News: Foreigners buy more houses in Spain again

Sales of homes to foreigners increased by 5.6% during the first half year to 53,359 homes sold.

According to data from the Consejo General del Notariado or the Association of notaries, the highest number of homes sold to foreigners since 2007. It is still the British, French and Germans who buy most houses in Spain.

A 18.7% of all homes sold in Spain went to foreign owners. During the first six months of 2018, 53,359 homes were bought by the international buyers in Spain, an increase of 5.6% compared to last year during the first half year.

According to the data, there were 44% of the purchases by foreigners (-0.8%) that are not registered in Spain, while 56% of all foreign acquisitions (+ 11.1%) were made by foreigners who registered (residentes) are in Spain.

Nationalities

The largest group of home buyers in Spain coming from abroad are the British who bought 7,613 (+ 8.8%) homes during the first half of the year. Secondly, French home buyers are listed on the list of 4.211 (-4.6%) homes purchased followed by the Germans, which account for 4.138 (-2.1%) of homes purchased.

Rumanians accounted for 3,872 (+ 10,9%) homes purchased and Moroccans for 3,662 (+ 28.8%) homes, just as many Italians who also bought 3,662 (-0.2%) homes in Spain. High on the list are the Irish with 3,609 dwellings, the Swedes with 2,688 dwellings and Chinese with 2,222 dwellings.

Dutch and Belgians

The number of Belgians who bought a property in Spain is still very high, but has declined in percentage terms compared to last year. During the first six months Belgians bought 2,981 homes, a decrease of -4.5%. The Dutch bought far fewer homes than the Belgians, namely 1,445 homes, an increase of + 6.3%.

Of the number of Belgians who bought a property in Spain, 631 are resident in Spain and 2,350 who are not registered in Spain. In the case of the Netherlands, 892 non-registered persons and 553 Dutch nationals are registered in Spain.

During 2017, the Belgians in Spain bought 6,033 homes and the Dutch bought 2,727 homes.

Regions in Spain

Of the total number of 53,359 homes sold to foreigners in the first half year, 15,613 (+ 16.7%) were purchased in the Comunidad Valenciana followed by 9,737 (+ 8.2%) homes in Andalusia, 7,570 (-5, 3%) in Catalonia, 5,312 (-10.6%) homes in the Canary Islands, 4,911 (+ 5.4%) in the Comunidad de Madrid and 3,173 (-11.2%) in the Balearic Islands.