Spain has about 8,000 kilometres of coastline and 3,000 listed beaches, only Italy has a longer coastline in Europe! It’s not a surprise: Spain is one of “the” top tourist destination for European with more than 20% of European travellers. For those in search of sun and sand at any time of year,… yes, you found it!

You will find excellent facilities and sandy beaches in all the Spanish Regions. In 2022, 120.000 properties were bought by foreigners! Have a look at our detailed analysis if you want to read more on that: Who are the foreigners buying properties in Spain?

How could you quickly find a nice beach in Spain?

Of course, you have to ask it to the local residents. But we want to help you if you want to plan before getting there! Don’t hesitate to tell us, should you think we missed one! We helped you with four sources:

1.Our top beaches sorted per Spanish Costas

We have created Infographics for the main Spanish Costas. You will find on those everything you should know on the Spanish Costas: Airports, AVE stations, Cities, Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets, Shopping malls, Unesco sites, kids parks, Natural parks, Golf courses, Universities and of course the top beaches.

All our infographics on the Spanish costas

2.The Blue Flag rating: 579 beaches in Spain

3.The Q rating: 248 beaches in Spain

4.The Top 10 Spanish beaches according to the Tourist Bureau

1. Our ranking of the best beaches in Spain sorted by Costas

We have created a series of “Must see activities” for each Spanish Costas and incorporated those in our newly released infographics. Click on any link and you will find a pdf downloadable version of each of those infographics.

The best beaches in the Spanish Islands

The best beaches in the Balearic Islands

• Balnearion de San Juan
• Playa Illetes (Formentera)
• Cala Comte (Ibiza)
• Playa de Muro Beach (Playa de Muro)
• Cala Pregonda (Minorque)
• Cala d’Hort (Ibiza)
• Cala Macarelleta (Minorque)
• Port de Pollença Beach (Port de Pollença)
• Playa de Alcudia (Port d’Alcudia)
• Playa de Son Bou (Alaior)
• Playa de Llevant (Formentera)
• Cala Turqueta (Ciudadela)
• Cala Mitjana (Cala Galdana)
• Playa Aguas Blancas (Ibiza)
• Playa de Migjorn (Migjorn)
• Cala Saladeta (Sant Antoni de Portmany)
• Cala Millor Beach (Cala Millor)

Find everything on the Balearic Islands: its Airports, stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches.

The best beaches in Canary Islands

• Pozo de la Salud (El Hierro)
• Playa de Cofete (Morro del Jable)
• Playa de las Conchas (Isla de Graciosa)
• El Cotillo Beach & Lagoons (El Cotillo)
• Playa de Benijo (Almaciga)
• Sotavento Beach (Costa Calma)
• Playa de Sotavento (Playa de Jandia)
• Playa del Matorral (Pajara)
• Playa de Las Canteras (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
• Monumento Natural de Ajuy (Fuerteventura)
• Playa Del Duque (Costa Adeje)
• Playa Dorada Beach (Playa Blanca)
• Piscinas Naturales El Caleton (Garachico)
• Playa El Bollullo (Puerto de la Cruz)
• Playa de las Vistas (Los Cristianos)
• Playa de Maspalomas (Maspalomas)

Know everything on the Canary Islands: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Spanish Costas

The best beaches in the Costa de Almería

• Balneario de Sierra Alhamilla (Almería),
• Monsul Beach (San Jose),
• Playa de los Muertos (Carboneras),
• Serena Beach (Roquetas de Mar),
• Playa de los Genoveses (Cabo de Gata),
• Playa de Aguadulce (Aguadulce),
• Cala de Enmedio (Agua Amarga),
• El Playazo (Rodalquilar),
• Garrucha Beach (Garrucha),
• Playas de Vera (Vera),
• Cala del Plomo (Agua Amarga)

Know everything on the Costa Almeria: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa de Azahar

• Playa Almadrava (Benicàssim),
• Playa Benicarló (Benicarló),
• Balneario Villavieja (Castellón),
• Playa Marina D’Or (Castellón),
• Playa Romana(Castellón),
• Playa Moro (Alcocébre),
• Playa Sant Antoni (Cullera),
• Playa Gandia (Gandia),
• Playa Serradal(Alcocébre),
• Playa Xeraco (Xeraco),
• Playa Peñiscola (Peñíscola),
• Playa Alcossebre (Alcocébre),
• Playa Benicàssim (Benicàssim),
• Playa Vinaros (Vinarós)

Know everything on the Costa Azahar: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa Barcelona

• Balneario Titus (Arenys de Mar),
• Balneario Hotel Colón (Caldes d’Estrac),
• Santa Susanna,
• Malgrat de mar (Maresme),
• PREMIÀ DE MAR (Maresme),
• San Bartolomé y santa Tecla,
• Vilassar de mar (Barcelona),
• playa principal de Calella (Calella),
• Roca Grossa (Calella), Barceloneta Beach (Barcelona),
• La Playa de Sitges (Sitges),
• Beach Castelldelfels Barcelona (Castelldefels),
• Playa de Castelldefels (Castelldefels),
• Playa Balmins (Sitges),
• Bogatell Beach (Barcelona),
• Platja de Ribes Roges (Vilanova i la Geltru),
• Badalona Beach (Badalona),
• Passeig Marítim (Sitges),
• Nova Mar Bella Beach (Barcelona),
• Playa de Sant Sebastia (Sitges),
• Ocata Beach (El Masnou),
• Delta del Llobregat (El Prat de Llobregat),
• Playa del Hombre Muerto (Sitges),
• Sausalito Beach (Sitges),
• Platja de la Nova Icaria (Barcelone),
• Platja de Gava (Gava)

Know everything on the Costa de Barcelona: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa Blanca

• Poniente Beach (Benidorm),
• Playa de la Fossa o Levante (Calpe),
• Arenal Beach (Javea),
• Las Salinas de Torrevieja (Torrevieja),
• Promenade of Calpe (Calpe),
• Guardamar Moncayo Beach (Guardamar del Segura),
• Cala Finestrat Beach (Finestrat),
• Playa del Albir (El Albir), Playa El Carabassi (Elche),
• Cala del Moraig (Benitachell),
• Playa de Guardamar (Alicante),
• Altea Beach (Altea),
• Playa L’Ampolla (Moraira)

Know everything on the Costa Blanca: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa Brava

• Cala Senyor Ramon,
• Platja de s’Agaró,
• Cala Futadera,
• Platja del Castell de Palamos,
• Cala Boadella

Know everything on the Costa Brava: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa Calida

• Playa de Calblanque (Cartagena),
• Cala del Pino et Plage Entremares (La Manga),
• Playa Portús (Cartagena),
• Playa Barraca Quemada de La Llana (San Pedro del Pinatar),
• Playa Amarilla (Águilas),
• Playa La Carolina (Águilas),
• Playa de Percheles (Mazarrón),
• Playa Baño de las Señoritas (Lorca),
• Cala Cortina (Cartagena),
• Cala Blanca (Lorca)

Know everything on the Costa Calida: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa Daurada

• Balneario de Coma-Ruga (Vendrell)
• Llevant Beach (Salou)
• Llarga Beach (Salou)
• Playa de la Pineda (La Pineda)
• Capellans Beach (Salou)
• Cambrils Beach Platja Prat d’En Fores y Regueral (Cambrils)
• Playa El Torn Naturist Beach (L’Hospitalet de l’Infant)
• Playa El Milagro (Tarragona)
• Playa de Arrabassada (Tarragona)
• Playa La Savinosa (Tarragona)
• Platja de la Llosa (Cambrils)
• Playa Cristal (Miami Platja)

Know everything on the Costa Daurada: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa de la Luz

• Playa de Isla de Canela,
• Playa de Punta Umbria,
• Playa de torre de la Higuera,
• Playa de matalascañas,
• Playa cruz del mar,
• Playa del rompidillo,
• Playa la caleta,
• Playa de la Cortadura,
• Cala de Roche,
• Playa de los caños de Meca,
• Playa del Cañuelo,
• Paya de los Lances

Know everything on the Costa de la Luz: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa del Sol

• Playa de la Cala Mijas (La Cala de Mijas)
• Playa La Carihuela (Torremolinos)
• Playa El Bajondillo (Torremolinos)
• Burriana Beach (Nerja)
• Puerto Cabopino Beach and Marina (Marbella)
• Playa de La Malagueta (Malaga)
• Playa Del Cristo (Estepona)
• Playa de la Cala el Cañuelo (Nerja)
• Playa de San Pedro de Alcantara (San Pedro de Alcantara)
• Playa Los Alamos / El Canuelo (Torremolinos)
• Playa Arroyo de La Miel (Benalmadena)
• Carvajal Beach (Benalmadena)

Find everything on the Costa del Sol: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa Tropical

• Playa de Calahonda,
• Playa de La Rijana,
• Playa de Castell de Ferro,
• Playa de La Mamola,
• Playa de La Herradura

Know everything on the Costa Tropical: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

The best beaches in the Costa de Valencia

• Playa de Malvarrosa,
• Playa de Pinedo,
• Platja de la Malladeta,
• Playa de San Antonio,
• Playa de Jeresa,
• Playa de Daimus,
• Playa de Oliva

Know everything on the Costa de Valencia: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

2. Blue Flag rating: 579 beaches in Spain

In Spain, you can choose from 579 beaches, 100 Marina resorts and five sustainable tourist boats, all distinguished with the prestigious Blue Flag award, thanks to their quality and safety.

As such, Spain is the top nation in terms of site ranked by the Blue Flag system.

What does this mean?

• One out of five beaches in Spain has a Blue Flag!
• One out of six beaches in the World is Spanish!

This award is bestowed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). This institution was created in 1987 by Europe but now is a worldwide organisation.

What does this distinction guarantee?

The sites are ranked on 31 different criteria’s: Environment, Water Quality, Safety,… Have a look at the full list of criteria’s here.

Find the map with all the beaches, sorted by Access to the beach for disabled, Nudist, Sandy, Rocky, Inland, Coastal,…

3. Q for Quality distinction rating: 248 beaches in Spain

This rating is awarded by the Spanish Tourism Quality Institute (ICTE). The Tourism Institute ranks not only beaches but as well many different sites for the quality and safeness of their sites: campings, hotels, Golfs, Touristic activities,…

Find all lists of the best beaches for all the Spanish Costas in our papers on all the Spanish Costas and on the infographics: Enjoy all the Spanish Costas: get the best out of it: our top papers of 2017

4. The top 10 beaches according to the Tourist Bureau of Spain

1. Illetes, Formentera, Balearic Islands
2. As Catedrais, Galicia
3. La Concha, San Sebastian
4. Bolonia, Costa de la Luz
5. El Cofete, Las Palmas, Canary Islands
6. Cala Bassa, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
7. Las Canteras, Las Palmas, Canary Islands
8. Rodas, Galicia
9. Platja Gran, Cadaqués, Costa Brava
10. Cué, Llanes, Asturias, Costa Verde

Source: Spain Tourist Bureau

If you want to have some pictures of those beaches, google image is a good start but have a look at the impressive database on the website of Aena (the company managing the Spanish airports).

Are you booking your holidays soon? Read our last paper: Our best ideas for planning your holidays in Spain! Our top 2017 papers!

Here are 8 reasons why you need more holidays to enjoy the best Spanish beaches?

Don’t hesitate to tell us what’s your favourite beach or if you found an even more beautiful one to share with our readers!

Looking for a lawyer, an architect, a property hunter in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post Summer Edition: Where will you find the top Beaches in Spain? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Where are foreigners buying properties in Spain in 2022?

Which nationalities are active? Are they residents or not? Which nationalities are buying Real Estate in Spain? What price do they pay?

Europeans are buying properties in Spain as never: 137,000 properties bought by foreigners. Of course, we see many Europeans active as usual and the United Kingdom is still the first country to buy properties in Spain. A new trend is that we see foreigners coming from further: Latin America with Argentina and Venezuela, America and China are there too. Americans are benefitting from a steep discount: the euro is cheaper by 20% in 2022 vs the dollar.

