idealista report

Housing prices in Spain’s urban areas are now 99% higher than in rural locations, according to idealista. The widest gap is in Madrid, where city prices exceed rural ones by 131%. Urban homes also cost at least double those in the countryside across five other provinces: Álava, Salamanca, Cáceres, Valladolid and Palencia.

In some parts of Spain, more than 100 families now end up competing for the very same flat.

The cheapest town in Spain for buying a second-hand home is Almadén, in Ciudad Real, with an average price of just €335/m², according to idealista’s latest price report.The top three most affordable towns are all in Ciudad Real: Almodóvar del Campo (€427/m²) and Socuéllamos (€460/m²) follow Almadén.

According to a study by idealista, 25% of Spanish homes lack any heating system. The study is based on data from property listings for sale and rent in November. The warmest regions, less exposed to extreme weather, have the highest share of homes without heating.

idealista spokesperson Francisco Iñareta analyses the housing market situation and his forecasts for 2026. The housing situation in Spain at the end of 2025 is clear: a national emergency. The lack of supply has become endemic, but the focus remains on attacking prices from highly ideology-based positions.

Three-bedroom flats were the fastest-selling property type in Spain during Q3 2025, with 37% sold in under a month. Studios and one- and two-bedroom flats also sold quickly, while larger homes with four or more bedrooms took longer, varying across major Spanish markets.

The Madrid property market continues to attract interest from American buyers, according to idealista’s data on listings over recent quarters. In 2025, a notable shift has emerged in the language of searches from the US, with Spanish speakers (47.2%) now overtaking English (46.3%) as the dominant language for the first time.

Demand pressure on the existing supply of rental housing is becoming increasingly acute in the suburbs of major cities.

While house prices across Spain have soared by nearly 16% over the past year, a surprising number of towns are seeing significant declines.

Foreign buyers remain highly active in Spain’s housing market, with over 70,000 transactions recorded in the first half of 2025 alone, according to the latest notary data.

The share of household income needed to rent a property in Spain stands at 36% of the average family’s total net income, while for buying it is significantly lower at 25%, excluding the savings required to secure financing, according to a study by idealista based on data from Q3 2025.

The sale of homes without vacant possession is becoming increasingly common in the Spanish property market, now accounting for 3% of all properties for sale in the country, according to a study by idealista based on listings in its database for Q3 2025.

Based on data from Spain’s Tax Agency, we’ve analysed the latest prices of second-hand homes for sale in the country’s wealthiest municipalities, using statistics from idealista. Leading the pack once again is Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid), with an average gross income of €88,011 per year.

In August, the average price of second-hand homes for sale in Spain rose by 14.8% year-on-year, reaching €2,498/m² – the highest level since idealista began recording data.

Soaring rents and fierce competition are pushing many people towards room rentals. On average, 22 prospective tenants compete for each listing on idealista, though demand remains lower than for full homes. Palma (65) and San Sebastián (62) record the most enquiries per room, while among the largest markets, Barcelona (22) edges ahead of Madrid (20).

Rental properties in the Balearic Islands (29.1%), Alicante (27.4%), Málaga (25.7%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (21.9%) are seeing strong international demand, each accounting for more than 20% of total rental interest in Q1, according to a study by idealista.

The British remain the largest group of foreign homebuyers in Spain, but interest is growing among citizens of other countries, including Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy, particularly for properties on the Mediterranean coast, the main draw for foreign buyers.

Thirteen per cent of the homes sold through idealista in the second quarter of 2025 found a buyer in less than a week, according to a study by idealista, Southern Europe’s leading real estate marketplace.

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.