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.

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.

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.

Our 100,000th reader just joined our network!

Thank you all.

It took us about 2 years to reach 60,000 readers, it took us less than 7 months to get the next 40,000 readers.

We are seeing an impressive growth in our traffic as we are THE solution of choice for any foreigner purchasing a property in Spain.

Our biggest EVER giveaway 20 x €5,000

In order to thank you, we have created our biggest event ever with our partners:

For the 20 first new build property buyers listed on our website, starting this 22nd of July 2019, we will reimburse you €5,000!

More than 500 properties listed on our portal

We can’t list all the properties of our partners but we list 30 of them representing more than 500 properties available:

Don’t hesitate to ask our partners for more by filling the form available on any property.

We are constantly adding properties and partners to our portal, so, before buying a property in Spain, check first here, we have the properties listed at the lowest prices available directly from renowned developers.

You already have a new build apartment on our portal for €173,000

Any trick?

Just buy any property listed and work with our partners, easy isn’t it? see detailed conditions here.

We will regularly update you with the list of the buyers.

Why our partners are happy?

They are all happy to work with you and to be partnering with us as it keep them busy.

Check our property buyers’ guides for the 11 top nationalities.

Here are our FREE pdf property buyers’ guides written for all the foreign nationalities looking to buy in Spain: click on your country flag, you will find your pdf report at the end of each article. Get most of our tips there.

And of course, don’t miss our quarterly report on the Spanish real estate activity:

Get all our useful animated videos and register to any of our YouTube Channel in your mother language:

Here is the TOP 100 list of the nationalities of our readers:

1. United Kingdom
2. Spain
3. United States
4. Belgium
5. France
6. Netherlands
7. Ireland
8. Germany
9. Sweden
10. Canada
11. Switzerland
12. India
13. United Arab Emirates
14. Luxembourg
15. Italy
16. Peru
17. Poland
18. Philippines
19. Russia
20. Denmark
21. Norway
22. Ukraine
23. Argentina
24. Australia
25. Bulgaria
26. Finland
27. Portugal
28. Brazil
29. Israel
30. Turkey
31. China
32. Mexico
33. Romania
34. Morocco
35. Singapore
36. Hong Kong
37. Lithuania
38. Malaysia
39. Colombia
40. Venezuela
41. Greece
42. South Africa
43. Estonia
44. Egypt
45. Hungary
46. Austria
47. Algeria
48. Czechia
49. Latvia
50. Saudi Arabia
51. Thailand
52. Vietnam
53. Cyprus
54. Nigeria
55. Indonesia
56. Iceland
57. Bahrain
58. Japan
59. South Korea
60. Qatar
61. Bangladesh
62. New Zealand
63. Chile
64. Iran
65. Moldova
66. Malta
67. Kenya
68. Kuwait
69. Kazakhstan
70. Costa Rica
71. Slovakia
72. Gibraltar
73. Mauritius
74. Pakistan
75. Tunisia
76. Taiwan
77. Jordan
78. Sri Lanka
79. Panama
80. Slovenia
81. Albania
82. Azerbaijan
83. Belarus
84. Croatia
85. Cambodia
86. Andorra
87. Dominican Republic
88. Lebanon
89. Oman
90. Curaçao
91. Ecuador
92. Honduras
93. Macedonia (FYROM)
94. Serbia
95. Bolivia
96. Côte d’Ivoire
97. Guernsey
98. Montenegro
99. El Salvador
100. Tanzania

Tell us how we can improve, take 1 minute, thank you in advance!

Looking for an expert: a lawyer, a property shopper, a mortgage, an architect in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post €100,000… for our 100,000 readers! appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Other nations’ profiles: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Belgians Chinese Dutch English French Germans Italians Moroccans
Romanians Russians Swedish?

British property buyer’s guide in Spain

Find your free pdf report regrouping all our tips and all this information at the end of this article

The 10 things you should know before buying your Spanish property!