A quick reminder before starting this interesting subject, please remember that if you want to buy a property in Spain, you need an NIE number, read our detailed article for more information: Your ultimate guide to your Spain NIE number – NIE Spain. Another interesting article we would recommend: How to buy a property in Spain as a foreigner? At Howtobuyinspain.com we have the best experts in our network to assist you everywhere in Spain. As you will see in this article, we have the best tools and database to know where the market is and what are the trends. Thanks to that, we help our customers to make the best deals in Spain.

As for all our articles, in this article, you will find interactive charts showing detailed data with a mouse click on it and we have static charts available for download. Please note that our interactive charts have always the most recent data as they are linked to our databases. Of course, our static charts are regularly updated.

1. Which nationalities are buying properties in Spain?

The Statistical Information Center of Notaries in Spain has just released its last report on Foreigners’ activity in the property market.

What was the activity in the Spanish real estate market up to June 2022?

• 703,331 property transactions for the last 12 months: +18% yearly growth
• property activity by Spaniards increased by 13% year-on-year to 562,956
• property activity by foreign buyers increased by 47% year-on-year to 136,921
• This equals 19% of all the property transactions that occurred in Spain.
• 45% of the transactions were carried out by non-resident foreigners and 55% by foreigners living in Spain!

Spaniards and Foreigners are very active: both are buying the most since 2008:

Quarterly statistics of the “Ministerio de Fomento”.

Which are the most active nationalities within the EU buying properties in Spain?

For the last 12 months to the end of June 2022, the most active nationalities were :

• the British with 11.2% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Germans with 10.3% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the French with 8% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Romanians with 6.7% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Italians with 5.9% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Belgians with 5.2% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Dutch with 4.9% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• and the Swedish with 4.2% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,

Check our foreigners’ profiles and buyers guides: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Belgians Chinese Dutch English French Germans Italians Moroccans
Romanians Russians Swedish?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

Most active nationalities outside the EU buying real estate in Spain

The proportion of purchases was also high by foreigners outside the EU:

such as Morocco (7.7%), China (2.6%) or Russia (2%), America (1.6%) and other countries outside the EU 11.2%

If you want to live in Spain, have a quick check at our interesting article on the Golden Visa: Golden Visa in Spain: Your ultimate guide!

Don’t forget to hedge your currency smartly if you are buying from outside the European zone.

Here you go, a quick check of all the nationalities:

Here is the same info reproduced with a pie chart:

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

Which nationalities are buying more properties during the last 12 months to June 2022?

Of course, Europeans are very active in the property market in Spain. Most Europeans come from northern countries. A more recent trend we noticed at howtobuyinSpain in 2022 with many new customers flowing in: Americans are buying actively everywhere in Spain, thanks to the weak Euro vs Dollar. Yes, the Euro lost 20% this year, not bad for Americans looking for bargains. Have a look at our paper written by our property hunter in Madrid for more on that: Americans are buying properties in Madrid.

Here are the countries increasing the most their property purchases in Spain in 2022 vs 2021 (last 12 months to June):

• Netherlands +101%
• Germany +81%
• Ireland +95%
• Norway +72%
• Denmark +70%
• USA +69%
• Sweden +66%
• Switzerland +62%
• Argentina +45%
• France +41%
• Belgium +36%
• UK +36%
• China +31%

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

Which nationalities are less active during the last 12 months to June 2022?

All countries have a positive growth

Here is the evolution of the purchases done by each nationality since 2008

This was the situation end of 2016 when we wrote this article for the first time: we keep the same top 3 nations.

Foreigners living in Spain are more active

• Foreigners living in Spain recorded 74,643 operations, 26% more than one year before.
• Non-resident foreigners bought 62,278 properties, an increase of 84% year-on-year.

This is quite a strong vote of confidence by foreigners living in Spain! Of course, they work there and it is easier for them to buy than non-resident foreigners. Covid had its impacts: people wanted to remote work from a nice place if they could: Spain is a nice option. Others wanted to enjoy a better quality of life: more space, more sun, a better quality of life… while of course, the cost of living in Spain is much lower than in many places in the world and in Europe. For more on that, read our articles: Which are the cheapest cities to live in Spain? The cost of living in Spain vs the UK, Relocate to Spain? Spain is one of the best countries in the world for relocating and for working remotely.

1. Best Professionals 2. Follow up 3. Competitive pricing 4. Partners 5. Qualitative Check

Check our chart analyzing who is more active in the Spanish property market: Foreigners or Spaniards with the evolution since 2007 (the year before the crisis):

2. Where are foreigners buying properties in Spain?

What are the main regions in Spain where foreigners are buying real estate?

Same info in a downloadable format:

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

What is the evolution of each region in Spain during the last 12 months to June 2022?

Check the property transaction growth for each region in Red (right scale) with the number of transactions in Blue (left scale)

Most active regions – The biggest activity of foreigners vs Spaniards?

According to the “Colegio de Registradores de la Propiedad”, the Autonomous Communities with a greater weight of foreigners’ transactions vs Spaniards in the fourth quarter of 2021 are

• The Balearic Islands with 39% of all transactions,
• The Canary Islands with 26% of all transactions,
• The Valencian Community with 24% of all transactions,
• Murcia with 17% of all transactions,
• and Andalusia with 13% of all transactions.

Check our interactive chart on that:

Most active cities where foreigners are buying the most real estate in Spain vs Spaniards?

According to the “Colegio de Registradores de la Propiedad”, the cities where foreigners are the most active (vs Spaniards) in the fourth quarter of 2021 are:

• Alicante
• The Balearic Islands
• Malaga
• Tenerife
• Girona
• Murcia
• Almeria
• Las Palmas
• Castellon
• Tarragona
• Barcelona
• Lleida
• Valencia

Check our interactive chart on that:

Source

Which Spanish regions are the most popular for which nationalities?

We did the ranking for the 12 most active countries in Spain.

Check the evolution of the foreigners’ activity per region since 2007:

Remember the infographic we did on the subject last year, it remains nearly the same in 2018!

3. What price do foreigners pay to buy a property in Spain?

Check the evolution of the price paid for each Spanish region since 2007 by foreigners:

The average price per square meter of properties bought in Spain by foreigners increased by 2% year-on-year to June 2022. The acceleration of real estate prices was recorded both among property transactions done by non-residents and by residents, although the former paid higher prices than the second ones, € 2,522/ m² against € 1,622 / m², respectively (with an average of € 2,062/ m²)

This price discrepancy between foreigners living in Spain and not living in Spain could come from many factors:

• Non-residents are buying top-notch second homes in more expensive locations: expensive cities and premium areas with sea views and large terraces for instance. They are going for the best properties on the market.
• Non-residents who are buying a second home in Spain are wealthy and have a higher budget from start.
• Non-residents are buying newbuild properties in Spain and newbuild properties are more expensive than resale,
• Some new “resident foreigners” relocate to Spain because of the high quality of life in Spain and the low cost of real estate in Spain. So they are looking to start a new life they can afford and will go for low-cost properties inland. Read more on that in our article: Which are the most expensive and cheapest cities to live in Spain?

You can check the evolution of the price per square m paid by foreigners (resident or not in Spain) and Spaniards (resident or not in Spain) since December 2007 (the year before the crisis) on this chart:

In terms of levels, the average price per square meter paid by foreigners continued to register strong differences between each region. End of June 2022, it was below the national average
of € 1,741 in 12 of the 17 Regions. Please note that the average paid per square meter by foreigners is € 2,062.

Regions under €1,000:

Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja, Castilla y León, Aragón and Galicia.

Regions between € 1,000 and the national average paid by foreigners for real estate €1,741

Murcia, Asturias, Navarra, Cantabria and the Valencian Community

Regions above the national average for properties in Spain € 1,741

• The Canary Islands €2,195,
• Catalonia €2,249,
• Basque Country €2,230,
• Madrid €2,893,
• and Baleares €3,894.

Interestingly, all those regions are areas of interest to foreigners apart from the Basque Country, a region much appreciated by the French.

Let’s have a closer look at current property prices (value written in Blue on the chart) and at the price evolution (left scale) for each Spanish region for one year. The regions are Alphabetically sorted.

As you can see from the chart we just showed: prices are increasing everywhere.

Spanish regions with the fastest increasing prices over the last year to June 2022

Spanish regions with decreasing prices over the last year

• None

If you want to read more on the subject and you missed our paper of last semester: Which are the top 10 Spanish cities where foreigners are buying properties NOW? And don’t miss our property buyers guide written for any foreign country.

Source: Read the full paper in Spanish here.

Who are the foreigners paying the most in Spain for their properties?

As of June 2022, here is our alphabetical ranking of real estate prices paid by foreigners in Spain:

• People from Argentina pay on average 1759 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Belgium pay on average 2104 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from China pay on average 1741 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Denmark pay on average 2870 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Ecuador pay on average 1198 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from France pay on average 2149 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Germany pay on average 2657 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Ireland pay on average 2092 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Italy pay on average 2103 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Morocco pay on average 694 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from the Netherlands pay on average 2252 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Norway pay on average 2701 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from other countries in EU pay on average 2148 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from other countries in the world (outside EU) pay on average 2015 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Portugal pay on average 1782 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Romania pay on average 1097 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Russia pay on average 1989 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Sweden pay on average 2701 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Switzerland pay on average 2567 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from the UK pay on average 2003 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Ukraine pay on average 1612 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from the USA pay on average 2837 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.

Here is our downloadable infographic on that:

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

Of course, there are many reasons to explain those differences:

• The region where those nationalities are buying on average,
• The location of the property: sea view? countryside? within a city?
• The type of properties: villa or apartment, newbuild or resale, with terrace or plot or not,…

So, those are just “statistics” but they are interesting as price discrepancies between foreigners are quite big when foreigners buy properties in Spain.

4. How to start your property search in Spain?

Here is our A to Z must-read guide: Our ultimate 2022 guide to buying your property in Spain.

At HTBIS, we assist foreigners with their property search in Spain thanks to our network of local partners: legal advisers, tax advisers, property hunters and much more. Discover all our partners here.

Looking for an expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

FAQ

The post Where are foreigners buying properties in Spain in 2022? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Canary Islands

The islands of eternal spring

Endless tongues of white sand and turquoise waters to get lost, beautiful virgin bays for sunbathing surrounded by wild nature. With more than 500 beaches of all types and colours, an excellent climate installed in the eternal spring with long sunny days and temperatures between 19 and 25 degrees throughout the year, the Canary Islands are the envy of all Europe.

Why will you love the Canary Islands?

Apart from the weather, the Canary Islands are also known for hosting the second most popular carnival in the world after Rio de Janeiro. It is celebrated in February in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, although the most famous version is the Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The Canary Islands also have the highest mountain in Spain, the Teide volcano. Its surroundings are within the boundaries of the National Park of the same name, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the best places to contemplate the stars and enjoy the night sky.

Sand lovers, photographers and nature lovers will feel perfect on the islands because the diversity of its landscapes is one of those breathtaking spectacles. Deserted golden sands, beaches of volcanic sand and dramatic cliffs with incredible caves in La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.

Also, the ideal climate and the immense nature make the land suitable to go out and enjoy them doing sports. Golf, football, surfing, fishing or diving are some of the options to choose from. The Canary Islands also have many water parks for both the little ones and adults. Play with the best golf club sets in Spain thanks to our local partner.

Playa de las Cucharas, Lanzarote

The Treasures of the Canary Islands

The most populated islands are Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The two have almost 900,000 inhabitants each. Then follow, Lanzarote, with almost 150,000 inhabitants, Fuerteventura, with a little more than 100,000 people living there, La Palma, with 80,000 inhabitants, La Gomera, with 20,000, and El Hierro, with just over 10,000 inhabitants.

Gran Canaria is only accessible by ferry and plane. There is an airport connecting to the main cities of Spain and Europe. It is also easy to get to the other islands of the archipelago by plane and ferry. There is a highway that connects the north and the south, and many other routes that lead to any corner of Gran Canaria.

Tenerife, like Gran Canaria, is only accessible by ferry and plane, the best option. Tenerife has two airports, one in the north and one in the south with connections to the main cities of Spain and Europe.

There is also a highway connecting the North to the South and other major routes that make anywhere on the island accessible in less than three hour drive.

The rest of the islands, except La Gomera, have airports that connect with the other islands and some (such as Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) also offer flights to Barcelona and Madrid. These islands also have ferry connections with the rest of the islands, so you can connect between them by plane or boat.

