The issue of affordable housing in Spain has become so acute that it is now being discussed at the highest levels, including recent remarks by Minister Isabel Rodríguez in Brussels. Almost simultaneously, however, a controversy erupted on social media, revealing this same problem from an entirely unexpected angle. At the center of the scandal was the well-known influencer Marta Pombo, whose complaints about being unable to buy her dream home in Madrid sparked a wave of outrage.
It all began with a video in which the successful entrepreneur and blogger shared a long-held dream with her followers. Marta, who together with her husband, dentist Luis Samalloa, and their three daughters is searching for a new home in the Ortalaza district of the capital, spoke about a particular property. “Those who have followed me for a while know how much I love my neighborhood. I even spotted a house that always looked a bit run-down, and every day I imagined it as mine,” she said on Instagram. Pombo admitted that she even changed her route on purpose so she could drive by and dream about renovating it one day.
She was stunned when the house finally went up for sale. “Imagine my face when I saw it. I couldn’t believe it! And now imagine my face when they told me the price,” she says sadly in the video. “I don’t have the money to buy it!” the influencer exclaims, suddenly switching to a Mexican accent. “What are these crazy prices in Madrid?” she wonders. Marta noted that besides the purchase, the house needs major renovation because it’s so big. “It’s a showpiece house — a lifelong dream. But where can I find that kind of money?” she continues to complain, switching to English.
Pombo also did a quick market analysis, noting that Madrid has become “unaffordable.” “Of course, I know my expectations are high — a house with a garden in Madrid. But not for that kind of money!” she laments. The blogger recalled that just a couple of years ago, similar properties in her area were much cheaper, but they quickly sold out. In the end, she concluded humbly, “I have patience, I’ll wait. But I don’t know for how long. And I’m not sure I’ll ever save up enough.”
The reaction to these revelations was swift, especially given that the Pombo family owns homes in Cantabria and the province of Segovia. One of the most popular comments on Twitter read: “If even Marta Pombo can’t afford the house she wants, imagine what it’s like for people who don’t get paid €5,000 for shampoo sponsorships.” Journalist Nuria Marín also criticized the blogger, accusing her of taking a “frivolous” approach to a serious national issue. “Maybe instead of ‘manifesting’ a house, you should join protests so that all of us can afford a home,” she suggested.
Responding to the wave of criticism, Marta Pombo attempted to clarify her position. She said she simply tries to “live with joy and gratitude, accepting both the good and the bad,” and is aware of her privileged situation. Thanking her followers for their support, she added that “the meaning of life is for each person to live their own, while respecting the lives of others.”
By the way, Marta Pombo is one of the most prominent figures in the Spanish online community. She is the middle sister of the Pombo clan, led by her older sister, the hugely popular blogger María Pombo. Marta is successfully developing her own business ventures in fashion and event planning. Together with her husband, Luis Samalloa, who is also an influencer, she is raising three children. Her Instagram audience numbers in the hundreds of thousands, making any of her statements a subject of close public attention.
