Foreign buyers slow their Spanish property purchases for third consecutive quarter

Foreign purchasers completed 24,800 transactions in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 3 per cent decline compared with Q1 2025. This marks the third consecutive quarter of contraction.

Following the pandemic, demand for Spanish residential property surged to 99,500 purchases annually (Q2 2025). The figure has since moderated to 96,700. Yet this represents a cooling rather than a collapse. Even with the decline, demand remains substantially higher than during the 2010s, when foreign buyers typically acquired approximately 65,000 properties annually.

Market dynamics are shifting. Polish investors continue to acquire Spanish property with vigour, whilst British interest has waned. Critically, the balance of power is gradually tilting from sellers towards buyers. Foreign investors have been the principal driver of coastal price appreciation. As their numbers diminish, even marginally, vendors must compete for each purchaser and invest greater effort in property preparation and presentation.

The era of uploading photographs online and awaiting enquiries is drawing to a close. Strategy is now essential.

Source: Spanish Property Insight