Gran Canaria

Parties and events

The main festivals that are celebrated in the Canary Islands are the following:

• The Dwarf Dance in Santa Cruz de La Palma, where a chorus of men (doctors, gentlemen, navigators, etc.) walk to the rhythm of the melody.
• The Carnival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the quintessential fiesta of the islands.
• The Naval Car of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
• The Pilgrimage of San Isidro Labrador. It is a religious festival, but with a playful and traditional character.
• The Feasts of the Virgin of Candelaria.
• The Carnival of Puerto de la Cruz (Tenerife), is one of the most popular in the area.
• The Indians on the island of La Palma, where the arrival of the “Indianos” is recalled, a name that was known in the Canary Islands to the islanders who emigrated to America and returned to the islands.

Tenerife

The real estate market in the Canary Islands

During the years of the crisis, the prices of the apartments fell to 2001 levels, as in the whole country. In the last two years, the real estate market is experiencing a slow recovery. For example, the price per square meter in Las Palmas is about 1,500 €, while in 2008 was its peak, when the price was more than € 2,000 per square meter. Gran Canaria is still one of the cheapest places in Spain where you can buy a house. As of March 2022, prices were at 1,595€/sq m.

As for Tenerife, in 2021, the price per square meter on the island was around € 1300 (in the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the price per square meter was almost € 1,700). Expectations for 2023 are that the market will continue to grow, but a little slower when compared to Barcelona or Madrid

So does the origin of buyers, Karin Muegge of Immorent Canarias, states that the Canary Islands attract people from all over Europe.

“Among them, British, Germans, French and Italians are the main buyers. If we look in more detail who are the main buyers, Ian Meyer of Tate Properties Tenerife notes that ” the British, Belgians and Italians are among the main buyers”.

Likewise, all these trends may change in the future, for example, although the British are the main buyers, as happens in other parts of Spain adds Konstantin Hinner.

In regard to what areas are preferred by foreigners, if we look at the case of Tenerife, Konstantin Hinner Insular Projects SA explains that “after the crisis, we see that the southern part of the island is receiving as much of the foreign investment as before, however, there is a tendency to invest less in this area, the most tourist part of Tenerife, and to invest in the rural area where the locals live, not far from Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the university city of San Cristobal de la Laguna “.

Check the real estate price evolution for the Canary Islands since 1995

For more on that, read our detailed quarterly report on the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria property market and the Canary Islands property market.

Read the article written by our local property finder, Manuel, in Tenerife: Tenerife property investment: a Case study of property for sale in Tenerife or check the one we wrote on the real estate market of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Gran Canaria, the tropical gem of Spain

If you want to check the monthly weather statistics for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria follow to link.

Download here our map of the Canary Islands

Are you looking for a local partner: Lawyer, property hunter in the Canary Islands? Don’t look further check our team and ask us for the correct contact.

1. Best Professionals 2. Follow up 3. Competitive pricing 4. Partners 5. Qualitative Check

Canary Islands Infographic information

• Airports: Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, Tenerife
• Ave stations: –
• Cities: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (379,000 inhabitants), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (203,600 inhabitants), San Cristóbal de la Laguna (153,100 inhabitants), Telde (102,200 inhabitants), Arrecife (58,500 inhabitants), Puerto del Rosario (38,100 inhabitants), Maspalomas (36,100 inhabitants),
• Unesco sites: San Cristóbal de La Laguna (1999), Garajonay National Park (1986), Teide National Park (2007). Find all the UNESCO Sites in Spain on our page: “10 reasons why you should buy in Spain”
• Top beaches: Pozo de la Salud (El Hierro), Playa de Cofete (Morro del Jable), Playa de las Conchas (Isla de Graciosa), El Cotillo Beach & Lagoons (El Cotillo), Playa de Benijo (Almaciga), Playa Sotavento (Costa Calma), Playa de Sotavento, Playa de Jandia, Playa del Matorral (Pajara), Playa de Las Canteras (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Monumento Natural de Ajuy (Fuerteventura), Playa Del Duque (Costa Adeje), Playa Dorada Beach (Playa Blanca), Piscinas Naturales El Caleton (Garachico), Playa El Bollullo (Puerto de la Cruz), Playa de las Vistas (Los Cristianos), Playa de Maspalomas (Maspalomas)
• Kids Parks: Siam Park (Adeje), Oasis Park Fuerteventura (Fuerteventura), Loro Park (Puerto de la Cruz), Holiday World Maspalomas (Maspalomas), Katmandu park
• Shopping Malls & Outlets: Siam Mall (Adeje), Centro Comercial Las Arenas (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Centro Comercial Meridiano (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Marina Lanzarote (Arrecife)”
• Traditional & Flea markets: Mercado del puerto market (Palmas de Gran Canaria), Las Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)
• Top golf courses: Abama, Golf del Sur, Anfi Tauro, Tecina, Maspalomas, El Cortijo Play with the best golf clubs sets in Spain thanks to our local partner.
• Natural Parks: Caldera de Taburiente (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Garajonay (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Teide (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Timanfaya (Las Palmas)
• University: Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Gran Canaria), Universidad de la Laguna (Tenerife)
• Hospitals: Hospital Universitario de Canarias (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), Hospitales San Roque (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)

Read further on the Balearic Islands and Spain

1. TOURIST OFFICES:
   • Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
   • Santa Cruz de Tenerife
   • San Cristóbal de la Laguna
2. AIRPORTS: All the Spanish Airports and flights info on the official site of AENA
3. BEACHES: Where will you find the top beaches in Spain?
4. GOLFS: Reread our Summer paper on the subject What are the top golf courses in Spain? Play with the best golf clubs sets in Spain thanks to our local partner. Check the Spanish Federation here: Looking for a Golf Club in Spain?
5. KIDS PARKS: Our selection of the Top parks for children in Spain
6. MUST VISIT IN SPAIN: Our top 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain, Find all the Unesco sites in Spain

Find all our other articles and maps on the Spanish Costas:

With our team of more than +100 local real estate partners, HowtobuyinSpain helps foreigners to buy real estate in Spain.

The experts from our network are active in all the fields you need:

1. Property finders
2. B&B
3. Lawyers
4. Tax
5. Architects
6. Money Transfer
7. Mortgage
8. Holiday rental management
9. Insure your Spanish property
10. Property survey
11. Renovation

Looking for a property hunter in the Canary Islands? Manuel is our local expert, check is profile by following the link.

Looking for a real estate lawyer in the Canary Islands? Vera is our local partner, check her profile.

Looking for an expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior Analyst and Strategist at HTBIS

Check the full team at HTBIS here

The post Discover the wonderful Canary Islands appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google Translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

Spain’s tourism is back… to new highs as of April 2023 ☀  😎

In this quick guide, you will find all our resources in order to organise your best holidays in Spain. Of course, it is very helpful as well if you are looking to buy a property in Spain.

Too busy? Here is our quick-read summary:

Here is why tourism is strong in Spain – our 4 minutes video

Would you like to watch this video in your own language? Click at the bottom right of the video on “cc” to get subtitles in your language.

Spain recorded its best April ever in terms of international tourist numbers and spending levels

20% above the pre-pandemic record

Spain had a record year regarding tourism in 2019, nearly 84m tourists visited Spain. Since then… we all know the story.

But, yes make no mistake, April 2023 saw its biggest number of incoming tourists in Spain EVER!

In the first four months, Spain received 21 million arrivals, 32.4% more than in the same period in 2022, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Visitor and spending records were also broken in April: 8.48 billion euros, up 22.7% on 2022 and 20.2% on the best pre-pandemic figure (2019).

Héctor Gómez: “These are extraordinary figures that show, once again, that Spain is at the forefront, that tourism is recovering fully and that the government’s policies are working”.

Here is the evolution of tourism towards Spain with a rolling year of data:

Major research conducted by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the global body which represents the private sector of Travel & Tourism, has revealed Travel & Tourism is the largest sector in the Spanish economy, contributing €176bn to the nation’s activity.

Yes indeed: Travel & Tourism contributes 15% of the Spanish GDP, overtaking Construction (14%) and ahead of Retail (12%) and Health (12%).

Why Spanish tourism is booming again? There are many reasons:

The top #10 reasons why tourists love Spain so much

Let’s start with the three obvious reasons: weather, a long coastline and of course a word class lifestyle.

#1 The weather: Spain has 320 days of sun ☀ per year, not bad.

Check this useful infographic showing how many hours of sun you will have on a yearly basis for any place in Europe.

Sunshine map of Europe, in Hours per year

Source: Wikemedia.org

Sunshine in Spain is higher than 2500 hours per year… No other country can compete in Europe with that and if you calculate the number of square kilometre with at least 2500 hours of sun per year, Spain has about 80% of the European supply. In this other interesting table from World weather online, Spain holds 6 out of the top 10 positions in Europe in terms of average monthly sun hours.

Number of hours of sun per month for the major European cities

Do you want to check the weather statistics for any Spanish city to make an informed decision? Have a look at our Infographics on the monthly weather statistics for the 18 biggest cities in Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Malaga,… and discover the sea temperature, the number of hours of sun per day, the number of mm of rain per month… Everything you need before planning your holidays.

Monthly weather statistics for the top 20 Spanish cities

#2 The wonderful coastline of Spain

Spain has the second longest coastal line in the south of Europe behind Italy. Enjoy the beautiful beaches of Spain. Don’t miss our detailed articles on all the Spanish Costas later in this article.

 

#3 The Spanish lifestyle

 

• Spain is the world’s healthiest country

 

• Spain enjoys a very stable political environment compared to Africa or Turkey for instance.

 

• Life expectancy in Spain is the second-best country in the world:

Let’s check the top 10 countries in the world by country and by sex. As you will see in the statistics produced by the OECD (2014 data), the life expectancy of Spaniards is the second longest in the world behind the Japanese. The Women are ranked as well as second and the men are ranked sixth.

• The Spanish health Care System is the seventh best in the world as the ranking of the World Health Organization.

 

• Spain is fourth in the world for work-life balance ranking

behind the Netherlands, Denmark and France. What a terrific result! The key findings of the research from the OECD are that the ability to successfully combine work, family commitments and personal life are important for the well-being of all members of a household. In Spain, almost 6% of employees work very long hours, less than the OECD average of 13%. The more people work, the less time they have to spend on other activities, such as time with others, leisure activities, eating or sleeping. The amount and quality of leisure time are important for people’s overall well-being and can bring additional physical and mental health benefits. In Spain, full-time workers devote 66% of their day on average, or 15.9 hours, to personal care (eating, sleeping, etc.) and leisure (socialising with friends and family, hobbies, games, computer and television use, etc.) – more than the OECD average of 15 hours.

At around 1.3 children per woman, fertility rates in Spain have been amongst the lowest in the OECD for the past two decades. Increasingly, women and men first want to establish themselves in the labour market before having children. This has led to a postponement of childbirth and the average age of first childbirth for mothers is now close to 30. Low fertility rates are also related to a fall in the number of large families and a significant proportion of women remaining childless.”

 

#4 The cost of living in Spain

 

The cost of life in Spain is much lower than European averages.

We did the work with the help of the Statistics from Eurostat as of December 2017 to compare Spain vs all the other countries in Europe so that you could compare to your actual country of origin.

Here are the results:

Cost of living in Spain vs Euirope, chart

If you compare Spain on this Chart in Orange colour with Europe in Blue colour, you will notice that Spain is more expensive in 2 areas: “Electricity, Gaz and fuels” and “Furniture and Furnishings” by 3%. A third sector not represented on this chart is Communication, which is 28% more expensive than the rest of Europe. For all the other sectors, Spain is cheaper!

Let’s have a look at the data:

Cost of living in Spain vs Europe, table

As you can see with the General Index, Spain is on average 10% Cheaper than Europe! Then, Spain is very cheap for “Transport Services”, “Restaurants and Hotels”, and “Clothing” and yes the list doesn’t stop here… Spain is really cheap for “Food and Drinks and Tobacco”.

