Spain
Western & Southern Europe16 independent articlesEurope's most liquid sun-belt market — but the STR clampdown is real.
Spain is the continent's largest holiday-home market for Northern Europeans, spanning the Costa del Sol, Balearics, Costa Blanca and the Canary Islands. Foreigners buy freely and yields are solid (5–7%). The critical caveat: many regions (Balearics, Barcelona, parts of the mainland) have frozen or capped tourist-rental licences — verify the STR licence before buying for income.
Can foreigners buy?
Fully open; foreigners buy freehold via NIE number. Golden-visa property route ended in 2025. STR requires a regional tourist licence — increasingly restricted.
Taxes & buying costs
Transfer tax (ITP) 6–10% resale or 10% VAT new; annual IBI; non- resident income tax on rents (19% EU / 24% non-EU); watch STR licence rules.
What makes it unique
Depth, liquidity, sunshine and a huge foreign community — tempered by tightening rental licensing.
1
Most prestigious places to own
Marbella & the Golden Mile (Costa del Sol)
Spain's luxury capital; gated villas and beach penthouses.
€1.5m–€20m+
Villa / beach penthouse
Ibiza & Mallorca (Balearics)
Jet-set island estates (tight STR rules).
€2m–€15m+
Island finca / villa
Madrid (Salamanca) & San Sebastián
Prime-city and Basque-coast prestige.
€800k–€6m
Prime apartment
2
Best income potential from vacation renting
Costa del Sol (Estepona–Fuengirola)
The most liquid, licence-friendlier STR belt.
€300k–€1.2m
5–7% gross
Beach apartment
Costa Blanca (Alicante, Jávea)
Value sunshine coast popular with Northern Europeans.
€250k–€800k
5–7% gross
Villa / apartment
Canary Islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria)
Year-round winter-sun demand.
€250k–€900k
5–8% gross
Resort apartment
3
Picturesque farms & rural tourism properties
Andalusian interior (Ronda, Alpujarras)
Cortijos and olive/almond fincas with rural-tourism income.
€300k–€2m
Olive / agritourism
Cortijo / finca
Catalonia (Empordà, Priorat)
Farmhouses (masías) and wine estates near the Costa Brava.
€500k–€4m
Wine / agritourism
Masía / vineyard
Thinking of living there?
Spain residency and citizenship guide
Visas, work permits and the routes to a passport — separate from buying.
Everything on Spain
All stories →Spain’s Supreme Court Struck Down the National Rental Registry. The Rules Got Harder, Not EasierSeptember 2026Best Places to Invest in Property in 2026: Portugal, Spain, Greece, Thailand and UAE RankedJuly 2026Albania, Northern Cyprus & Montenegro Property: Yields vs. Costa del Sol 2026July 2026Hiring a Property Caretaker in Spain & Portugal: Employment Law for Second-Home OwnersJuly 2026Inheritance Law for Foreign Property: Forced Heirship in France, Spain & ItalyJuly 2026Buying Property in Italy, Portugal & Spain in 2026: How the ECB Rate Hike Changes Your NumbersJuly 2026Buy a Holiday Home in Spain in 2026: STR Crackdown, 86,000 Listings Removed — Is It Still Worth It?July 2026GBP/EUR Near 2026 Highs: Why UK Buyers Have a Time-Limited Edge in Spain and PortugalJuly 2026How to Avoid Capital Gains Tax on Foreign Property: Spain's 60% Non-Resident Tax Shield ExplainedJuly 2026Barcelona's 2028 Ban: What to Do If You Own a Tourist Apartment LicenceJuly 2026Reader Q&A: "Should I Sell My Barcelona Tourist Apartment Before 2028?"July 2026Golden Visa Fatigue: What to Do When Portugal, Greece, and Spain Are No Longer the Easy AnswerJuly 2026How to Host Like a Local: Entertaining in Your Holiday Home Without Being the Obvious ForeignerJune 2026H1 2026 Holiday Rental Review: What the Numbers Actually Say About the European MarketJune 2026Building a Pool in Spain: The Bureaucratic Reality vs the BrochureMay 2026Finca Cortesín Estate Residences, Casares: Spain's Most Exclusive Golf AddressApril 2025
Indicative 2025–26 planning bands for screening only, not quotes and not advice. Holiday-let licensing, tax and foreign-buyer rules change frequently — confirm locally with a lawyer and tax adviser before buying.