The average time to sell a property in Spain is six months, compared to five months two years ago, according to data from Alfa Inmobiliaria, a chain with more than 115 branches in Spain and 106 offices internationally.
However, this timeframe differs significantly from one city to another. For example, the estimated time to sell a property in cities like Madrid, Malaga, Valencia or Alicante is currently around two months. This time has been significantly reduced since 2022. Just 24 months ago, it took 90 days, on average, to close a transaction of this type in all these cities. "We continually see cases of homes that do not last a week with the For Sale sign," says Jesús Duque, vice president of the Alfa Inmobiliaria chain.
However, "in cities such as Zamora, Soria, Teruel, Cuenta, Orense and Asturias, among others, the average period is close to one year. And in 10% of cases, it can take up to two years," he says. In addition, there is another circumstance: while in the cities where homes are sold faster, the price does not stop rising, in the smaller capitals and with less population, both operations and prices stagnate or fall downwards, according to the company.
"We are talking, in this case, about homes in those areas where the population is older, there is a greater shortage of infrastructure and services and where the local economy is weak and there are fewer opportunities for the population, so people often have to move to other cities in search of better opportunities," says this manager.
Barcelona, on the other hand, shows a different trend. According to data collected at Alfa Inmobiliaria's offices, the average time it takes to sell a property in Barcelona has lengthened significantly. Throughout the first half of the year, properties in Barcelona have taken, on average, 95 days to sell, when the average sale time two years ago was just 62 days. "However, this is an average figure, as we find large differences between some neighbourhoods and others" adds Duque.
"It's complicated to understand but despite housing prices and money, we continue to see many properties being sold in just a few days," says Duque. "And they may continue to go up and sell, as there is not enough supply for the growing population in these cities, so prices continue to climb, especially in the first half of the year, months when the real estate sector is traditionally very active."
