It’s that time of year again.
Hearts in shop windows.
Special menus everywhere.
Rural hotels offering “romantic escapes”.
In the Canary Islands, rural tourism is sitting at around 70% occupancy for Valentine’s weekend. Restaurants are reporting strong bookings. Florists are stacking up red roses.
On the surface, it all looks very rosy.
Underneath it… slightly different story.
Roses, Chocolate and Reality
Florists say Valentine’s accounts for about 10% of their annual revenue. Around 70% of sales are red roses. The classic.
Chocolates are another big winner. Valentine’s week reportedly represents nearly half of February’s chocolate sales value in Spain. Millions spent on heart-shaped boxes that last about three evenings.
Fair enough.
It’s tradition. It’s fun. It keeps businesses busy in February, which isn’t exactly peak season for romance or retail.
But here’s the part that caught my attention.
Buying a Home Now Takes Two
More and more, buying a house is something that only couples can realistically afford.
Only around 5% of single-parent families are purchasing homes.
Five percent.
That’s not about romance. That’s economics.
Deposits are harder to save.
Mortgage criteria are tighter.
Property prices haven’t exactly been sitting still.
Two incomes make it manageable.
One income makes it complicated.
I See It in the Market
In Tenerife, most buyers I deal with fall into a few categories.
Retired couples with equity behind them.
Working couples pooling savings.
Investors with cash.
Single buyers do exist, of course. But they need strong income, low debt and usually a decent deposit. It’s not impossible… just tougher.
And that quietly changes the dynamic of the market.
Love vs Logistics
Valentine’s Day sells the idea of togetherness.
The property market runs on maths.
A mortgage doesn’t care how romantic your weekend was. It cares about income, stability and whether the bank is comfortable lending to you.
There’s nothing wrong with buying as a couple. In fact, it makes complete sense financially.
But if the only reason you’re staying together is because “it’s easier to get on the property ladder”… that’s not exactly a fairytale beginning.
Roses fade.
Dinner reservations end.
A mortgage is 20 or 30 years of commitment.
And that’s a slightly different type of love story.
If you’re celebrating Valentine’s in Tenerife this weekend, enjoy it. The weather’s good, the food’s better, and at least you’re not scraping ice off the car in the morning.
Just don’t confuse a romantic weekend with a long-term financial plan.
