Paulista Avenue Regains Prominence in São Paulo’s Office Market as Vacancy Rate Drops to 2.19% in Q3 2025

For OLX Group, the main factor influencing its decision to lease space on Paulista was employee commute time, explains Christiane Berlinck, CHRO of the group:

“The decision involved choosing the location based on research and by mapping the ZIP codes of 626 employees across Greater São Paulo against their commute times to identify the address with the lowest average travel time. Among the neighborhoods analyzed, Bela Vista stood out as the best option.”

By focusing on employee well-being, Berlinck emphasizes that a balanced and healthy work environment is essential for staff to perform at their best and feel satisfied in their workplace:

“We achieved an average reduction of 44 minutes in total commute time (round trip) compared to the previous office. Since reopening, the São Paulo office has recorded a 400% increase in spontaneous attendance.”

“Office usage has more than doubled compared to our previous space, and we’ve received numerous compliments from employees, both in person and on social media. The reduced commute time has also allowed employees to dedicate more time to other activities such as higher education, fitness, family, and sleep quality,” she added.

Beyond location, Paulista’s strong metro connectivity makes it a central and accessible point — practically halfway for everyone. However, not everything is perfect: the area has experienced rising rental prices, which Berlinck addressed:

“The price increase reflects growing demand for office space as companies return to in-person or hybrid work models, which require physical spaces to accommodate employees. This, combined with limited supply due to a lack of land for new developments, pushes the market to retrofit older buildings. These updates modernize infrastructure and reposition buildings in the market, often doubling or even tripling their value per square meter.”

Concluding her remarks, Berlinck shared her perspective on the region’s broader real estate dynamics:

“Modernizing existing properties is essential, as most of the available options are over 40 years old and fall into categories B or C — or ‘vintage,’ as some conservative appraisers might say.”

She also highlighted the challenge faced by developers:

“The scarcity of land for new A/A+ projects remains the biggest obstacle. The solution has been to retrofit existing assets, making them more efficient with advanced technologies, sustainable operations, and compliance with current accessibility standards.”

Another long-time example is Maria Claudia Beldi, CEO of Banco Finaxis, who has been based in the region for 15 years. She highlights the factors that make Paulista her professional home:

“The ease of public transportation for employees, restaurant and retail options, safety, culture, and the fact that most executives and partners live nearby.”

According to Beldi, the rise in rental prices has not impacted the bank’s strategy. She also notes that the location positively influences productivity and recruitment:

“Candidates show greater interest compared to other areas.”

For Beldi, the most valued aspects of Paulista are transportation and safety.

When asked about future plans, she adds:

“We intend to expand in the area. Since we are in a cultural hub, we plan to create a space within our company for art exhibitions.”

Although Paulista now competes with more modern office corridors, it continues to be a corporate benchmark. Its strategic location connects São Paulo’s key districts, and its accessibility and strong transportation network remain decisive advantages — particularly in the post-pandemic era, where hybrid work models have made employee comfort a central factor in encouraging in-person attendance.

Can it improve further? Always. As Christiane Berlinck noted, modernization is essential for Paulista to maintain its relevance and compete with newer hubs like Chucri Zaidan, which feature state-of-the-art developments aligned with market trends. Still, it seems that the good old Paulista remains as welcoming and attractive as ever for many tenants.