Where foreigners are buying property in Spain in 2025

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. Alicante (33.2%), the Balearic Islands (31.5%), Malaga (27.1%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (25.8%) received the highest share of foreign demand in Q2, according to idealista. In major cities, foreigners were most active in Valencia (12.8%), followed by Barcelona (9.5%) and Madrid (4.6%).

In recent years of booming home sales, foreign citizens have joined the race to buy homes in Spain. Last year alone, they acquired nearly 93,000 homes, accounting for 14.6% of total transactions, according to the Property Registrars. British, German, Moroccan, French and Dutch nationals were the top buyers in 2024.

Looking ahead to 2025, demand from foreign buyers is expected to remain strong, though the British are gradually ceding ground to other nationalities, particularly along the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic and Canary Islands.

According to idealista's foreign demand data for Q2 of 2025, the provinces attracting the most international interest in homes for sale are Alicante (33.2%), the Balearic Islands (31.5%), Málaga (27.1%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (25.8%), mirroring trends in rental demand. Girona (24%) and Las Palmas (20.2%) also exceed 20% of foreign interest.

Other notable provinces include Almería (17%), Murcia (16%) and Granada (15.4%), with Tarragona (14.2%), Castellón (13.7%), Valencia (12.8%), Huelva (12.4%) and Cádiz (11.9%) all above 10%.

Provinces with significant domestic markets but lower foreign visits include Barcelona (9.5%), Seville (5.8%), Guipúzcoa (5.3%) and Madrid (4.6%).

Foreigners most eager to buy property in Spain

Analysis of the Southern European real estate market highlights the top three nationalities visiting property listings in each area.

In Alicante, the province with the highest foreign demand, Dutch buyers lead with 19% of visits, followed by Germans at 12% and Brits at 11%.

In the Balearic Islands, Germans dominate interest in properties, accounting for 42% of foreign visits, far ahead of the UK (11%) and France (7%).

Málaga is the only province in the top five where Brits are the most active, representing 14% of visits, closely followed by the Netherlands (13%) and Germany (10%).

In Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas, the leading non-Mediterranean destinations, Germans dominate foreign interest, accounting for 25% and 24% of viewings, respectively. Italians and Brits occupy the second and third positions, generating between 10% and 14% of visits in the two Canary Islands provinces.

In Girona, the French lead foreign searches with 36%, ahead of Germans and Dutch buyers, who each account for 13%.

Elsewhere, Brits are the main foreign viewers in Almería, Murcia and Granada; the French lead in Tarragona, Castellón and Guipúzcoa; and Germans dominate searches in Cádiz and Jaén.

Foreign demand for property in Spain’s major markets

In Spain’s major residential markets, foreign interest represents a smaller share of total demand. Valencia leads with 12.8% of inquiries from abroad, primarily from the Netherlands (12%), Germany (11%) and the United States (11%).

In Barcelona, foreign demand accounts for 9.5%, led by Germany and the US (both 13%) and France (11%). Seville sees 5.8% of demand from abroad, with Americans (15%), Germans (13%) and Brits (12%) most active.

Madrid records the lowest share at 4.6%, dominated by Americans (16%), followed by Brits (10%) and Germans (9%).