on that block: schedule, pressure, and whether the home has its own cistern and pump.
• check_circleThe sewer system and how the street behaves in heavy rain.
• check_circleIn duplexes and divided houses, confirm who owns the yards, passages and roof terraces.
• check_circleReal travel time to Playa and the centre, not the distance on the map.

Guides worth reading first