Alicante stood out last year as a hotspot for real estate activity, leading national sales among Spanish provinces. It topped the country in home transactions, buoyed by population size and strong foreign demand, reclaiming the crown from Malaga, which had led in the previous year in the residential-tourism segment.
The latest Statistical Yearbook from the Registro de la Propiedad underscores this surge, noting that Alicante benefited from sustained international interest and a particularly vigorous market in 2022.
Precisely, registrars recorded 49,977 property transfers in Alicante, marking a 37.9% rise from the prior year. After Madrid with 83,388 transfers and Barcelona with 66,537, Alicante ranks third in total operations, a noteworthy position that reinforces its growing market standing.
In context, a photo caption describes a real estate agency in Alicante to illustrate the activity on the ground.
Yet, when considering sales per capita, the picture shifts. Population-adjusted activity shows that Alicante, as the provincial capital, competes against larger regions with far bigger populations, so higher absolute numbers are expected. The ranking by per-capita sales reveals the national leader as the state overall, which posted 25.99 sales per 1,000 residents—nearly double the national average. Other large provinces such as Madrid with 13.8, and Barcelona with 12.22, also register strong levels, but Alicante stands out at the top of the per-capita metric, followed by Malaga with 24.12 transactions per 1,000 residents after Costa Blanca’s stretch had led for several years.
Liquidity, a key measure of how easily properties can be sold, is often used to gauge market health. Higher liquidity suggests buyers can move quickly when needed to recover their investment, a valuable factor for both primary residences and vacation homes. In this regard, Alicante and Malaga appear as provinces with the most dynamic activity, while Almería, Castellón, Tarragona, and Girona also show robust liquidity with per-1,000-resident transaction counts of 20.75, 19.55, 19.13, and 18.96 respectively. On the other end, less liquid areas include Ourense with 6.23, Pontevedra with 7.44, and Lugo with 8.02 transactions per thousand people.
A frequent question about foreign buyers in Alicante
Foreign demand has been a major catalyst for Alicante’s market performance. Population-directorate data indicate that non-residents accounted for 41.75% of buyers last year, the highest share among Spanish provinces. Regions like Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the Balearic Islands, Málaga, Girona, and Las Palmas also show notable foreign participation, underscoring the cross-border appeal of the area.
Prices and market breadth
Regarding pricing, the average price per square meter for declared transactions stood at 1,608 euros, up 5.8% from the previous year. Despite this uptick, Alicante remains comparatively affordable relative to the national average of 1,944 euros per square meter, making it an attractive option for both local buyers and international investors.
Alicante’s push for direct connections with the United States
Statistics also reveal notable disparities in pricing by municipality, with coastal towns commanding higher values. Among municipalities with more than 25,000 residents, Xàbia leads 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. This pattern reflects the premium placed on coastal living and international appeal along the coastline.
Another trend observed is the rise of “bare ownership” sales, where ownership transfers occur while the former owner retains the right to live in the property. This arrangement has gained traction as a method to boost retirees’ income without relinquishing housing rights. Over the last year, such streams reached 1,657 transactions, increasing by 23.7% from the year before, and the Valencian Community accounted for the largest volume. Madrid followed with 293 such transfers, Andalusia with 287, Catalonia with 157, and the Canary Islands with 132.
On the mortgage front, the market also reports a steady volume of financed purchases. In total, financing was involved in 19,387 transactions in Alicante, up 11% year over year. When viewed against the total sales, roughly 38% of buyers relied on financing in the past year to complete their purchase. This snapshot highlights the balance between cash buyers and those using loan products in a market with both vibrant growth and selective price pressures.