For more information, read our articles on that subject with more up-to-date data:

• Which are the Spanish cities with the lowest cost of living?
• The cost of living in Spain vs UK

 

Cost of living in the major Spanish cities vs worldwide cities

 

#5 Family activities in Spain

Many interesting activities to practice with the family in Spain, here are a few:

• Where will you find the top Beaches in Spain?
• Our selection of the Top parks for children in Spain
• Our Top 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain (see more later)
• And of course, no season for shopping (but we added to the winter section just below) 🙂

 

#6 Spain is a  wonderful place for Golf lovers

 

• Our Top 6 Golf Courses in Spain
• The 48 golf courses of the Costa del Sol & The best deals
• Our list of Spain’s top 5 golf academies

 

#7 Not only for the summer… Spain is the perfect place for tourism in the Winter

With its nice weather, Spain stays a nice place to visit even in the winter.

Last but not least… yes, let’s enjoy some shopping:

• #8 The best Spanish shopping experience: Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga
• The best shopping secret in Spain: El Corte Ingles Tourist Card

 

#8 Cultural heritage tourism and rural tourism

Cultural heritage tourism in Spain thrives as the nation’s rich history paints a diverse and compelling tapestry of civilizations.

From the prehistoric caves of Altamira to the grandeur of the Alhambra in Granada, and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the country offers a plethora of UNESCO World Heritage sites that reflect the influences of the Romans, Moors, and more recently, the modernist movement.

Lastly, nature and rural tourism flourish in Spain’s diverse landscapes. From the rugged Picos de Europa to the volcanic beauty of the Canary Islands, and the tranquillity of idyllic rural villages, Spain offers a variety of ecological diversity that inspires a sense of awe and adventure among outdoor enthusiasts.

 

Top Sights places & Unesco world-heritage places

Spain is a very rich country in terms of culture. You have a lot of Museums, many historic places, many sightseeing places. Spain has as well 45 UNESCO Sites and as such is the third country in the world behind Italy & China in terms of the number of sites! So don’t expect Spain to be just Sun and beaches!

Check all the must-do activities on any of the Spanish Costas with our beautiful infographics.

Here is the list of the Unesco sites with direct links to get more information on those:

• Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada(1984)
• Antequera Dolmens Site(2016)
• Aranjuez Cultural Landscape(2001)
• Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida(1993)
• Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco(2000)
• Archaeological Site of Atapuerca(2000)
• Burgos Cathedral(1984)
• Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí(2000)
• Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville(1987)
• Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain(1985)
• Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana(2011)
• Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija(2012)
• Historic Centre of Cordoba(1984)
• Historic City of Toledo(1986)
• Historic Walled Town of Cuenca(1996)
• La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia(1996)
• Las Médulas(1997)
• Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid(1984)
• Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias(1985)
• Mudejar Architecture of Aragon(1986)
• Old City of Salamanca(1988)
• Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches(1985)
• Old Town of Cáceres(1986)
• Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct(1985)
• Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona(1997)
• Palmeral of Elche(2000)
• Poblet Monastery(1991)
• Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde(1998)
• Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza(2003)
• Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula(1998)
• Roman Walls of Lugo(2000)
• Routes of Santiago de Compostela:Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain (1993)
• Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe(1993)
• San Cristóbal de La Laguna(1999)
• San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries(1997)

Here is Our Top 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain

 

#9 Nature tourism

Spain is an ideal destination for nature tourism, offering a diverse range of environments that attract visitors from around the world.

From the rugged cliffs and crystal-clear waters of Costa Brava to the breathtaking peaks of the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada, the country presents an impressive spectrum of natural beauty. Spain’s numerous national parks, such as Donana National Park and Picos de Europa, provide opportunities to see unique wildlife and plants in their native habitats, while the volcanic landscapes of the Canary Islands, particularly Teide National Park in Tenerife, offer otherworldly vistas.

Moreover, the Camino de Santiago trails draw hikers seeking a blend of spiritual, cultural, and natural experiences. With sustainable practices gaining traction, eco-friendly accommodations and tours are also becoming increasingly popular, further boosting nature tourism in Spain.

Thus, for those seeking to immerse themselves in nature, whether through hiking, bird-watching, or simply relaxing, Spain provides an abundance of options.

Countryside outside Barcelona

#10 Gastronomic tourism in Spain

 

Spain is also famous for its gastronomic tourism. The unique flavours of Spanish cuisine, embodied in its tapas, paellas, and world-class wines, draw food enthusiasts to regions like Andalusia, Catalonia, and the Basque Country, providing an edible exploration of the country’s varied regions.

Here are a few examples, not exhaustive of course, of the Spanish cuisines.

 

### The Andalusian Delicacies

Andalusia, nestled in the heart of Spain, is best known for its olives, sherry, and tapas. The region follows the quintessential Mediterranean diet, which focuses on heart-healthy olive oil, a variety of fruits and vegetables, and high-quality proteins like fish and legumes. One must-try dish is the Gazpacho Andaluz, a refreshing tomato-based cold soup that perfectly embodies the region’s love for fresh produce. Pair this with a glass of Fino or Manzanilla, Andalusia’s signature sherries, for a well-rounded Andalusian feast.

Spanish beef

### The Seafood Extravaganza of Galicia

Moving up to the north-west coast, Galicia boasts a breathtaking coastline that contributes heavily to its seafood-rich diet. Here, the Empanada Gallega reigns supreme – a hearty pie filled with various ingredients, most commonly tuna, sardines, or pork. Don’t miss out on the region’s renowned Pulpo a la Gallega, a delicacy of tender octopus seasoned with paprika, rock salt, and olive oil. Galicia’s Ribeiro and Albariño wines, with their crisp and fresh qualities, perfectly complement the seafood palette.

### The Gastronomic Wonders of Catalonia

In Catalonia, gastronomy is as diverse as the region itself, blending flavours from the mountains and the sea. The traditional Catalan diet is rich in vegetables, legumes, and cereals, supplemented by meat and dairy products. An iconic dish is the Escudella i Carn d’Olla, a hearty meat and vegetable stew savoured during the winter months. Catalan cream, a sweet and creamy custard topped with a hard layer of caramel, is a must-try dessert for the sweet-toothed traveller.

### The Unique Flavours of Basque Country

Last but not least, we journey to the Basque Country, a region celebrated for its pintxos – small finger foods served atop bread, akin to tapas but with a unique Basque twist. The traditional Basque diet showcases locally sourced ingredients, including fish, lamb, and an assortment of vibrant vegetables. Try the Marmitako, a tuna and potato stew that originated from Basque sailors, and the Gilda, the most iconic pintxo composed of olive, anchovy, and guindilla pepper.

 

The beauty of Spain’s gastronomy lies in its diversity, with each region offering its own unique dietary patterns and food traditions. From the refreshing Gazpacho of Andalusia to the seafood delight of Galicia, the hearty stews of Catalonia, and the famous pintxos of the Basque Country, Spain’s gastronomic landscape invites you on a journey that promises to enchant your senses, captivate your heart, and leave an indelible impression on your palate. So, pack your bags (and your appetite) and embark on an unforgettable gastronomic adventure in Spain!

 

Discover the beautiful Spanish Costas – All our resources are here

In order to help you discover all the Spanish Costas, we wrote detailed articles with nice downloadable maps with all the major activities for each of the Spanish Costas. You will learn about the regions and find all the useful information as:

• Where are the closest Airport and Fast train stations (AVE in Spain)?
• What are the biggest cities in the region?
• Where are the Unesco sites in that Spanish Costa?
• Where can you find the top beaches?
• Where can you find the best Kids’ Parks, traditional markets, Shopping Malls & Outlets, Top golf courses and Natural Parks?
• Last but not least, we will give you a direct link to the local tourist offices.

Here are all the links for the different articles and infographics on all the Spanish Costas:

• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa de Almería.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa del Azahar.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Balearic Islands.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa de Barcelona.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa Blanca.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa Brava.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about Costa Calida.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Canary Islands.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about Costa Daurada.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa de la Luz.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa del Sol.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa Tropical.
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa de Valencia.

 

Find all our best Spanish Costas infographics: Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa Barcelona, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands,…

 

Spanish tourism in numbers: Where do tourists go? Where do they stay?

Here is a quick sum up of all the interesting statistics about tourists visiting Spain from the Spanish national office. All the data are for the full year 2022. So yes, they are not yet back to pre-coronavirus 2019 but close to being. 2023 just started strongly and should be back to 2019 level if not stronger.

#1 Where do tourists in Spain come from?

The top 5 countries for the full year 2022 are:

1. The United Kingdom with 21% of the tourists
2. Germany with 14% of the tourists
3. France with 14% of the tourists
4. Nordic countries with 6% of the tourists
5. Italy with 6% of the tourists
6. Netherlands with 5% of the tourists

Here is our interactive chart with those data:

If you are travelling to Spain and would like to buy your dream home, start with our Spanish property buyer’s guides written for the top 10 nationalities buying properties in Spain.

 

#2 How do tourists arrive in Spain?

83% of the tourists visiting Spain came by plane. If we think about it, it’s obvious, people travel from far where they have less sun to Spain in order to enjoy the sun. Spain has a very strong network of International Airports.

Have a look at our earlier articles on that:

• What are the nationalities of the passengers flying to/from Spanish airports in 2018?
• What are the biggest airports in Spain?

The second way of arriving in Spain is the car, 15% of travellers towards Spain come by car. Spain benefits from a very strong infrastructure network and in addition to that, there is a latest trend in Spain: Motorways are becoming toll-free in Spain…

Last but not least, even if the AVE Network does exist for more than 25 years in Spain, only a minor portion of tourists come from abroad with fast trains. For sure, the fast train AVE Network helps tourists to move quickly between cities.

#3 Which are the most visited Spanish Regions by foreign tourists in 2022?

The top 4 Spanish regions are receiving 70% of the tourism traffic.

1. Catalonia with 21% of the tourists
2. The Balearic Islands with 18% of the tourists
3. The Canary Islands with 17% of the tourists
4. Andalusia with 14% of the tourists
5. Valencian Community with 12.0% of the tourists
6. Other Spanish regions apart from Madrid: 9.2%
7. Madrid with 8.4% of the tourists

Discover all the beautiful Costas of  Spain

Find all our best Spanish Costas infographics: Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa Barcelona, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands,…

#4 How long do tourists stay in Spain?

• No night 32% of trips
• 1 night 3% of trips
• 2 to 3 nights for 12% of trips to Spain
• 4 to 7 nights for 33% of trips and so yes, this is the most common length of stay in Spain
• 8 to 15 nights for 15% of travellers
• More than 15 nights for only 5% of travellers, I guess retirees :-).

#5 Where do the tourists stay in Spain? Hotel? Friends?

There were 71,561,489 trips booked in 2022 by foreigners in Spain. Out of those 83% paid to stay a night somewhere and 17% didn’t pay.

For those paying for their accommodations, here is where they went:

• 82.5% of tourists booked a hotel
• 12% went for a housing rental
• And the balance went for camping or other facilities like the “Casa Rural”

For the tourists that did not pay for staying in Spain,  they either enjoyed their personal property 34.5% or enjoyed the hospitality of family and friends 60% of them. The balance is other non-paying options for 5%.

What are the best investment opportunities for a second home?

In order to assist you with your property hunting in Spain, check our dedicated article: The best search tips for buying your Spanish property (if you are too busy start here)

Other interesting resources on Spanish Tourism

• The Ministry of Tourism in Spain
• Wikipedia on Spanish Tourism
• The official tourism office in Spain
• Lonely planet guide on Spain
• And for French readers “Le guide du routard sur l’Espagne”
• Interesting statistics on Spanish Tourism from Statista.

Our downloadable infographics on the Spanish tourism

If you want to have more resources before visiting Spain, here is the official website of the Spanish tourism office.

Source: INE

Our FAQ on Tourism in Spain

The post Spain’s tourism is back… to new highs as of April 2023☀  😎  appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Follow this link if you are looking for the latest real estate price trends for Spain’s top 20 cities.

The Spanish real estate outlook 2023

Last year, we predicted a strong market with price increases between 3 and 6 per cent. We were spot on!

The Spanish real estate market should be more stable in 2023 and we could even see some price decreases. As we will explain in this report, Expectations for the Spanish housing market are for price changes between minus three per cent and plus 4 per cent as experts have different views due to a greater uncertainty of the evolution of the economy. The good news is that many experts see it as one of the best-performing markets in Europe for 2023.

