Foreign Buyers Return Strongly to Spain’s Property Market as Demand Nears 100,000 Sales

Foreign buyers have made a powerful comeback in Spain’s property market during the second quarter of 2026, pushing first-half sales to a record high and bringing annual foreign demand within touching distance of 100,000 purchases.

According to the latest figures from the Spanish Land Registrars, foreign buyers completed 51,627 property purchases during the first half of 2026. This represents a 4% increase compared with the same period in 2025 and marks the strongest first-half result ever recorded.

A Strong Second Quarter Drives the Recovery

The figures are particularly encouraging given the slower start to the year. Foreign property purchases fell by 3% year-on-year during the first quarter, raising some concerns that international demand could be beginning to lose momentum.

However, the second quarter told a very different story.

Foreign purchases jumped by 11% year-on-year in Q2, with more than 26,800 homes purchased by international buyers during the three-month period.

This strong rebound pushed the rolling 12-month total to 99,410 foreign-buyer transactions —an increase of almost 3% compared with the previous quarter and just 590 purchases short of the symbolic 100,000 mark.

Foreign buyers are also becoming an increasingly important part of Spain's overall property market. In Q2, they accounted for 15.98% of all home sales, the highest proportion recorded in the Land Registrars' historical series.

The British remain Spain's largest foreign buyer group for the moment, but their long-standing lead is becoming increasingly narrow.

During the first half of 2026, British buyers accounted for an estimated 3,567 purchases, although this was 10% lower than a year earlier.

Meanwhile, Dutch buyers recorded 3,489 purchases, representing an impressive 12% increase.

The difference became even smaller in the second quarter. British buyers completed approximately 1,843 purchases, compared with 1,830 by Dutch buyers—a gap of only 13 transactions.

If these trends continue, the Netherlands could potentially overtake the UK as Spain's largest foreign buyer market later this year. Such a change would represent a significant moment after decades of British buyers dominating Spain's international property market.

Germany retained third place despite a modest 2% decline in purchases. Several other important markets recorded healthy growth, including Italy (+11%), Poland (+11%), Ireland (+6%) and France (+3%).

Belgium was one of the notable exceptions, with purchases falling by 16% during the first half, while Russian demand continued its longer-term decline.

Foreign Buyers Are Outperforming the Domestic Market

The strength of international demand becomes even clearer when compared with the Spanish domestic market.

Spanish buyers completed 294,403 property purchases during the first half of 202*, a decline of 3% compared with the same period last year.

In contrast, purchases by foreign buyers increased by 4% to 51,627.

As a result, international buyers increased their share of the Spanish housing market to around 15% during the first half of the year, compared with approximately 14% a year earlier.

A Positive Outlook for International Property Demand

The latest figures provide an important reminder that demand from overseas buyers remains a major driving force in Spain's property market.

Only a few months ago, the weaker first-quarter figures suggested that international demand could be starting to cool. The strong Q2 recovery appears to have changed that picture.

Not only has overall foreign demand returned to growth, but several key markets are also showing resilience. British and German demand has stabilised, while Dutch buyers continue to expand their presence at a rapid pace.

With the rolling annual total already at 99,410 purchases, the 100,000 milestone could now be reached very soon.

For regions such as Murcia and the Costa Cálida, where international buyers play an important role in the property market, these figures are particularly encouraging. Continued demand from overseas purchasers, combined with Spain's lifestyle appeal, climate, infrastructure and comparatively attractive property prices, should continue to support the market through the remainder of 2026.