A Cuban residing in the United States shared on TikTok the result of one of his greatest achievements: the first house he bought in Cuba, documenting the moment with a motivational song that encapsulates the effort behind that accomplishment.
Lázaro Javier, known on the platform as @lazaro4960, posted a 39-second video on April 21 showing how the property turned out, accompanied by lyrics about overcoming challenges and sacrifice. "This was the first little house I acquired in Cuba, this is how it turned out," he wrote in the description.
The chosen song for the video does not seem coincidental. Its verses encapsulate what many Cuban emigrants feel when reaching these kinds of goals: “I had to start from scratch, with nothing in my hands / Only a strong dream, while my soul trembles / Many saw me fall, thinking it was the end / But the hunger I carry cannot be extinguished.”
The closing lines of the lyrics reinforce that message: "It wasn't luck, it was faith, it was perseverance and discipline / Even when no one believed, I looked up / And today I tell destiny with a determined voice / The one who never gives up."
The video accumulated over 44,200 views, nearly 1,700 reactions, and 52 comments, becoming yet another example of a trend that is growing strong among the Cuban diaspora.
The case of Lázaro Javier is part of an increasingly visible phenomenon in 2025 and 2026: Cuban emigrants taking advantage of the decline in real estate prices on the island to acquire properties and document the process on social media.
The economic crisis and the exodus of nearly two million Cubans since 2021 have resulted in a greater supply of housing and a drop of between 50% and 60% in prices in dollars compared to 2018-2019.
Homes in areas like Vedado or Miramar that previously cost 50,000 dollars can now be found for between 15,000 and 20,000 dollars. In peripheral areas, prices can be even lower: the TikToker Diego García del Prado bought his first house in Cuba for just 2,500 dollars in May 2026, a property with a living room, three bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and terrace.
Other recent viral cases include Marinet López Bati, who purchased her first house in Cuba from the United States via videoconference, and a Cuban residing in France who bought a home for her mother on the island.
Legally, Cubans residing abroad must apply for permanent residency with the Ministry of the Interior in order to purchase property in Cuba, a process that can take up to 90 days. Since January 2026, new notarial fees established by Resolution 333/2025 of the Ministry of Justice also apply.
For many emigrants, however, bureaucratic obstacles do not deter their decision. Acquiring property on the island represents more than just an investment: it is the tangible symbol of the sacrifice involved in leaving their country behind, and proof that their efforts were worthwhile.
Filed under: