Else Beekman
The Costa Brava, which is along Spain’s northern Mediterranean coast, is once again one of the country’s hottest real estate markets. Prices are back near the record highs of 2008 because of high demand from other countries and a supply that can’t keep up.
For a lot of foreign buyers, a villa with a view of the sea or a renovated townhouse in a medieval village is both a lifestyle choice and a long-term investment. But for the people who live and work in the area all year, the rise of second homes is changing daily life in ways that aren’t always obvious in the news.
When homes cost too much to live in
The most direct effect is how much it costs. Young people in Girona province don’t have many options because salaries are much lower than the cost of coastal property. Families who thought they would be able to live in their hometowns are now having to rent farther inland or leave the area altogether.
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Villages that used to have year-round communities are now losing people in the winter. The streets are quiet, stores change their hours to meet seasonal demand, and local schools see fewer students. People who are still there feel like their towns are changing more because of absentee owners than because of people who live there all the time.
The jobs that happen behind closed doors
But the same houses that locals can’t afford also provide jobs. They need care even when they’re empty. Property management has grown into a small but steady business that handles everything from paying bills to fixing roofs.
This economy of absence includes garden maintenance, such as trimming hedges, cleaning pools, and checking irrigation systems. These jobs may seem small, but they make money for gardeners, cleaners, plumbers, and electricians who depend on them, especially in the off-season when tourism slows down. This maintenance economy gives some families stability in a job market that is otherwise very unstable.
Benefits that are limited
The job is real, but it’s also risky. A lot of it is seasonal, not regular, or based on the choices of owners who may live hundreds of kilometers away. This sector is not based on the needs of people in the area, like other industries. Instead, it is based on demand from outside the area. It brings in money, but it doesn’t do much to fix the bigger problems of getting housing or finding work for a long time.
For many people who live there, the paradox is clear: they help keep up homes they could never afford to buy in towns where their own kids have a hard time staying.
A weak future
There is no sign that the housing market in the Costa Brava is slowing down. Analysts think that demand from other countries will stay high, and climate change and a lack of land will make the area even more competitive.
People who live there are not only asking if they can afford to stay, but also what kind of community will be left if seasonal ownership becomes the norm.
Right now, second homes are both a burden and an opportunity: they are assets for the people who buy them, jobs for the people who take care of them, and an uncertain balance for the people who live in the Costa Brava all year.
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