Among the roughly 900 properties listed in the General Inventory of Xunta Heritage, about one fifth are located within Xunta itself. Town halls near Galicia’s capital reveal a landscape of pazo assets spread across diverse municipalities such as Santiago, Ordes, Sar, Barbanza, Costa da Morte, Bergantiños, Arzúa, Melide, and Caldas. Some pazos are well maintained and inhabited, while others primarily shelter cafes or small eateries. Restoration work is ongoing in many, and several await buyers who can breathe life back into them. Yet selling a pazo remains a challenging task.
The web portal aldeasabandonadas.com focuses on this niche, noting nearly thirty pazos for sale around Santiago. “A pazo costs nothing to show, but it’s a hassle to sell,” says Elvira Fafián, a longtime real estate professional. There is growing interest in these private properties. This year, four such transactions have closed, all in rural areas of Ourense, at prices ranging from 350,000 to 500,000 euros.
Nevertheless, the process requires time. “Owners can be deeply attached to the market and reluctant to put it up for sale. They are prudent people who don’t want to expose themselves,” says Fafián. “Many listings are not even posted, so outreach to potential buyers is limited. As a result, some properties just sit.”
When a buyer finally appears and preliminary hurdles are cleared, the second obstacle is negotiation. “The sale is essentially custom-made and takes time because even the most affordable pazos entail substantial costs,” explains Fafián. A handful near Santiago list at around 450,000 euros, especially in inland areas like Melide, Arzúa, or Sar.
Not every price tag is the ceiling. Some pazos offered by aldeasabandonadas.com reach 3.5 million euros, representing the upper end of the market. “One of the unadvertised options demonstrates the potential,” notes the portal’s coordinator.
However, owning a historic property does not require maxing out the budget. A market listing around 300,000 euros is already available, though renovations are typically needed. The preference for shield features and preserved historical elements remains strong; buyers often value privacy and the possibility of hosting family events in a private home. There is no single customer profile. Some buyers can afford to reside in a pazo, while others approach Pazos as a business venture or a development project.
Mansions Have Triumphed
Recent assessments show a rising interest in mansions, with many Galicia properties for sale that carry the aura of a grand residence without the traditional catalog status. This dynamic tends to make prices more accessible, with options around 250,000 to 300,000 euros, typically in regions with abundant land. “People are drawn to these structures,” says Fafián.
Even when a sale stalls, some Pazos remain visible in the market. Pazo de Leis in A Baña has been on the market for two years, asking 415,000 euros. In that time, it has attracted only a couple of visits from potential buyers. It sits within a substantial footprint of 540 square meters and sits on roughly 5,000 square meters of land. The listing highlights ongoing updates from a prior renovation in 1997 while signaling further work to realize its full potential.
Clients Come to Agencies, But in Drops
The industry notes renewed interest in historic structures even amid inflation, with buyers seeking either a second home or a business opportunity.
In A Estrada, the magnificent 17th-century Pazo da Mota has been marketed by DAC Santiago for 1.2 million euros. “It generated substantial interest,” reports Coralia Pardal, the company’s director. The property has been advertised for about a year and has received many visits, yet a sale remains elusive. “These processes take time. Pazos captivate buyers, but visitors arrive gradually,” Pardal notes. Additionally, the cost of rehabilitation must be factored into the overall price. “I wish the process could move faster,” she adds.
Despite the longer timelines, the market retains appeal. Inflation aside, there is persistent demand for historic structures as either secondary residences or as foundations for businesses, ensuring ongoing interest in Galicia’s pazo landscape.