Foreign investment

Colliers celebrates 20 years in Spain, a period in which the real estate consultancy has grown from a single office to an established Iberian platform, now comprising six headquarters and over 180 professionals across Spain and Portugal.Since entering the Spanish market in 2006, Colliers has experie

Spain continues to captivate foreign buyers seeking exclusive properties, particularly large homes with five or more bedrooms.

British buyers have reclaimed the top spot among international property purchasers in Spain, with golf homes in Andalusia emerging as one of the strongest lifestyle-driven trends of 2026.According to the latest data from the Spanish Registrars (Registradores de España), UK nationals accounted for 7.

Foreign interest has long shaped Spain’s seaside property market, but fresh idealista data from late 2025 shows more precisely where that attention is concentrated – and how international some coastal provinces have become.

Home sales in Spain surpassed 705,000 units in 2025, according to preliminary data from property registrars. This marks a 10.4% increase year-on-year and the highest number of transactions since 2008, at the peak of the real estate boom.

Foreign buyers have been a driving force in Spain’s coastal housing market for years, but fresh idealista data from late 2025 shows in detail who is looking, where, and how international some stretches of coastline have become.How much foreign interest is there in Spanish coastal property?Which nati

Spain’s coastal property market is set to benefit from a major expansion in international flight routes in 2026.

British buyers are already shaping Spain’s property market for 2026, and the data points to a very clear favourite: newly built three-bedroom penthouses on the Costa del Sol.Recent figures from Spain’s national property registrar, the Colegio de Registradores, reveal a sharp shift towards new homes.

The Catalan property market ended the third quarter with a surprising trend: Girona is drawing significant international interest. Data from the Catalan real estate agents’ associations (API) show that 26% of sales in the province were to foreign buyers, far exceeding Tarragona (16%), Barcelona (14.2%) and Lleida (9.6%). No other Catalan province matches Girona’s level of international appeal.

If you’ve found a property on idealista or you’re preparing to buy, reserve, or rent in Spain, the very first document you should secure is your Número de Identificación de Extranjero (NIE).

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.

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.

Vox, a right-wing political party in Spain, has submitted a proposal to Congress to increase taxes on foreign property buyers. The money raised would be used to fund tax breaks for Spanish citizens and to support the construction of affordable housing.

Salto de Castro, a village in Zamora that has lain abandoned for more than 30 years, is set for a remarkable comeback thanks to American entrepreneur Jason Lee Beckwith.

Foreign home purchases in Spain continue to rise. Notary data shows that in the first half of 2025, foreigners bought 71,155 properties, up 2% from the same period in 2024.

British interest in Spanish property remains strong, with 5,731 homes purchased by UK buyers in the first half of 2025.

Lately, there has been a lot of talk and hype in the media regarding a Spanish ruling that opens the way to end tax discrimination against non-residents on filing the annual Non-Resident Imputed Income Tax (NRIIT).

What is the profile of home buyers in Spain? What trends are currently shaping the market, and what can we expect in the coming months?

The Spanish housing market is reaching a historic peak, with sales and rental prices expected to hit record levels in June 2025, according to idealista. Purchasing a property as an investment can offer substantial returns, but it also carries risks and requires careful planning.

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.

Germany remains the pace-setter on the buying side, while the US leads the rental hunt.

According to the Association of Registrars, foreign demand for housing in Spain has slightly decreased in percentage terms but remains stable, accounting for 14.1%, still at the higher end of the historical range.

Benidorm has become the preferred residential destination for European buyers aged 45 to 59, particularly from the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. This group seeks modern, sustainable and well-connected homes for long-term stays or permanent residence. Developments such as Breeze, in Balcón de Finestrat, cater directly to this demand, offering sea views, A-class energy efficiency and an environment designed for year-round comfort.

“We need to attract foreign capital; domestic funds alone won’t meet current demand,” said Q Living CEO Rosa Gallego at a conference on the housing crisis organised by the Madrid Association of Economists.

Spain’s property market continues to attract a significant number of British and Irish buyers, with new data from leading homebuilder Taylor Wimpey España shedding light on buyer trends over the past two years.