Dutch buyers have overtaken both Britons and Germans to become the largest group of foreign property purchasers in Spain, according to the latest figures from Spain’s Notary Council.

The data marks a significant shift in Spain’s property market, with British and German buyers having dominated foreign home purchases for much of the past three decades.

Dutch buyers take the lead

Homebuyers from the Netherlands purchased 6,289 properties across Spain during 2025, narrowly ahead of:

• Germany: 6,233 purchases
• United Kingdom: 6,152 purchases

When both resident and non-resident Dutch buyers are included, the total rises to 8,354 property purchases, representing a 12.2% increase compared with the previous year.

The figures suggest Dutch demand continues to grow despite a slight slowdown in overall foreign investment.

British demand declines

British buyers remain one of Spain’s most important overseas markets, but transactions fell 8.5% year-on-year during 2025.

German buyers also saw a modest decline, with purchases down 2.6% compared with the previous year.

While several factors continue to influence overseas property demand—including exchange rates, interest rates and economic conditions—the latest figures highlight changing trends among international buyers.

Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol remain favourites

The data shows Dutch buyers continue to favour Spain’s Mediterranean coastline, particularly:

• Alicante and the Costa Blanca
• Marbella
• Estepona
• Mijas
• Malaga province

These areas remain among the most popular destinations for overseas buyers thanks to their climate, infrastructure, international communities and strong holiday rental markets.

Foreign buyers still play a major role

Although foreign property purchases dipped slightly during 2025, overseas buyers continue to account for a significant share of Spain’s housing market.

According to the Notary Council:

• Foreign buyers purchased just over 138,250 properties in 2025.
• This represented a 0.8% decrease compared with 2024.
• Overseas buyers still accounted for almost 19% of all property transactions across Spain.

The figures remain historically strong, despite being below the post-pandemic peak reached in 2022.

A market that remains attractive

Foreign demand reached a record 143,649 property purchases in 2022, accounting for 20.6% of Spain’s housing market.

Although the total number of overseas purchases fell to around 131,400 in 2023, foreign buyers actually increased their market share to 21%, reflecting a broader slowdown in domestic transactions rather than a collapse in international demand.

The latest figures suggest that while overall foreign buying has stabilised, demand remains resilient, with Dutch buyers emerging as the fastest-growing group in Spain’s property market.

Buying property in Spain?

Whether you’re purchasing a holiday home, relocating permanently or investing in Spanish real estate, understanding the tax and financial implications is essential.

At Baleario, we help buyers across Spain with:

• Tax advice before purchasing
• Spanish tax residency guidance
• Non-resident tax (Modelo 210)
• Mortgage and finance support
• Ongoing accounting and tax compliance

If you’re planning to buy property in Spain, our team can help you understand your obligations and support you through the process.