Inflation will be the main topic if you want to understand the real estate market: after many years of loose monetary policy and after the war in Ukraine, inflation is back and should stay with us for a while. We will have to cope with that. Last year we already spotted those potential risks for the real estate markets in our Spanish real estate outlook for 2022. So, this is not a surprise for us. But we have to admit that the magnitude of the moves impressed us.

In this report, you will have our detailed outlook on the Spanish real estate market and benefit from the analysis and feedback of our local experts and partners established everywhere in Spain. Of course, the market won’t rise as much as in 2022 on one hand, but it will give more opportunities on the other hand. And make no mistakes, we will explain to you why real estate prices in Spain remain conservative at current levels: we don’t see excesses as in 2008.

Last but not least, we tell you why we think that Spain’s economy should become stronger than other European countries over the next five years. This positive news should keep the Spanish real estate market healthy and in demand at least compared to other real estate markets in Europe.

In this environment, Spain has a lot to offer to Spaniards, foreigners and remote workers: a high quality of life. Actually, Spain is one of the best places to relocate and work remotely thanks to 320 days of sun and of course the low cost of living in Spain.

Looking for a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of real estate prices in all major Spanish cities? Look no further than our quarterly report, which provides precise insights you won’t find anywhere else.

The Spanish property market will be a buyers’ market in 2023

Here are the important metrics to follow in 2023:

• Inflation
• mortgage rates
• the consumers’ purchasing power
• Economic activity in Spain and in Europe
• Remote working
• Of course as usual what will be the activity of foreigners in Spain in 2023?

Yes, let’s start with the bad news: inflation is back. That is why both short-term and long-term interest rates have risen. So, as a consequence, mortgage rates are much higher now than one year ago. We expect this situation to stay at least two years, maybe more. So, property financing with mortgages will be less easy for buyers and the Spanish economy should moderate in the short term. Those are the two main reasons why we think the Spanish property market will mark a pause in the short term. The good news is that mortgage rates are not crazy if you compare them to inflation.

Check the evolution of the mortgage rates: average, fixed and variable over the last year

Transactions should decrease and prices should be stable or decrease slightly

as on one hand, economic activity will be less strong and on the other hand mortgages rates are rising.

Both Spaniards and foreigners will be less active, which will give more opportunities for the buyers, and even more for the foreign cash buyers that don’t need a mortgage.

Foreign cash buyers will be the perfect time to get a better home: more space inside and outside and more light, and for those with a smaller budget, our advice is to go after a second home outside city centres.

That is why we are optimistic for foreigners in 2023: opportunities will be there and the market will be less tense.

So, our view is that prices could decrease between 1 and 3%!

What about the GDP growth in Spain for 2023 and 2024?

The FMI predicts that Spain will have strong GDP growth in 2023 and 2024: 1.1% and 2.4%.

Are we at risk of a big property price decrease as in 2008?

Are we in a real estate bubble in Spain?

Many experts don’t think so as:

• The portion of real estate vs income is not excessive for most Spaniards
• Leverage is not excessive
• Building companies have less leverage
• The number of new build properties coming to the market is not excessive.

Here is another article to read more on that: Are we in a property bubble in Spain?

So, the short answer is no, we are not at risk of a big price decrease, as long as the economy remains stable, as current property prices in Spain are not overextended. Read our quarterly report for more on that: Spanish property prices remain very competitive vs other international markets.

The biggest risks we see for the time being are:

• Central banks in the world are aggressively raising short-term interest rates: the Fed, the ECB,…
• Long-term interest rates are spiking
• Inflation is spiking everywhere in the world central banks are fitting it.
• The Chinese economy is dependent on its management of Covid, its real estate sector and its slowing economy.
• Consumers are squeezed worldwide with high inflation numbers.

The positive data for the Spanish real estate markets are:

• property prices are not too expensive in Spain vs international real estate markets,
• mortgages rates are much lower than current inflation rates
• real estate could be a good hedge against inflation for investors.
• we see Spain having a long-term competitive hedge in this environment of high energy prices.

Why are the long-term prospects for the real estate market in Spain strong?

• Not enough properties are available on the rental market as Spain is an “Owner” country with more than 75% of Spaniards owning their home.
• With inflation rising, construction costs are on the rise and supply won’t easily come
• Most of the properties in Spain are old and some need renovation works, which means a delay to have those back on the market
• Real estate prices in Spain are not too expensive, read our quarterly report on Spanish property prices for more on that.
• With the energy crisis in Europe, Spain is one of the European countries with the lowest costs for utilities in Europe, as we told you in our article, we think that this will remain the case in the future, so, the Spanish economy should remain stronger than many European countries. This will provide strong support to the real estate market. We could even see some relocations of companies toward Spain in the future.
• Buy-to-let in Spain provides a nice return for investors.

Newbuild vs resale in 2023?

We don’t expect huge discounts for real estate buyers but yes, cash buyers should get discounts on resale projects and they should negotiate before writing an offer. We don’t expect huge discounts for newbuild – we have some special offers on newbuild properties from our partners, just ask us directly – as construction costs are higher and the Spanish housing market is healthy and not oversupplied as it was in 2008. Some regions could have more newbuild supplies which could give opportunities for buyers.

A new long-term trend favouring Spain!

Spain has many competitive edges over other EU countries:

• Low cost of Utilities: Electricity and Gas prices compare in favour of Spain vs nearly every country in Europe. Have a look at our detailed article for more on that subject: the cost of utilities in Spain is up to 75% cheaper than in other European countries.
• Spain is a leading country in terms of renewable energy: Spain has already 50% of its energy from renewable sources and wants to reach 100% by 2050.
• Qualified labour at a low cost

All those will be big edges for Spain in the long term and could transform Spain into one of the biggest economic and industrial powerhouses in Europe.

The IMF shares our view and published in a November report that Spain’s Economic growth is projected to reach 4.6 per cent in 2022 and 1.2 per cent in 2023. This put Spain one of the top-growing country in Europe.

That is why we think that the real estate market in Spain will on one end suffer from less demand from Spaniards and foreigners due to the slower economic activity in Europe. But, on the other hand, if we compare the Spanish property market to international markets, if we see where it is now, under €1,800 per square meter, and if we add the short-term and long-term advantages of Spain, we think that the Spanish real estate market will stay stronger than the European average.

For real estate investors, as we don’t see inflation vanishing quickly mortgage rates are very competitive in this inflationary environment and indexation of rents to inflation could water down inflation effects (not 100% as those are limited by the government). But, that’s not bad in a difficult economic environment.

For more on mortgage financing, have a look at our article: “Fixed or variable mortgage for my Spanish home?“

The 2023 Spanish property market forecast from our local experts

We asked our partners to give some colours to their local property markets. This is very interesting as they have knowledge of the market and see daily what is going on. Here is the feedback on Madrid, the Costa Blanca, the Costa Daurada and the Canaries. This section will be updated later on if we get more feedback. You can find all our local Spanish property hunters members of our network by following the link.

The 2023 forecast for Madrid real estate market

We discussed this with Agnes one of our local property hunter in Madrid.

Are foreigners active in the real estate market in Madrid as of the end of 2022?

Foreign buyers, especially those who have their savings or incomes in USD, have increased their demand for both investment properties and second homes in Madrid, presumably because the EUR/USD exchange rate is very favourable for them right now, and mortgage rates are still lower in Spain than in the US.

Yes indeed, we pointed out this trend earlier on this year with Agnes: Americans are buying property in Madrid at a 20% discount.

Are Spaniards more or less active in Madrid?

National buyers who have enough savings for the downpayment have also shown an increased interest in completing their purchase this year, as it seems very likely that interest rates on mortgages will keep going up for some time, whilst decreases in prices of properties are not certain at all.

I believe that small investors who would be purchasing without a mortgage are cautious, holding off to see if there is really a recession next year and hoping they can get better deals in a few months than today.

What is the 2023 outlook for the Madrid property market?

On one hand, if mortgage rates keep increasing some buyers will not be able to buy, so part of the demand will decrease. On the other hand, if inflation rates are persistently high, people with savings will likely look towards the real estate market as a refuge, increasing demand for investment-oriented purchases. Price fluctuations will most likely not be consistent throughout neighbourhoods and property types. For example, unless there is a serious worldwide crisis, it seems unlikely prime properties’ prices will drop significantly because they might still be propped up by foreign demand and by national buyers with high purchasing power who are not stretching their budget to the limit and therefore are not so affected by higher mortgage rates.

The major risk is the “unknown” factor, such as when the covid pandemic appeared out of the blue: we don’t know what we don’t know! A possible positive surprise could be the inflation petering out sooner than expected.

Have a look at the full profile of our property hunter in Madrid Agnes here and check the last property she bought for her customers.

 

The Costa Brava 2023 real estate outlook

Séverine, our local property hunter in Costa Brava, gave her analysis on the Costa Brava.

What is the current activity on the property market in Costa Brava?

It is true that with the current climate, inflation, rising fuel prices, and the significant rise in interest rates, buyers want to know what the crisis in Spain really means. The crisis is undeniable and is disrupting the Spanish property market but in what way? It is quite heterogeneous depending on the type of product and the region. The big cities are particularly affected for purchases of main residences. On the other hand, the effects on the purchase of second homes are less noticeable, especially in areas that have always been in high demand, such as the Costa Brava and the Costa del Sol. We are writing this article in December 2022, and so far we have not seen any significant drop in prices. It is a very tight market due to the high demand and the limited number of properties on the market. The crisis is softening this contrast slightly, but prices are not falling and are tending to stabilise after the sharp increases post COVID (around +20% over a period of one and a half years).

What is the 2023 outlook for the property market in Costa Brava?

For 2023 we remain very confident about the market on the Costa Brava. With still a lot of demand from abroad, still mainly from Europeans, but also with the strength of the dollar, the return of Americans.

The latest purchase of Séverine in Costa Brava for one HTBIS customer?

Our latest sale is a very nice house in the chic area of s’Agaro located between Playa de aro and St feliu de Guixols. With a list price of 469,000 and a final price negotiated at 450,000 for a European family. This is a house located in a residence with few co-owners, with garden and swimming pool, ideally placed at 5 minutes walk from the beach and shops.

The objective for this family is to spend their holidays there but why not to live there in a few years. The search for a healthy and well-frequented neighbourhood was important!

Congratulations Séverine and team on this last deal, another happy customer of HTBIS. As we always say: a local property hunter means, a quicker process with fewer risks and savings.

Have a look at the full profile of Séverine our property hunter in Girona and the Costa Brava here and check the last property she bought for her customers.

Read more: the six reasons why working with a property hunter in Spain.

 

Find all our best Spanish Costas infographics: Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Costa Barcelona, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands,…

The Costa Blanca 2023 real estate forecast

Valérie wrote this feedback, she is our local property hunter in Costa Blanca.

What is the current activity on the property market in Costa Blanca?

Economic crises do not always have the same impact on the property market. The Costa Blanca is a very popular area for Belgians and English speakers. This area, which stretches from Denia to Horadada, offers less expensive products than the Costa Brava or the Costa del sol. Its main airport in Elche, next to Alicante, provides direct connections from the main European airports, and its well-developed rail network with direct lines from Madrid ensures a continuous flow of traffic and a certain economic dynamism. The demand comes largely from foreign investors, mainly European, but its proximity to Madrid also generates domestic demand.

What is the 2023 outlook for the property market in Costa Blanca?

We expect the market to hold up. On the other hand, we believe that there may be opportunities in the new build sector. New developments (houses and flats), particularly in the south of Alicante, have reached a certain peak in recent years and we are therefore waiting to see the movements in this property sector where real opportunities will be available over the winter. These new buildings provide interesting energy certificates, which have become even more attractive since the energy crisis, and remain secure investments.

What is the current activity on the property market in Costa Dorada?

Before discussing the effects of the economic crisis and the outlook for 2023, it should be remembered that the Costa Dorada stretches from the south of Barcelona to the entire coast of the province of Tarragona. Unlike the Costa Brava or the Costa del Sol, it is frequented by a majority of urban Spaniards from Barcelona, Zaragoza or Madrid who have second homes there. Here the impact of the crisis will be felt more because a majority of Spaniards have borrowed at variable rates and the sudden and sharp increase in these rates will certainly push some owners to sell their second home in order to offset inflation.

What is the 2023 outlook for the property market in Costa Dorada?