We make it easy for you to buy your dream property in Spain thanks to our knowledge and our network of local partners.

How active are the British on the Spanish property market? What properties do they like? What are the most loved Spanish regions by the British? How much do they pay? Do they prefer new build properties or resale? Do they need a mortgage for financing? How should they buy? What are the 9 steps to buy a property in Spain?

First, let’s analyse the Second Home purchases by the British in Spain

Both foreigners and Spaniards are very active on the property market in Spain.

In 2018, foreigners bought close to 100,000 properties in Spain.

Spaniards and Foreigners are buying the highest number of properties in 2018 vs any year since the crisis of 2008, have a look at our chart: more than 580,000 properties were bought, 15% of the purchases by foreigners.

Read our most recent article about that: Who are the foreigners buying real estate in Spain?

100,000 properties bought by foreigners in 2018. Why foreigners are so active in Spain?

We have listed at least 13 reasons why foreigners are buying properties in Spain. Of course, you’ll find sea, sun, beaches, nice quality of life… but investment return is important as we explain here: What return will you make on your Spanish Property in 2019?

How active are the British on the Spanish Real estate market? 15,300 properties bought in 2018

According to the “Consejo General del Notariado” in Spain, the English are buying 41 properties per day, or about 15,300 for the last 12 months up to December 2018, in Spain.

It is nearly 10 times more than in 2008.

How much do they pay for their properties? €1,649/m²

The price they pay on average is €1,649 per square meter. They pay just a little bit more than other foreigners buying properties in Spain. Check the evolution over the last 12 years.

Of course, depending on the region, price paid by foreigners per square meter is changing a lot. The Balearic Islands is the most expensive region if you want to buy a second home in Spain. Another factor factor to take into account for the price is if the property is a new build property or a resale.

Real estate prices in Spain are not any more in crisis

we have a stable and even growing market in many Spanish regions

What are the most loved Spanish regions by the British?

The English are buying in the suspected regions where foreigners are the most active: the Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol. Those two Costas are in Andalusia and in the Valencian Community and represent nearly 40pc of the transactions done by the English. Other important regions are the Canary Islands and Murcia.

Where are foreigners buying in Spain? In which Regions, in Which Cities?

Foreigners are actively buying properties in many Spanish cities: for Alicante, Tenerife, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca, Malaga and Girona, they represent more than one transaction out of 4.

Here are the most active regions

Here are the most active cities

If you want to read more on the subject: Which are the top 10 Spanish cities where foreigners are buying properties?

What properties do they like? Small or big? 100m²

Most of the the English, 1 out of 3 buy properties bigger than 100 square meters. If you compare those numbers with other nationalities, the English do buy bigger second homes in Spain than other foreigners.

Do the British prefer new build properties or resale? Resale

15% of English are buying a new build property in Spain. This is inline with other foreigners.

Looking for a new build property? Discover the best new build projects available in Spain on our portal.

sold directly by renowned developers at their best prices.

EXCLUSIVE LAUNCH OFFER: Purchase any property and receive €3,000!

Looking for a resale? We have many local property finders ready to help.

Let’s have a look at the 6 reasons why a personal real estate shopper in Spain will be very helpful for your property search.

Property finders in Spain

Do the British take a mortgage for their Second Home? €179,000

Only 13% of the property purchases done by the English in Spain are done with a mortgage. For the transactions with a mortgage, the mortgage size is €179,000. Other foreigners take €133,000 mortgage on average.

If you want to learn more on how to get the best mortgage deal, read our seminal paper: Your definitive guide to your Spanish mortgage rate: How to apply, how to get the best rates?

If you want to directly ask a free quote to our partner, don’t hesitate. Ask our partner a mortgage quote for a Spanish property.

Buying in Spain is easy, once you found your property, here are the 9 steps to your Spanish Property

1. Get your NIE “Número de Identificación de Extranjeros”, read our article on this: “Your ultimate guide to your NIE number“.

