Alicante last year stood out in real estate activity across Spain, marking the province as the leader in home sales by volume. This climbed back to first place in the national ranking, reversing the prior year when Malaga held the top spot in residential tourism.
The latest Statistical Yearbook from the Registry Office confirms a strong year in 2022 for Alicante’s real estate market, driven largely by foreign demand and a steady national performance.
Specifically, registrars recorded 49,977 property transactions in Alicante, a 37.9% rise from the previous year. After Madrid with 83,388 transmissions and Barcelona with 66,537, Alicante ranks third in overall deal volume, reinforcing its regional appeal.
When the data is analyzed by population, the picture shifts. Population differences mean that both the provincial capital and its Catalan counterpart show higher absolute counts, so higher transaction numbers are expected.
In this lens, the state-led ranking remains notable, with 25.99 sales per 1,000 people last year — roughly double the national average. Regions such as Madrid with 13.8 per 1,000 and Barcelona with 12.22 per 1,000 also stand out.
Alicante tops this per-capita measure, surpassing Malaga with 24.12 operations per 1,000 residents, which had taken the lead from Costa Blanca in previous years.
Liquidity
The relative activity index is a common gauge of market liquidity — the ease with which property can be sold in a given region. This metric matters especially along border areas where second homes are common, as buyers may pause if the investment needs to recover quickly.
In Alicante and Malaga, the provinces with the highest relative activity are Almeria with 20.75 transactions per 1,000 people; Castellon with 19.55; Tarragona with 19.13; and Girona with 18.96. On the other end, provinces with lower liquidity include Orense with 6.23, Pontevedra with 7.44, and Lugo with 8.02.
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Foreign buyers shaped much of Alicante’s market momentum last year. Population records show that foreigners represented the highest share of buyers at 41.75%. They are followed by Santa Cruz de Tenerife (34.95%), Balearic Islands (34.38%), Málaga (33.48%), Girona (28.21%), and Las Palmas (22.55%).
Price: %s
On price, the declared transaction square meter price averaged 1,608 euros, up 5.8% from the prior year. Alicante overall remains affordable relative to the national average, which stood at 1,944 euros per square meter.
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Price variation within the province shows a clear coastal premium. Among towns with more than 25,000 residents, Xabia led at 2,519 euros per square meter, followed by Benidorm at 2,466; Altea at 2,203; Calpe at 2,168; Campello at 2,121; and Denia at 1,993.
Naked real estate sales are on the rise
The Registry yearbook also records a growing trend in bare-property transactions, where ownership can be transferred while the current occupant retains the right to live there. This option has gained traction as a way to boost retirees’ incomes without leaving homes.
In total, 1,657 such transactions were recorded, up 23.7% from the year before. The Valencian Community posted the highest volume, including 379 cases in a 30.2% year‑over-year increase. Madrid recorded 293, followed by Andalusia with 287, Catalonia with 157, and the Canary Islands with 132.
Mortgage activity also echoed the year’s trends, with Alicante registering 19,387 loans, up 11%. Relative to total sales, only about 38% of buyers sought financing when purchasing a home.