Foreign demand for buying homes in Spain remains concentrated on the Mediterranean coast and the islands. According to data on views of properties listed for sale on the Idealista portal, the destinations attracting the greatest interest are Alicante (32.3%), the Balearic Islands (28.2%), Málaga (27.1%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (26.5%).
In total, in 14 provinces, all of which are located on the coast, the share of foreign interest exceeds 10% of total demand for home purchases, while in the four aforementioned provinces it exceeds 25%. Interest from British, German, French and Dutch buyers predominates in these regions.
Provinces with high foreign demand
Alongside these four, the share of foreign demand exceeds 20% in Girona (22.5%) and Las Palmas (20.3%). Three provinces fall within the 15% to 20% range: Almería (17.4%), Murcia (15.8%) and Granada (15%), while Tarragona (13.4%), Valencia (11.7%), Cádiz (11.5%) and Huelva (11.1%) are in the 10% to 15% range.
Among citizens of other countries, Germans dominate on both archipelagos: they are the most active group in the Balearic Islands, where they account for 43.5% of all foreign visits, as well as in Tenerife (22.4%) and Las Palmas (21.3%). The British, by contrast, concentrate their searches in the south of the peninsula: they lead in Almería, Málaga, Murcia and Granada – provinces which, together with the Valencian Community, have historically formed the core of the Anglo-Saxon housing market in Spain. Dutch buyers are widely represented in Alicante and have a significant presence along almost the entire Mediterranean coast.
The border with France explains the dominant position of French buyers in Girona (32.8% of foreign demand), Castellón and Tarragona, while Portugal becomes the leading market in Huelva – the Spanish province closest to that country – with a 25.2% share of visitors.
In major residential property markets – such as the province of Barcelona (8.1%), Seville (4.7%) or Madrid (3.9%) – the share of foreign interest in buying housing is diluted by enormous domestic demand. In all three locations, Americans lead, accounting for 8%, 4.7% and 3.9% of foreign demand, alongside British, German and French buyers.
Where foreign demand exceeds domestic demand
Looking in more detail at demand for homes listed for sale, in some towns foreign interest is higher than that of potential domestic buyers. In some of them – for example, Canyamel, Cala d’Or and Cala Ratjada (all in Mallorca) – this figure exceeds 60%. Germans dominate among foreign buyers, accounting for more than 50%, and in one of these three locations – as much as 80%.
Outside the Balearic Islands, in the small town of Cómpeta (Málaga province), the share of foreign demand also exceeds 60%. Next, with figures ranging from 50% to 60%, are Oria in Almería; Nerja and Frigiliana in Málaga; Moraira, Benitachell and Benissa in Alicante; as well as Tijarafe in Tenerife and Pájara in Fuerteventura. British buyers dominate in the provinces of Andalusia, while in Alicante province they are overtaken by the Dutch. Germans lead in the Canary Islands.
Completing this “top 20” are towns in Girona – such as Empuriabrava and Roses, where French buyers predominate among foreigners – as well as the Canary Island towns of Mogán and Antigua, where Norwegians lead in the former and British and Italian buyers in the latter. The list is completed by Iznájar in Córdoba and Abanilla, Fuente Álamo and Los Alcázares in Murcia, where foreign demand accounts for between 30% and 40%.
Provincial capitals most popular with foreigners
The ranking of provincial capitals with the greatest appeal to foreigners is headed by Alicante: 21.8% of views of properties listed for sale on Idealista come from foreigners. The buyer profile is diverse: no single nationality clearly dominates, with French, German and British buyers making up the leading three.
Palma ranks second (18.5%), but with a radically different structure: Germans account for 44% of all foreign demand – an unprecedented level of dominance among major Spanish provincial capitals. They are followed at a considerable distance by Swedes (11.7%) and British buyers (5.9%).
In Málaga (14.8%), the United States is becoming the main source market for buyers, overtaking the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The city is strengthening its position as a preferred destination for American clients with high purchasing power.
Among other capitals, Valencia (13.6%) and Barcelona (12.1%) share the attention of American buyers: in both cities, the United States leads in terms of foreign demand. In Barcelona, however, the market is more cosmopolitan: Italians and French buyers are only slightly behind Americans. In Girona (11.8%) and Tarragona (11.1%), Americans also remain the leaders, while France ranks second in both cities, reflecting the influence of geographical proximity to the Pyrenean border. Cádiz (10.9%) completes the list of cities where foreign demand exceeds 10%, displaying an Atlantic profile: American buyers once again lead, followed by Germans and British buyers.
