The luxury of walking to school: exclusive homes next to educational centers

We have not reached the end of the first post-holiday quarter and some of us are still in the course of adaptation, which affects not only children, but also suffering parents. So, living near the school makes life much easier, especially when they can go alone.

Proof of its relevance is that it is the reason that explains why in the same neighborhood there are properties with higher prices between nearby streets that only justify the proximity to a prestigious school. Many international families who are purchasing properties in Spain take this into account as the first factor, because even if they eventually consider moving to another premium area of ​​Madrid, they prefer to start by making life easy. Furthermore, the most sought-after private schools, among which are many international ones, are in already very exclusive areas.

The importance of whether there are schools or not is such that many real estate consultants have quantified it. CBRE considered in one of its research reports carried out in 2024 that this difference in price is especially noticeable when they are homes that are located within a radius of between 500 and 2,000 meters from the reference school. On the other hand, analyzing data from the reference school and homes within that distance, it quantifies by 10% how much the home is revalued compared to others that, being in the same neighborhood, are not so close. This difference also affects rent, since this option is something that many families consider for their children’s school years, assuming that after a few years it will no longer be so necessary.

La Moraleja (Alcobendas) 

International College Spain | San Patricio | King College | Brains International…

There are many schools located within this renowned urbanization in the north of Madrid that since the late 70s has attracted the most demanding buyers with high purchasing power. As we recently told you in another article in our magazine, La Moraleja is now experiencing a new golden age. The main reasons: security, the size of its plots and homes, as well as the proximity to the city of Madrid, while being in a green environment, mean that the vast majority of expatriates and large fortunes have it in their sights. . Furthermore, we have also recently revealed to you in this magazine how many of these families, especially those of South American origin, who began buying in select areas of the center of Madrid, such as the Salamanca or Retiro neighborhood, are increasingly showing interest in urbanizations like La Moraleja, not finding enough square meters for their family needs in the central almond.

But realistically, La Moraleja has never ceased to be a first-choice enclave among artists, athletes, large businessmen and healthy assets, and that is why it has never depreciated. Because, furthermore, if something defines La Moraleja, it is the depletion of the soil and the impossibility of growing in what is considered classic La Moraleja. For this reason, the rental market here also moves at a frenetic pace.

This semi-detached house has been for rent at different times (11,000 euros/month) but is currently for sale for a price to be consulted. It is located just a few meters from schools such as the International College, King College or the European Lyceum.

It has 600 m2 distributed over two floors plus attic and basement. In the latter we find very useful spaces for a family such as a play area, storage rooms, wine cellar and an accessory bedroom with its bathroom. On the entrance floor there is a large reception area with access to the porch and garden, an office, kitchen with island plus service area and laundry area.

In this small urbanization of 15 houses, with a lot of tradition, there is a common garden with a large swimming pool apart from the private gardens.

On the upper floor we find three en-suite bedrooms with access to an attractive terrace plus the master bedroom, with a large dressing room and bathroom. In the attic, the house has another bedroom with a bathroom and a living area.

Somosaguas (Pozuelo de Alarcón) 

American School | British Council | Retamar | Kensington School…

Another area of ​​the premium residential periphery is the Northwest area of ​​Madrid, with towns such as Pozuelo de Alarcón, which is always at the top of the municipalities with the highest per capita income in the Community. There we find urbanizations as exclusive as La Finca or Somosaguas. In the latter, there are also different highly rated schools such as Retamar, or the American School, among many others…

Very close to the first two schools mentioned, is this attractive property for sale. It is a ground floor with a garden, a very functional typology for families with small children, who are looking for a green escape in their own home, but who do not want to take on the burden of maintaining a large garden. The house has 254 square meters and two private gardens. The distribution stands out, in which both the social area (kitchen and living room) and the bedrooms integrate perfectly with the terraces and independent garden areas thanks to their large windows and sliding glass doors.

In addition, you can enjoy magnificent common areas of 30,000 m2 with large gardens of more than 10,000 m2, two swimming pools, two paddle tennis courts, children’s areas, minigolf, gym, social club and permanent security service.

Chamartín (Madrid)

Saint Chaumond | Willoughby International | King´s College | Hastings School…

But not all the great schools are on the outskirts of Madrid, for centuries the educational centers were in the city itself, and in fact here we find the schools of the religious orders with the most reputation and history in the educational field.