2. Find a lawyer speaking your language and Spanish: Looking for an property lawyer in Spain? Check all our partners here!

Find your property lawyer in Spain

3. Open a Bank account

4. Do you need a mortgage? Your Spanish Mortgage: How to apply? How to get the best rates?

5. Sign the “contrato de Reserva”

6. Important checks of the property with experts

7. Get your mortgage confirmed

8. Sign the “contrato de Arras”

9. Go to the Notary for signing the contract for the purchase of the property

If you want to look at our detailed article: ” The 9 Steps before buying your Spanish property“.

How much does it cost to buy a property in Spain?

The short answer is 10% to 14% of the property value. Read our detailed article on that subject: What is the real cost of buying your Spanish Property?

How much does it cost to be an owner of a property in Spain?

The short answer is around 1% of the property value per year. Learn more in our detailed article: What is the real cost of owning your Spanish property?

How much does it cost to live in Spain vs UK?

Download our exclusive pdf report: British property buyer’s guide in Spain: what are the ideal Spanish properties for the British? Where do they buy? How much do they pay?

Register to our YouTube channel in English and get all our useful animated video – click on the picture

Looking for an expert in Spain: Lawyer, Architect, Property Hunter, Mortgage? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior Analyst and Strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post British property buyer’s guide in Spain appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Where are the different foreigners’ nationalities buying properties in Spain?

Give us your nationality and we will tell you where your compatriots are buying! Most of the time, they share your taste and are looking at the same properties. If you don’t know where to invest, check our rankings first.

Last week we did the analysis of the foreigners’ property activity in Spain for 2018:

Who are the foreigners buying properties in Spain in 2018? Which nationalities are active? Are they resident or not? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

Of course, it’s not a secret, Spain is the top holiday destination for many Europeans:

Spain is “The” number one destination for holidays for the residents of those countries

1. Ireland
2. The United Kingdom
3. Germany
4. Denmark
5. Finland
6. Sweden
7. Portugal
8. France

And of course, Spain is the second most favourite destination for many other countries.

Remember our paper: “Give us your country of origin and we will tell you how much you love Spain” on this subject.

So it’s not a surprise to find many of those countries as the top buyers of properties in Spain:

In 2018 the most active nationalities were :

• the British (14.8%),
• the French (8%),
• the Germans (7.6%),
• the Romanians (7.2%),
• the Italians (6.4%),
• the Belgians (5,5%),
• and the Swedish (4.5%).

Representing 53% of all the real estate transactions purchased by foreigners in Spain in 2018 or 103.608.

Outside the EU, the most active countries are Morocco (6.8%), China (4.4%) or Russia (3.1%).

Don’t forget to get your NIE before buying your Spanish property, more on that here: Your ultimate guide to your Spanish NIE number and of course to hedge your currency smartly if you are buying from outside the European zone.

Another interesting article we would recommend if you are serious about Spain: How to buy a property in Spain as a foreigner?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

Where are the different foreign nationalities buying their properties in Spain? Where are they buying there Second Home in Spain?

The “Colegio de Registradores” in Spain has just released its last report of Foreigners activity on the property market in 2018.

We will review those nationalities from the most active to the least active in Spain: 1. United Kingdom, 2. France, 3. Germany, 4. Romania, 5. Italy, 6. Belgium, 7. Morocco, 8. Sweden, 9. China, 10. Russia, 11. Netherlands, 12. Norway

1. Where are the British buying their properties in Spain?

Register to our YouTube channel in English and get all our useful animated videos – click on the picture

British bought 15,300 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish regions where British are the number one property buyers (as foreigners) are :

• The Valencian Community
• Andalusia
• The region of Murcia

British are the number two property buyers (as foreigners) in :

• Asturias
• The Balearic Islands
• The Canary Islands

British are active as well but in a much less degree in:

• Galicia (3rd position)
• Cantabria (6th position)
• Catalonia (8th position)
• The Madrid Community (10th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for English? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

2. Where are the French buying their properties in Spain?

Register to our YouTube channel in French and get all our useful animated videos – click on the picture

French bought 8,237 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish region where French are the number one property buyers (as foreigners) is Catalonia, this is not a surprise due to its proximity with France and due to the fact that the region is cheaper than the “Méditérannée” in France.