This is a market that has been very popular during the covid and a drop in prices in this sector will be all the more welcome for future buyers.

The latest purchase of Sabine in Costa Dorada for one of Howtobuyinspain.com’s customers?

Our latest sale is in L’Ampolla, in the Ebro Delta. This is a less built up and wilder area than the south of Barcelona, but still only 1.5 hours from the main city. Our clients were looking for a house to buy and to invest in, and the search was not easy as many criteria were required. In the end we found them a house with a back to back aspect, 5 minutes walk from the beaches in a quiet and well frequented residential area, with 2 bedrooms. The house is in immaculate condition and therefore needs no work inside, and the low price will allow the new buyers to build a small swimming pool to maximise rental income next summer.

Why the Spanish property market will stay at the top spot for foreigners?

As foreigners are cash buyers 90% of the time, and even when they ask for a mortgage, most of the time it is a small part of the property’s value, so the increase in rates will have a smaller impact on foreigners but yes, foreigners will hesitate more before buying a property in a foreign country as the economic activity will be weaker in the short term.

Here are other positives that will keep foreigners active in 2023:

• Thanks to homeworking, a new major trend is active in any real estate market in the world: people leaving city centres for suburbs and second-tier cities. Relocate to Spain: Spain is one of the best countries in the world for relocating & working remotely
• Spain’s major cities compare very well with European major cities in terms of quality of life and cost of living. Discover the cheapest and most expensive cities to live in in Spain and compare them with any city in the world.
• Spain offers more space for less and so, it is easy for foreigners to upgrade from where they are now.
• All our partners, everywhere in Spain had a very busy year in 2022: lawyers, developers, property hunters,… It was really impressive.
• Spanish property prices remain very competitive vs other international markets.
• Mortgage rates remain cheap in Spain if you compare it to inflation, mortgages are much much lower and that means that it remains interesting to take a mortgage to hedge this inflation risk.

• Transactions’ volumes are strong in 2022 across all the Spanish local markets: rising by more than 20% getting back to pre-covid levels (and a little bit more).
• Activity was at the highest since 2007 and both Spaniards and foreigners are active, which means the trend is broad-based and not only in certain areas.
• Foreigners activity is back to the same levels it was “pre-Covid” era.
• Real estate market in Spain is strong: Have a look at our detailed quarterly report with all the prices’ evolution for the top 20 Spanish cities: Spanish quarterly property report.
• We note that the major cities are back to their pre-Covid levels: Barcelona, Madrid,…
• Second-tier Spanish cities all over Spain are rising the most while staying cheaper than the national average
• Inflation is rising everywhere in the world… This means that every day, currencies lose their value. So, one of the best hedges against inflation is holding “real assets”. There are not a lot of alternatives if you want to protect your savings against inflation. One other move could be for people to relocate towards Spain as Spain has a much lower cost of living (even more since the energy crisis).
• The rise in raw material prices has resulted in a more than 10% increase in production costs over the last two years. This will increase the prices of the new building developments and reduce supply in the long term.
• New build properties are not in oversupply: on the contrary, it remains under control and demand was strong in 2022.

The 2023 outlook from other real estate experts

• The bank of Spain predicts a return of 10% for the Spanish real estate market
• BBVA Research forecasts a slight contraction in home sales in 2023 and a 2% price increase in Spain. “BBVA Research prevé una ligera contracción de las ventas de vivienda en 2023 y un incremento del precio del 2% en España“
• ING predicts some weaker performance for the real estate market in Spain with a decrease of -3,4%, «el crecimiento real de los precios el próximo año será negativo (-3,4%)»
• Fitch, the credit rating company, foresees further growth between 2 and 4% for Spanish real estate in 2023. In fact, Fitch expects price increases for two countries in Europe in 2023: Spain and Italy.

How to find your ideal Spanish property?

We need to differentiate locals from foreigners.

Let’s start first with foreigners. Foreigners are searching either for a second home or a place to retire.

What are the property criteria demanded by foreigners in a post-Covid-19 world?

• close to the beach,
• maximum a one-hour drive from an airport,
• more rooms and a bigger property as foreigners will be more often at their second home,
• some private outside space: terrace, garden, a pool,
• close to sports and children’s facilities,
• restaurants and shops nearby,
• a nice view,
• not too far from the city centre, but not inside!

Discover newbuild properties meeting those criteria from our partners or ask one of our property hunters to search for your dream property anywhere in Spain, we have a local hunter!

Have a look at our interesting articles on the subject: Our ultimate guide to buying your property in Spain is our major guide on the subject but you can find dedicated articles as well:

• Where are the best places to buy a property in Spain?
• The best search tips for buying your Spanish property
• The 7 pitfalls of buying a property in Spain and how to save on your property purchase
• Buying your holiday home in Spain? Get our 40 tips
• Your ideal investment property in Spain: 58 tips to find it
• The best 44 tips for finding your ideal home to retire to Spain

Looking for a local property hunter, a local lawyer, … any real estate expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

FAQ on the subject

The post Spanish real estate outlook 2023 appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Where are foreigners buying properties in Spain in 2022?

Which nationalities are active? Are they residents or not? Which nationalities are buying Real Estate in Spain? What price do they pay?

Europeans are buying properties in Spain as never: 137,000 properties bought by foreigners. Of course, we see many Europeans active as usual and the United Kingdom is still the first country to buy properties in Spain. A new trend is that we see foreigners coming from further: Latin America with Argentina and Venezuela, America and China are there too. Americans are benefitting from a steep discount: the euro is cheaper by 20% in 2022 vs the dollar.

A quick reminder before starting this interesting subject, please remember that if you want to buy a property in Spain, you need an NIE number, read our detailed article for more information: Your ultimate guide to your Spain NIE number – NIE Spain. Another interesting article we would recommend: How to buy a property in Spain as a foreigner? At Howtobuyinspain.com we have the best experts in our network to assist you everywhere in Spain. As you will see in this article, we have the best tools and database to know where the market is and what are the trends. Thanks to that, we help our customers to make the best deals in Spain.

As for all our articles, in this article, you will find interactive charts showing detailed data with a mouse click on it and we have static charts available for download. Please note that our interactive charts have always the most recent data as they are linked to our databases. Of course, our static charts are regularly updated.

1. Which nationalities are buying properties in Spain?

The Statistical Information Center of Notaries in Spain has just released its last report on Foreigners’ activity in the property market.

What was the activity in the Spanish real estate market up to June 2022?

• 703,331 property transactions for the last 12 months: +18% yearly growth
• property activity by Spaniards increased by 13% year-on-year to 562,956
• property activity by foreign buyers increased by 47% year-on-year to 136,921
• This equals 19% of all the property transactions that occurred in Spain.
• 45% of the transactions were carried out by non-resident foreigners and 55% by foreigners living in Spain!

Spaniards and Foreigners are very active: both are buying the most since 2008:

Quarterly statistics of the “Ministerio de Fomento”.

Which are the most active nationalities within the EU buying properties in Spain?

For the last 12 months to the end of June 2022, the most active nationalities were :

• the British with 11.2% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Germans with 10.3% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the French with 8% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Romanians with 6.7% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Italians with 5.9% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Belgians with 5.2% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• the Dutch with 4.9% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,
• and the Swedish with 4.2% of the property purchased by foreigners in Spain,

Check our foreigners’ profiles and buyers guides: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Belgians Chinese Dutch English French Germans Italians Moroccans
Romanians Russians Swedish?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

Most active nationalities outside the EU buying real estate in Spain

The proportion of purchases was also high by foreigners outside the EU:

such as Morocco (7.7%), China (2.6%) or Russia (2%), America (1.6%) and other countries outside the EU 11.2%

If you want to live in Spain, have a quick check at our interesting article on the Golden Visa: Golden Visa in Spain: Your ultimate guide!

Don’t forget to hedge your currency smartly if you are buying from outside the European zone.

Here you go, a quick check of all the nationalities:

Here is the same info reproduced with a pie chart:

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

Which nationalities are buying more properties during the last 12 months to June 2022?

Of course, Europeans are very active in the property market in Spain. Most Europeans come from northern countries. A more recent trend we noticed at howtobuyinSpain in 2022 with many new customers flowing in: Americans are buying actively everywhere in Spain, thanks to the weak Euro vs Dollar. Yes, the Euro lost 20% this year, not bad for Americans looking for bargains. Have a look at our paper written by our property hunter in Madrid for more on that: Americans are buying properties in Madrid.

Here are the countries increasing the most their property purchases in Spain in 2022 vs 2021 (last 12 months to June):

• Netherlands +101%
• Germany +81%
• Ireland +95%
• Norway +72%
• Denmark +70%
• USA +69%
• Sweden +66%
• Switzerland +62%
• Argentina +45%
• France +41%
• Belgium +36%
• UK +36%
• China +31%

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

Which nationalities are less active during the last 12 months to June 2022?

All countries have a positive growth

Here is the evolution of the purchases done by each nationality since 2008

This was the situation end of 2016 when we wrote this article for the first time: we keep the same top 3 nations.

Foreigners living in Spain are more active

• Foreigners living in Spain recorded 74,643 operations, 26% more than one year before.
• Non-resident foreigners bought 62,278 properties, an increase of 84% year-on-year.

This is quite a strong vote of confidence by foreigners living in Spain! Of course, they work there and it is easier for them to buy than non-resident foreigners. Covid had its impacts: people wanted to remote work from a nice place if they could: Spain is a nice option. Others wanted to enjoy a better quality of life: more space, more sun, a better quality of life… while of course, the cost of living in Spain is much lower than in many places in the world and in Europe. For more on that, read our articles: Which are the cheapest cities to live in Spain? The cost of living in Spain vs the UK, Relocate to Spain? Spain is one of the best countries in the world for relocating and for working remotely.

1. Best Professionals 2. Follow up 3. Competitive pricing 4. Partners 5. Qualitative Check

Check our chart analyzing who is more active in the Spanish property market: Foreigners or Spaniards with the evolution since 2007 (the year before the crisis):

2. Where are foreigners buying properties in Spain?

What are the main regions in Spain where foreigners are buying real estate?

Same info in a downloadable format:

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

What is the evolution of each region in Spain during the last 12 months to June 2022?

Check the property transaction growth for each region in Red (right scale) with the number of transactions in Blue (left scale)

Most active regions – The biggest activity of foreigners vs Spaniards?

According to the “Colegio de Registradores de la Propiedad”, the Autonomous Communities with a greater weight of foreigners’ transactions vs Spaniards in the fourth quarter of 2021 are

• The Balearic Islands with 39% of all transactions,
• The Canary Islands with 26% of all transactions,
• The Valencian Community with 24% of all transactions,
• Murcia with 17% of all transactions,
• and Andalusia with 13% of all transactions.

Check our interactive chart on that:

Most active cities where foreigners are buying the most real estate in Spain vs Spaniards?

According to the “Colegio de Registradores de la Propiedad”, the cities where foreigners are the most active (vs Spaniards) in the fourth quarter of 2021 are:

• Alicante
• The Balearic Islands
• Malaga
• Tenerife
• Girona
• Murcia
• Almeria
• Las Palmas
• Castellon
• Tarragona
• Barcelona
• Lleida
• Valencia

Check our interactive chart on that:

Source

Which Spanish regions are the most popular for which nationalities?

We did the ranking for the 12 most active countries in Spain.

Check the evolution of the foreigners’ activity per region since 2007:

Remember the infographic we did on the subject last year, it remains nearly the same in 2018!

3. What price do foreigners pay to buy a property in Spain?

Check the evolution of the price paid for each Spanish region since 2007 by foreigners:

The average price per square meter of properties bought in Spain by foreigners increased by 2% year-on-year to June 2022. The acceleration of real estate prices was recorded both among property transactions done by non-residents and by residents, although the former paid higher prices than the second ones, € 2,522/ m² against € 1,622 / m², respectively (with an average of € 2,062/ m²)

This price discrepancy between foreigners living in Spain and not living in Spain could come from many factors:

• Non-residents are buying top-notch second homes in more expensive locations: expensive cities and premium areas with sea views and large terraces for instance. They are going for the best properties on the market.
• Non-residents who are buying a second home in Spain are wealthy and have a higher budget from start.
• Non-residents are buying newbuild properties in Spain and newbuild properties are more expensive than resale,
• Some new “resident foreigners” relocate to Spain because of the high quality of life in Spain and the low cost of real estate in Spain. So they are looking to start a new life they can afford and will go for low-cost properties inland. Read more on that in our article: Which are the most expensive and cheapest cities to live in Spain?

