Abstract

The article introduces how investification serve as an analytical framework for unpinning the increase of the buy-to-let phenomenon in a reduced letting market that produces a rise in letting prices. The Chilean neoliberal context and the dis-regulated condition of property-rent markets provides a chance for reviewing the insights of how housing and letting are undermining the affordability in the Latin American region. The first part is centred on an explorative statistical analysis based on CASEN survey 2009-2017 to identify the variations in the household whose incomes come from letting urban properties. To deepen the analysis, the second part explores the financial profitability of letting business in a specific borough of Santiago. This analysis employs two financial methods: the Yield and the Net. Present. Value (NPV). The results indicate that there is a higher concentration of this type of business in the wealthiest 10% while the profitability of letting business is high. These results demonstrate the existence of investificacion in Santiago and some public policy alternatives are offered to engage in a broader international discussion.