French are active as well in many different Spanish regions:

• Galicia (2ndposition)
• Cantabria (3rd position)
• Estremadura (4th position)
• Murcia (4th position)
• Valencian Community (4th position)
• Andalusia (5th position)
• Balearic Islands (4th position)
• Canary Islands (5th position)
• Madrid Community (5th position)
• Aragon (5th position)
• Castille and Leon (7th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for French? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

3. Where are the Germans buying their properties in Spain?

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Germans bought 7,907 properties in Spain in 2018, the top Spanish region for the Germans is without any doubt the Balearic Islands. As you may remember, The properties there are as well the most expensive in Spain. Read our last Spanish property market 2018 report on this. The second destination for Germans, where they are the third biggest foreign country in terms of buyers, are the Canary Islands, it is a little bit less expensive than the Balearic Islands.

Germans are active in many other Spanish regions:

• Andalusia (6th position)
• Cantabria (6th position)
• Murcia (5th position)
• Valencian Community (6th position)
• Catalonia (7th position)
• Asturias (9th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Germans? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

4. Where are the Romanians buying their properties in Spain?

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Romanians bought 7,427 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish regions where Romanians are the number one property buyers (as foreigners) are:

• Aragon
• Asturias
• Basque Country
• Castilla La Mancha
• Castille and Leon
• The community of Madrid
• Cantabria
• Navarre
• The Rioja

Romanians are active as well in many other Spanish regions:

• Navarre (3rd position)
• Catalonia (5th position)
• Galicia (7th position)
• Murcia (9th position)
• Valencian Community (10th position)
• Andalusia (8th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Romanians ? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

5. Where are the Italians buying their properties in Spain?

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The Italians bought 6,651 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish region where Italians are the number one property buyers (as foreigners) is the Canary Islands.

Italians are the number three property buyers (as foreigners) in many Spanish regions:

• Balearic Islands
• Madrid Community
• Estremadura

Italians are active as well in many different Spanish regions:

• Catalonia (4th position)
• Asturias (4th position)
• Galicia (4th position)
• Aragon (6th position)
• The Basque Country (7th position)
• The Rioja (6th position)
• Aragon (6th position)
• Cantabria (5th position)
• Castilla la Mancha (7th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Italians? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

6. Where are the Belgians buying their properties in Spain?

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Belgians bought 5,713 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish regions where the Belgians are the number three property buyers (as foreigners) are Andalusia, Murcia and the Valencian Community.

They are active as well in other regions:

• Canary Islands (4th position)
• Estremadura (6th position)
• Balearic Islands (9th position)
• Asturias (10th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Belgians? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

7. Where are the Moroccans buying their properties in Spain?

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Moroccans bought 7,058 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish region where Moroccans is the number one property buyers (as foreigners) is Estremadura and Navarre. They are the number two in many Spanish regions:

• Castilla La Mancha
• Aragon
• Murcia
• The Rioja

Moroccans are active as well in many other Spanish regions:

• Castille and Leon (3rd position)
• Catalonia (3rd position)
• Basque Country (4th position)
• The community of Madrid (4th position)
• Andalusia (4th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Moroccans? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

8. Where are the Swedish buying their properties in Spain?

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Swedish bought 4,710 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish regions where Swedish are the number two property buyers (as foreigners) are Andalusia and the Valencian Community and are active in other Spanish regions:

• The Balearic Islands (5th position)
• The Canary Islands (6th position)
• Murcia (6th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Swedish? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