You can check the evolution of the price per square m paid by foreigners (resident or not in Spain) and Spaniards (resident or not in Spain) since December 2007 (the year before the crisis) on this chart:

In terms of levels, the average price per square meter paid by foreigners continued to register strong differences between each region. End of June 2022, it was below the national average
of € 1,741 in 12 of the 17 Regions. Please note that the average paid per square meter by foreigners is € 2,062.

Regions under €1,000:

Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja, Castilla y León, Aragón and Galicia.

Regions between € 1,000 and the national average paid by foreigners for real estate €1,741

Murcia, Asturias, Navarra, Cantabria and the Valencian Community

Regions above the national average for properties in Spain € 1,741

• The Canary Islands €2,195,
• Catalonia €2,249,
• Basque Country €2,230,
• Madrid €2,893,
• and Baleares €3,894.

Interestingly, all those regions are areas of interest to foreigners apart from the Basque Country, a region much appreciated by the French.

Let’s have a closer look at current property prices (value written in Blue on the chart) and at the price evolution (left scale) for each Spanish region for one year. The regions are Alphabetically sorted.

As you can see from the chart we just showed: prices are increasing everywhere.

Spanish regions with the fastest increasing prices over the last year to June 2022

Spanish regions with decreasing prices over the last year

• None

If you want to read more on the subject and you missed our paper of last semester: Which are the top 10 Spanish cities where foreigners are buying properties NOW? And don’t miss our property buyers guide written for any foreign country.

Source: Read the full paper in Spanish here.

Who are the foreigners paying the most in Spain for their properties?

As of June 2022, here is our alphabetical ranking of real estate prices paid by foreigners in Spain:

• People from Argentina pay on average 1759 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Belgium pay on average 2104 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from China pay on average 1741 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Denmark pay on average 2870 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Ecuador pay on average 1198 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from France pay on average 2149 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Germany pay on average 2657 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Ireland pay on average 2092 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Italy pay on average 2103 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Morocco pay on average 694 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from the Netherlands pay on average 2252 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Norway pay on average 2701 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from other countries in EU pay on average 2148 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from other countries in the world (outside EU) pay on average 2015 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Portugal pay on average 1782 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Romania pay on average 1097 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Russia pay on average 1989 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Sweden pay on average 2701 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Switzerland pay on average 2567 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from the UK pay on average 2003 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from Ukraine pay on average 1612 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.
• People from the USA pay on average 2837 € per square meter for their properties in Spain.

Here is our downloadable infographic on that:

Source: Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado de Espana

Of course, there are many reasons to explain those differences:

• The region where those nationalities are buying on average,
• The location of the property: sea view? countryside? within a city?
• The type of properties: villa or apartment, newbuild or resale, with terrace or plot or not,…

So, those are just “statistics” but they are interesting as price discrepancies between foreigners are quite big when foreigners buy properties in Spain.

4. How to start your property search in Spain?

Here is our A to Z must-read guide: Our ultimate 2023 guide to buying your property in Spain.

At HTBIS, we assist foreigners with their property search in Spain thanks to our network of local partners: legal advisers, tax advisers, property hunters and much more. Discover all our partners here.

Looking for an expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

FAQ

The post Where are foreigners buying properties in Spain in 2023? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

A holiday flat in Tenerife

Tenerife is one of the main tourist centres in Spain, receiving millions of visits a year. Its services can be considered excellent, offering the most varied accommodation and activities throughout the island. For that reason, it is considered one of the best places to spend a holiday season. In addition to its beautiful places, its wonderful views and its great weather, Tenerife is a place which gives you a good rental investment.

Puerto de Santiago, Los Gigantes is well known for holiday homes. Puerto de Santiago is located in the urbanization of Los Gigantes, a fisher neighbourhood in which the tourist influence is appreciated, with a small port that is especially active in the tuna harvest in the months of April to November. Just half a kilometre from Puerto de Santiago is Playa de la Arena, one of the best coves on the island, it also enjoys natural protection and adequate services. All this part of the coastline enjoys the highest levels of light on the island and allows you to contemplate unique sunsets which become more attractive due to the proximity of Gomera island.

Thanks to its perfect climate: the island lives mainly from tourism all year long. With an average temperature of 24º degrees (find the yearly weather statistics of any major Spanish city here) more than 5 million tourists land each year on the island to enjoy the clear waters of the Atlantic. Tenerife is also known for its agriculture of bananas and tomatoes. A large majority of its production is exported throughout Europe. Tenerife is a volcanic island and retains many nature trails to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Atlantic.

Know everything on the Canary Islands: its Airports, its AVE stations, its Cities and villages, its shopping places: Traditional & Flea markets, Outlets and shopping malls. What should you visit? The Unesco sites, the parks for kids, the green parks, the golf courses, the universities and last but not least the top beaches. Check our infographic.

Live in Tenerife

Many of you want to stay in Europe, for more convenience in terms of language and culture and especially to stay close to your families while combining sun and security, Tenerife offers you all of those. In addition to its historical richness, Tenerife offers a privileged lifestyle for its inhabitants. Indeed, Tenerife is not a tourist cliché: the island has preserved its natural landscapes. The biodiversity and ecosystem of the island are protected, especially two sites that are classified as World Heritage by Unesco: the Teide National Park, ideal for beautiful hikes and the city of San Cristobal de La Laguna. Check for more on that in the article written by howtobuyinSpain.com “10 reasons for buying a property in Spain“. There is also a biosphere reserve on the Anaga massif.

Water sports activities abound kite-surfing, sailing, fishing, and scuba diving but you will find also other activities such as golf and hiking. Many markets are held in the early morning. In February, you will be immersed in the festive atmosphere of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnival, one of the most beautiful carnivals in the world. You will not get bored in Tenerife!

Tenerife sea views

Real estate in Tenerife

Tenerife is a very good alternative to enjoy your retirement on an island offering a calm and unoccupied environment. In terms of real estate, Tenerife experienced the same economic crisis in 2008 as the Iberian Peninsula. Indeed, real estate prices have fallen by more than 25% but are already recovering and have reached almost pre-crisis levels. This is the time to invest in Tenerife if you want to own a pied-a-terre in Spain and enjoy a pleasant climate during the colder winter months in the North. In general, the northern zone of the island remains more competitive than the South, where demand is higher. Indeed, in the North of the island you will find a more urban atmosphere with the capital: renovated apartments and studios, services are close, unlike the South of the island which offers you the most beautiful beaches of fine sand and villas on the edge. It is also common to buy small areas, such as a two-bedroom apartment or a studio and thus achieve a good long-term rental investment.

In order to benefit from affordable prices and housing that meet your search criteria, it is highly recommended to use a real estate property finder who is familiar with the local market and the areas to be targeted but also the pitfalls to avoid.

Santa Cruz Tenerife property prices (March 2022): €1,510/m², +6.5% yr/yr

Transactions for Santa Cruz de Tenerife (December 2021): 11,834 +42%

Please note that the chart is interactive and will include most recent data when those are available.

Read our quarterly report on all the top Spanish real estate markets for more.

Let’s review the property of Puerto de Santiago: A sea-view duplex penthouse in
Puerto de Santiago, Los Gigantes.

A holiday & rental apartment in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Objective with the property

Rental investment and to enjoy some weeks of the holiday season

Buyer profile

A french couple with two children. They loved this area of Tenerife because there is a microclimate that always has good weather, it rains less than 10 days per year and ¨Los Gigantes¨ is the most charming place in Tenerife. Besides its wonderful cliffs, this is the least pacified area. They also wanted a flat closer to the sea, with sea views, a terrace to spend time with their children and also the option of renting.

Property description

An excellent duplex penthouse is distributed in the following way: on the first floor, there are 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, an American kitchen and a living room which includes a balcony with beautiful sea views. On the second floor is the private rooftop (a solarium which has 65 m2 with a barbecue, wonderful views of the sea, the Gomera island and Los Gigantes Cliffs.
This duplex is located on the 3rd floor and on a plot of 130 m². The building has an elevator. It was delivered in good condition.

Neighbourhood

The property is located in Puerto de Santiago, it is just a few meters from Los Gigantes, Playa Chica and Playa de La Arena. In the area, there are several supermarkets, bars, restaurants, a sports centre, a school, shops, buses, banks, taxis, and so on.

Sea views in Los Gigantes, Tenerife

Budget

The clients had a budget in mind of 200.000€.

Read more on the Canary Islands

We wrote our paper on the Canary Islands a few months ago: Everything you ever wanted to know about the Canary Islands and a few years back we wrote this analysis of the real estate market (prices have been updated in the charts in the meantime): Have a look at the property market in Tenerife, this paper is our most read paper on any Spanish cities. In order to get closer to the market, we asked our independent local property finder, Manuel, to write about his latest activity in the local market. Should you need more information, we will put you in touch with him, he is our local independent partner of howtobuyinSpain.

How do we help you?

When you think about buying a house, a flat or land, you also think about how or where would be the best option to take such an important decision. It is just here where we come to
do our best job which consists of helping you to find what you are looking for, of course taking into account your criteria and taking care of your interests until the end of the
purchase.
Our mission consists of functioning as a bridge to help you to achieve your purposes easily. In this way, we function like advisers, managers or guides who assume the client´s interests as if it was theirs, therefore we are in charge of searching for the specific property related to your request. We become responsible for assisting you with all the situations that might happen during the purchase process and the most important thing, we guarantee that the client feels comfortable, safe and satisfied with all the jobs done along the process.
It is important to add that we will be the translator for our client during the process. Additionally, we help you to get the NIE (This Identity number is demanded to buy a house in Spain), a Spanish bank account and consequently, we also do the name changes for water, electricity and/or gas contracts.

About Manuel, our local independent Property finder in Tenerife

Manuel is a native of Tenerife. He is our local independent partner on the Canary Islands and is active as a property finder since 2016. He is a commercially oriented self-made professional, he vibes for new challenges and is focused on results.

Looking for a property hunter, a lawyer, an architect,… a local expert in Spain? Ask our network of independent local experts directly!

Manuel

Property finder in Tenerife and the Canary Islands

Local independent partner of HTBIS Network

Check the full team of HTBIS or check our independent local partners

The post Property hunting in Tenerife for a Holiday apartment appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Spanish real estate outlook 2022

Don’t miss our Spanish real estate outlook 2023, it is just out and it will give you a better analysis than this article written one year ago.

The positive of this Covid crisis is that people want, more than ever, to spend their time efficiently and live the life they want… No more lost time. As Confucius said: “We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.” So, Let’s go back to “The” essential: Yourself! Because you are at the centre of your life: whatever your pursuit is! Have a look at our detailed article for more on that. We stopped as well to study what experts are telling us about happiness: Your 7 positive life changes after the Coronavirus.

Last but not least, due to Covid, we all had this feeling of losing liberty. We all want to get it back and enjoy life 300%, don’t we?

In this environment, Spain has a lot to offer to Spaniards, foreigners and remote workers: a high quality of life. Actually, Spain is one of the best places to relocate and work remotely thanks to 320 days of sun and of course the cheap cost of living in Spain.

We are optimistic about the outlook for the real estate market in Spain in 2022. While we have to admit that the comeback of the Spanish real estate market (and everywhere in the world) was quicker and stronger than we expected. But if we compare it to international markets, the rise is reasonable and not speculative.

Why are we optimistic about Spanish property prices in 2022?

We observe a very healthy market: property prices are rising not too aggressively because we have a lot of activity spread everywhere in Spain:

everyone, according to their own financial means, will try to improve their living conditions.

Both Spaniards and foreigners want to improve their daily life in the current environment:

get a better home: more space inside and outside and more light, and for those who can afford it, buying a second home outside city centres and with a nice weather (foreigners) is ideal to relax once work is done, or even better, why not work from my second home?

That is why we are optimistic for 2022: everybody is active to improve his own living conditions: people with high-end budgets go for more space either in cities or outside city centres and by doing so they allow others with smaller budgets to do the same… and so on to the small apartments in the city centres.

