Lorraine Williamson
MADRID – There is an undeniable interest from foreign buyers and tenants in Spanish homes. Furthermore, their interest is focused on villages with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants. Real estate platform Idealista found out which are the most popular villages.
According to the research, based on visits to their database during June and July, Benitachell (Alicante) is the village with the highest volume of housing searches from abroad. The following three places are occupied by the municipalities of Girona: Begur, Pals and Llançà. Rounding out the top five is the village of Arenales del Sol in Alicante.
Other popular locations include the villages of Frigiliana and Cómpeta in Málaga, followed by Ses Salines in Mallorca. Striking is Ponga in Asturias, which is in ninth place. This is probably because the municipality here offered €3,000 to couples who would settle permanently in the village and another €3,000 for each child born in the village. As such, the place made the national and international news. Ponga is followed by places such as Alcossebre (Castellón), Els Poblets and El Verger (both in Alicante), and Cala d’Or (Balearic Islands).
More foreign interest in these types of property than from residents
In addition, there are 18 villages in Spain where the majority of housing searches come from abroad, more than the interest of residents. The biggest difference in interest can be found in the Asturian village of Ponga, where 69% of visits to property advertisements came from foreigners. Other top locations are Cala d’Or (Balearic Islands) with 63%, Cómpeta (Málaga) with 61% and Rubia (Ourense) with 60%.
Although some areas fall outside the traditional tourist zones, the data shows a clear preference for coastal towns and villages close to the sea.
The full list
- Ponga in Asturias
- Cala d’Or in the Balearic Islands
- Competa in Malaga
- Rubia in Ourense
- Garafia in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Deya in the Balearic Islands
- Vallehermoso in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Canillas de Albaida in Málaga
- Valle Gran Rey in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- Sayalonga in Malaga
- Benitachell in Alicante
- Frigiliana in Malaga
- Hondón de las Nieves in Alicante
- Alguena in Alicante
- Jete in Granada
- Lliber in Alicante
- Bedar in Almeria
- Arboleas in Almeria
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