9. Where are the Chinese buying their properties in Spain?

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The Chinese bought 4,554 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish regions where the Chinese are the number two property buyers (as foreigners) are Madrid, Catalonia, The Basque Country and Estremadura and are very active in many other Spanish regions:

• Aragon (3rd position)
• Asturias (3rd position)
• Galicia (6th position)
• Cantabria (4th position)
• Castille and Leon (5th position)
• Navarre (7th position)
• Castilla La Mancha (6th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Chinese? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

10. Where are the Russian buying their properties in Spain?

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Russian bought 3,194 properties in Spain in 2018, the three Spanish regions where Russian are buying residential properties are:

• The Valencian Community (5th position)
• Catalonia (6th position)
• The Canary Islands (8th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Russians? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

11. Where are the Dutch buying their properties in Spain?

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Dutch bought 2,971 properties in Spain in 2018, the five Spanish regions where Dutch are buying residential properties are:

• The Valencian Community (8th position)
• Andalusia (7th position)
• Catalonia (10th position)
• The Balearic Islands (7th position)
• Murcia (7th position)

Check our new detailed analysis: What are the ideal Spanish properties for Dutch? Where do they buy? What price do they pay?

12. Where are the Norwegians buying their properties in Spain?

The Norwegians bought 2,007 properties in Spain in 2018, the Spanish regions where the Norwegians are buying real estate are:

• The Valencian Community (7th position)

To sum up: What are the main regions of activity for 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 2018 are

• The Balearic Islands with 30.5% of all transactions,
• The Canary Islands with 28.3% of all transactions,
• The Valencian Community with 26% of all transactions,
• Murcia with 19.6% of all transactions,
• and Andalusia with 13.1% of all transactions.

Do you want to check any region in particular? Check our quarterly report on the Spanish real estate market:

Looking for a local expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post The most loved Spanish regions for the foreigners’ properties: British, French, German,… appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

What are the nationalities of the passengers flying to/from Spain in 2018?

The Aena, the company managing all the airports in Spain, just released its quarterly report analysing the airport passenger activity to any airport in Spain.

During the first quarter of 2018, 49.9m passengers went through Spanish airports, a 9.7% growth vs the year before. Let’s have a look at where this traffic is coming from, going to? Which countries?

The top 9 countries of origin/destination of passengers flying to/from Spanish airports

Statistics of the first quarter of 2018

1. Spain, of course, is the first nationality of passengers flying to/from Spain with 17m flights and 34% of overall
2. The United Kingdom is the second with 14% of flights
3. Germany with 10%
4. Italy with 6%
5. France with 5%
6. Holland with 3%
7. Belgium with 2%
8. Switzerland with 2%
9. Portugal with 2%

The most active nationalities buying properties in Spain – within EU

In the first half of 2017 the most active nationalities were :

• the British (13.9%),
• the French (8.8%),
• the Germans (8.2%),
• the Italians (7.7%),
• the Romanians (6.9%)
• and the Belgians (6.2%).

Representing 50% of the transactions.

Not a surprise, the top 4 countries are the same as the top passengers’ countries flying to/from Spain.

Remember our paper who are the foreigners buying a property in Spain?

Of course, there are many reasons why foreigners love Spain and make it the top destination for their holidays, holidays homes, in Europe.

Which countries have the biggest growth flying to/from Spain?

Statistics of the first quarter of 2018

1. Portugal has the biggest growth vs last year: +16%
2. Spain has a growth of 15% which means that Spaniards are moving more abroad, this explains 50% of the growth in traffic in Spanish airports in 2018. We could explain this by the relative strong economic growth in Spain vs the rest of Europe
3. Italy had a growth of 11%
4. France, Sweden, Holland and Germany had a growth of 8%
5. Belgium had a growth of 6%
6. All the other countries but the United Kingdom had a growth of 13%
7. The United Kingdom had a negative growth of 1%