In the northern area of ​​Madrid, which the truth is that many years ago was the periphery, there are historic schools that continue to be a reference such as El memoria (Jesuitas) or the Sagrado Corazón. But also other centers that emerged later, with the extension of Pío XII street in the 70s to become a large avenue that linked with the north of Madrid.

Near Príncipe de Vergara, where there are also many centers such as the Santamarca or Saint Chaumond schools, is the neighborhood of El Viso, an oasis for any family, due to the calm of its streets and its wonderful little houses in the historic neighborhood projected in the first half of the 20th century by the architect Rafael Bergamín. In our portfolio we have several properties in this neighborhood, where single-family homes predominate but where we also find high-rise homes on streets like Rodríguez Marín, the least of which, and therefore highly valued. An example would be this bright 366 m2 property, very well distributed in a social area with a separate dining room, a bright kitchen with a service area and four large bedrooms (the main one en suite). In addition, it has two parking spaces, a storage room and a community garden and pool.

Barrio de Salamanca (Madrid)

Nuestra Señora del Pilar | Nuestra Señora de Loreto |CEU San Pablo Claudio Coello… 

As we explained, large schools of classical orders and educational groups: Augustinians, Salesians, Redemptorists, etc… are spread throughout the most luxurious streets of the center of Madrid. One of the most traditional schools is the one known as Pilar on Castelló Street, from the Marianista group, where years ago it was colloquially said that half the Government came out, since many politicians from our country had studied there. Now located at 56 Castelló Street, the imposing ‘cathedral’ building was designed in a neo-Gothic and modernist style by the Madrid architect Manuel Aníbal Álvarez Amoroso, commissioned by the Duchess of Sevillano who wanted to give it a charitable-social purpose. Finally, years later, it was acquired by the Compañía de María, whose Nuestra Señora del Pilar school had first occupied two floors on Goya Street.

It is difficult to find in the streets that surround this monumental school a property that is not up to par, since the streets that surround it: Don Ramón de la Cruz; Castelló; Ayala or Príncipe de Vergara, or a few meters further, Ortega y Gasset or Hermosilla, concentrate the best stately buildings and facades of the aristocratic neighborhood of the mid-19th century, built following the Castro Plan and under the leadership of Don José Salamanca, Marquis of the same.

This large 323 m2 apartment perfectly represents the type of homes that were desired then and today revalued even more, making them pay over 10,000 euros per square meter. We access the home through a large hall, which takes us to the social area, distributed in two rooms: a living room and a dining room with access to the terrace. The house has a family living room, office and guest toilet. The large designer kitchen in an independent space connected to the dining room, has a central island, and all the modern comforts. In the private area we find three en-suite bedrooms, the main one also has a large dressing room and views of a large block patio.

Aravaca (Madrid Oeste) 

Estudio | Santa María de los Rosales | Mater Salvatoris | Colegio Internacional Aravaca… 

This neighborhood belonging to the Moncloa district of Madrid is actually like a satellite, more similar to municipalities like Pozuelo. The advantage is that being even closer to Madrid, it also has all the advantages of a green residential area on the outskirts of the urban center. In fact, and despite having an older area known among its locals as ‘the town’, two-thirds of its residents are found in developments of single-family homes.

One of its great attractions is precisely that old town, which provides great life to the neighborhood, with a lot of commercial life and services of all kinds. The other great quality of this area is how prepared it is for family life, with various sports, cultural and, above all, educational facilities. Among its streets are schools as famous as Santa María de los Rosales (where King Felipe once studied and where his daughters Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía do today), and others that have been a reference in the history of education in Spain, such as Colegio Estudio, one of the first reference centers to be located in the outskirts, and then also a reference for a new education based on the Free Teaching Institution. It has a spectacular building designed in the 60s by Fernando Higueras.

We have different homes of very different types in the Aravaca neighborhood, with schools as prestigious as the two mentioned as well as others such as the International School of Aravaca, Allegra or Mater Salvatoris. In the well-known La Rinconada urbanization, we find a spacious 237 m² penthouse with spectacular views of Madrid, 8-hectare community areas, adult and children’s pool, paddle tennis court, soccer fields… as shown in the photo above.

A proximity that many families want and are willing to pay that extra real estate cost. Because the course is very long… and the early mornings are very hard.