idealista report

The property market in southern Europe’s three key countries continues to rise, with varying trends. According to idealista’s June report, Spain has hit record highs in both sales and rentals. Portugal remains the most expensive overall, though its price growth is more moderate. In Italy, sales prices are still below the peaks of over a decade ago, but rental prices have surged to historic highs, even surpassing Spain. We take a closer look at the property and rental markets in the main cities and top tourist areas of all three countries.

Property prices for resale homes in Spain have reached €2,391/m², the highest level recorded in idealista’s historical series.

Spain’s housing stock experienced a significant 16% annual decline, marking the steepest drop in recent years. The shortage is driven by rising demand, slow construction rates, and economic pressures, intensifying concerns over affordability and housing availability across the country.

Over the past year, the percentage of household income needed for housing rose to 23% for purchases and 36% for rentals, according to an idealista study based on Q1 2025 data.

"It’s the economy, stupid." This phrase became famous during Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign against then-President George H. W. Bush. Since then, it has been widely used to highlight what is both obvious and essential.

When discussing foreign interest in luxury property in Spain, attention often turns to the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands. However, the two major cities of Madrid and Barcelona also offer a substantial stock of high-end homes, which are increasingly attracting demand from abroad.

The sale of homes without possession is notably impacting the Spanish property market. Once virtually unheard of, these properties now account for 2.6% of all homes for sale in Spain, according to a study published by idealista based on listings from the Q4 2024.

It has been five years since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and the real estate market has undergone significant changes, particularly in the rental sector. During the period of isolation, the supply of long-term rental properties doubled, peaking in December 2020 as prices fell. However, since then, rental supply has declined by 56%, while prices have risen by 30%. Political measures implemented in response have only reduced stock to minimal levels, placing further strain on the market with heightened demand and record-high prices in many capital cities.

idealista reports confirm that the luxury housing market in Spain is growing rapidly.

17% of the homes rented through idealista in Q4 last year were on the market for less than 24 hours – one percentage point lower than during the same period in 2023, according to a study by idealista, the leading real estate marketplace in southern Europe.Vitoria and Girona recorded the highest perc

The luxury housing market in Spain is firmly established with over 45,000 properties listed for sale above €1 million at the end of November, according to an idealista study. Of these, more than 20% exceed prime prices, above €3 million, totalling nearly 9,800 homes.

Nearly half of those searching for a home on the market are focusing on properties priced up to €210,000, according to a recent relative demand study conducted by idealista during the last quarter. A significant portion of residential stock in the provincial capitals falls within this price range.

According to a study published by idealista, the Balearic Islands contain seven of the ten municipalities where the effort required by families to purchase a home is the highest.

Andalusia is home to four of the ten towns and cities with the highest household effort to rent a home, according to a study published by idealista.

Many people aspire to own a property near a golf course in Spain. Location and surroundings have always been crucial factors when choosing a second home, and golf has become an important consideration for both Spaniards and international buyers.

Rental demand in the major provincial capitals, with the exceptions of Vitoria and Barcelona, is outstripped by towns such as Hospitalet de Llobregat, Badalona and Terrassa, which exert greater pressure on the existing supply in the rental market, according to idealista's latest ranking.

Renting a two-bedroom property costs 83% more than the mortgage payment required to purchase the same home. However, buying needs a down payment of €48,480, according to a study published by idealista.

Every one of Spain's 50 provinces has at least one property listed for over €1 million on idealista, but their distribution is uneven. Notably, the provinces of Malaga, the Balearic Islands, Madrid, Alicante, and Barcelona account for 79.6% of all such properties.

Spain's luxury real estate market is thriving, attracting affluent buyers with its stunning properties and prime locations.

The top 10% of homes with the highest prices in each market represent its most exclusive segment.

Demand pressure in the property market has returned the Spanish capital to its position as the most sought-after city among those with a large stock on idealista in the second quarter of the year. Provincial cities have regained the prominence that nearby cities like Alcalá de Henares (2nd) and

Five of the 10 most popular locations to find a rental apartment during the second quarter of the year are in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. According to the idealista study, Hospitalet de Llobregat leads the relative rental demand between April and June, followed by Badalona and Vitoria, the first provincial capital on the list. After them, Terrassa, Manresa and Sabadell complete this Barcelona quintet, all of them ahead of Barcelona (8). Still in this 'top 10' the Madrid town of Alcala de Henares and two cities in Tarragona such as Salou and Reus also appear.

Average property and rent prices in Spain have seen two consecutive months at maximum prices, according to the latest idealista reports. At the end of June, up to seven provincial capitals saw record property and rent prices on the real estate platform. We analyse property and rent prices of the districts in the cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Malaga, Palma, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Cadiz.

Homes equipped with air conditioning systems currently represent 41% of the entire residential stock, according to a study by idealista. The capitals most prepared for extreme heat are Seville (75%), Cordoba (70%), Valencia and Jaen (66% in both cases). More than half of the houses in the large cities of Madrid (65%) and Barcelona (58%) also have air conditioning.

More than 60% of the supply of rooms for rent is found in the cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. The Catalan capital has the most expensive average price in Spain (550 euros per month), where Ciutat Vella (625 euros) and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi (605 euros) stand out, according to idealista data in the first quarter.