So, our view is that prices could surprise on the upside and rise between 3% and 6%!

Many positive elements for the Spanish real estate market in 2022

• Thanks to homeworking, a new major trend is active on any real estate market in the world: people leaving city centres for suburbs and second tier cities.
• Anyone will try to upgrade for more space even if they can’t leave or don’t want to leave city centres.
• All our partners, everywhere in Spain had a very busy year in 2021: lawyers, developers, property hunters,… It was really impressive.
• Spanish property prices remain very competitive vs other international markets.
• Mortgage rates remain cheap in Spain.

• Transactions’ volumes are strong in 2021 across all the Spanish local markets: rising by more than 20%, of course, 2020 was a weak year due to Covid, so 2021 getting back to pre-covid levels (and a little bit more).
• Activity is spiking mostly from Spaniards, which means the trend is broad-based and not only in certain areas.
• Foreigners are getting back but are far less active than “pre-Covid” era.
• Real estate market in Spain strong: Have a look at our detailed quarterly report with all the prices’ evolution for the top 20 Spanish cities: Spanish property rose by 2,6% over the last 12 months to September 2021
• We note that the major cities are back to their pre-Covid levels: Barcelona, Madrid,…
• Second tier Spanish cities all over Spain are rising the most while staying cheaper than the national average: Málaga +7,6%, Almería +5,6%, Huelva + 5,1%, Tarragona +4,9%, the Balearic Islands +4,8%, Alicante +4,6%, Sevilla +3,9%, Bizkaia +3,9%, Cádiz +3,9%: this means that the rise is spread over all the Spain.
• Inflation is rising everywhere in the world… This means that every day, currencies lose their value. So, one of the best hedges against inflation is holding “real assets”. There are not a lot of alternatives if you want to protect your savings against inflation.
• The rise in raw material prices has resulted in a 5 to 10% increase in production costs. This will increase the prices of the new building developments.
• New build properties do not oversupply the market for the time being, on the contrary, it remains under control and on the weak side vs demand.

What are the current experts forecasts for the Spanish property market?

• The bank of Spain predicts a return of 7% for the Spanish real estate market
• The Spanish real estate market should remain strong according to El Economista as European real estate markets are strong, +8% up to Q4 2021, and back above 2007 levels, El precio de la vivienda subirá al mayor ritmo en 30 años en la Eurozona, El Economista
• The price is going to rise by 10% and sales by 15% in 2022, estimates Gonzalo Bernardos, professor and director of the Real Estate Master’s programme at the University of Barcelona.
• CaixaBank wrote in its 2020 interesting research that: according to the Bank of Spain’s own estimates, the price of housing at a national level is currently close to equilibrium. They noted that prices were too high vs income in the major cities and that there was a lot of price divergence within provinces: “The gap between the most expensive and cheapest provinces and cities is widening. In 2019, buying a home in Barcelona or the Spanish capital will cost more than double the national average, while in 2014 it was «only» 1.6 times more.” The situation remains the same one year later and this gap is even higher in foreign countries.

Are there any major downside risks?

The biggest risks we see for the time being are:

• Central banks in the world are getting less aggressive at providing the markets with liquidity: the Fed, the ECB,…
• Long term interest rates spiking

• Inflation is spiking everywhere and the central banks could decide to get more aggressive
• The Chinese economy is dependent on the evolution of the real estate developer Evergrande.
• The consumer could not afford inflation anymore.

Are we in a real estate bubble in Spain?

Many experts don’t think so as:

• The portion of real estate vs income is not excessive for most Spaniards
• Leverage is not excessive
• Building companies have less leverage
• The number of new build properties coming to the market is not excessive.

Here is another article to read more on that: Are we in a property bubble in Spain?

What are ideal property search criteria?

We need to differentiate locals from foreigners.

Let’s start first with foreigners. Foreigners are searching either for a second home or a place to retire.

What are the property criteria demanded by foreigners in a post-Covid-19 world?

• close to the beach,
• maximum a one-hour drive from an airport,
• more rooms and a bigger property as foreigners will be more often at their second home,
• some private outside space: terrace, garden, a pool,
• close to sports and children’s facilities,
• restaurants and shops nearby,
• a nice view,
• not too far from the city centre, but not inside!

As said, we expect a strong pick up of activity by foreigners on all the major Spanish Costas in 2022.

Have a look at our interesting articles on the subject: Our ultimate guide to buying your property in Spain is our major guide on the subject but you can find dedicated articles as well:

• Where are the best places to buy a property in Spain?
• The best searching tips for buying your Spanish property
• Buying your holiday home in Spain? Get our 40 tips
• Your ideal investment property in Spain: 58 tips to find it
• The best 44 tips for finding your ideal home to retire to Spain

Spaniards will remain the biggest driving force on the Spanish property market.

As there is a lot of diversity and the market is very big, we see everywhere in the world that second-tier cities are getting some nice activity, both in terms of transactions and pricing.

What are the property criteria for Spaniards in a post-Covid world?

• bigger private places inside and outside to play for the children,
• more private places to work and to have a social life at home,
• a lot more natural light as we are living 24/24 at home 4 days a week.

So, here is the real choice Spaniards will need to make: space vs commuting time, luckily, thanks to the Coronavirus, homeworking could become more the norm than before. That is why Spaniards are moving outside city centres to get more space inside and outside at a cheaper price.

Have a look at our interesting articles on the subject:

• Our ultimate guide to buying your property in Spain
• Where are the best places to buy a property in Spain?
• The best search tips for buying your Spanish property
• The best 41 tips for finding your best home for moving to Spain

Looking for a local property hunter, a local lawyer, … any expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

FAQ on the subject

The post Spanish real estate outlook 2022 appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten :

Discover the new build properties available from trusted developers in our network and buy them at zero extra cost.

How many new build properties could you find in Spain?

Where are the new build properties in Spain?

The “Ministerio de Fomento”, just released the number of unsold new homes in Spain: it is 457,000 at the end of 2019 vs 460,000 end of 2018. Earlier, it was quite higher: with 477,000 new build in 2017 and 492,000 at the end of 2016.

So the number of new build properties waiting to be sold in 2019 is only slightly lower than in 2018.

In Spain, you have a total of 25 million homes in total, so this means about 1.8% of all the properties existing in Spain are unsold new build properties .

Find this statistic always updated in our “real estate Returns and Mortgages in Spain” table.

As we wrote in one of our earlier paper, buying a new build property has many advantages: What are the advantages of buying a new build property in Spain?

Have a look at the evolution of Unsold New Homes in Spain since 2005

In which Spanish regions will you find the most Unsold New Homes in 2019?

Have a look at our chart: the Valencian Community, Catalonia and Andalusia are the 3 biggest regions and represent 50% of the new build properties!

You will find those two charts with many others always up to date in our “Must see charts about the Spanish real estate market” page.

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

Which cities have the biggest percentage of New build homes for sale in Spain in 2019?

• Madrid 9.5%
• Barcelona 9%
• Alicante 8.2%
• Castellón 5.4%
• Valencia 4.7%
• Murcia 4.5%
• Toledo 4.5%
• Almería 3.8%

Which cities have the most New build homes on the market vs the total number of existing homes?

• Castellón 5.8%
• Toledo 4.9%
• (La) Rioja 4.4%
• Almería 4.3%
• Ciudad Real 3.9%
• Lleida 3.8%
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife 3.2%
• Alicante 2.9%

The two most active regions in Spain in 2019?

1. The Basque Country: -15%
2. The Balearic Islands: -13%

Here is the full overview per region:

As a reminder, here was the situation in 2018

The main difference between 2019 and 2018 is a slight decrease for nearly all the cities and the regions in terms of stock of unsold properties apart for Ceuta and Melilla.

Which cities have the biggest percentage of Newbuild homes for sale in Spain – Situation in 2018?

• Madrid 8.7%
• Alicante 8.6%
• Barcelona 8.3%
• Castellón 5.4%
• Valencia 4.8%
• Murcia 4.6%
• Toledo 4.5%
• Almería 4%

Which cities have the most Newbuild homes on the market vs the total number of existing homes? – Situation in 2018

• Castellón 6%
• Toledo 4.9%
• Almería 4.6%
• Rioja 4.4%
• Ciudad Real 3.9%
• Lleida 3.8%
• Castilla-La Mancha 3.1%
• Alicante 3%
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife 3%
• Teruel 2.8%
• Girona 2.7%
• Murcia 2.7%

Here was the situation in 2017

The main difference between 2018 and 2017 is a slight decrease for nearly all the cities and the regions in terms of stock of unsold properties apart for Ceuta and Melilla.

Which cities have the biggest percentage of Newbuild homes for sale in Spain – Situation in 2017?

• Madrid 8,6%
• Alicante 8,5%
• Barcelona 8,3%
• Castellón 5,4%
• Valencia 4,8%
• Murcia 4,6%
• Toledo 4,4%
• Almería 4%

Which cities have the most Newbuild homes on the market vs the total number of existing homes? – Situation in 2017

• Castellón 6%
• Toledo 5,%
• Almería 4,7%
• Rioja 4,5%
• Ciudad Real 4%
• Lleida 3.9%
• Alicante 3,1%
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2,9%
• Girona 2,8%
• Murcia 2,8%
• Teruel 2,7%

Here was the situation in 2016

The main difference between 2017 and 2016 is a slight decrease for nearly all the cities and the regions in terms of stock of unsold properties.

Which cities have the biggest percentage of Newbuild homes for sale in Spain – Situation in 2016?

• Alicante 8,6%
• Madrid 8,5%
• Barcelona 8,1%
• Castellón 5,3%
• Valencia 4,9%
• Murcia 4,7%
• Toledo 4,5%
• Almería 4%

Which cities have the most Newbuild homes on the market vs the total number of existing homes? – Situation in 2016

• Castellón 6,2%
• Toledo 5,2%
• Almería 4,9%
• Rioja 4,6%
• Ciudad Real 4,2%
• Lleida 4%
• Alicante 3,3%
• Murcia 2,9%
• Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2,9%
• Girona 2,9%
• Teruel 2,7%

Are you looking for a new build property from a qualitative developer?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

Another interesting source to find properties could be Spanish bank repossessions: have a look at the paper we wrote on that subject: Spanish bank repossessions: Your ultimate guide to 120.000 properties

Source: Spanish-Ministerio de Fomento.

Looking for an expert in Spain: a lawyer, a property hunter, tax experts, architects,…? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post Where are the new build properties in Spain? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

The top 10 Spanish cities where foreigners love to buy properties!

Let’s analyse the foreigners real estate activity in Spain.

Where do they buy properties? In which cities, regions and Costas?

Up to end December 2018, according to the Centro de Informacion Estadistica del Notariado, there were 562,189 residential properties sold during the last year in Spain vs 513,814 one year before: i.e. a 9% growth!

103.608 of the properties sold during the last year in Spain were bought by foreigners, that’s about 18.5% of every transaction vs respectively 100,095 the year before. A 4% growth, not bad! Remember, as a foreigner, you need to have a NIE number if you want to buy a property in Spain. Read our article on that subject if needed: Your ultimate guide to your Spanish NIE number.

The real estate transactions in Spain are at the highest level since 2008 in fact!

Spaniards and Foreigners are very active, both are buying the most since 2008, check this chart:

As a reminder, here is the price evolution of the square meter in Spain during the last 20 years.

We wanted to dig deeper and have a more precise view, so we checked it from the “Costas” view, from the “Region” view and from the “City” view.

Don’t miss our foreigners property buyers guides written for any top 10 country active in Spain.

I. Foreigners real estate activity for all the Spanish Costas (& Islands) – last year up to December 2018

The top 5 Costas & Islands for purchases by foreigners are:

1. The Costa Blanca #21.059 transactions (23% of transactions by foreigners)
2. The Costa del Sol #11.017 transactions (18% of transactions by foreigners)
3. The Canary Islands #7.020 transactions (8% of transactions by foreigners)
4. The Costa Barcelona #9.254 transactions (11% of transactions by foreigners)
5. The Balearic Islands #5.933 transactions (6% of transactions by foreigners)

=> It is very interesting to note that only 11% per cent of the purchases made by foreigners are inland! (“Other cities without sea” on our chart)

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now