Foreign buyers in Spain: new data for Q1 2026
Today the latest data of the Spanish Real Estate Land Registry Statistics for the 1st quarter of 2026 was published, confirming that foreign buyers in Spain still play a very important role in the real estate market. Moreover, among the most active buyers, Poles are increasingly making their presence felt, having recorded the strongest quarterly market share growth .
The report shows that in the 1st quarter of 2026, foreign buyers in Spain accounted for 13.92% of all transactions, which translates to approximately 24,800 properties sold. This means that almost every seventh purchase in Spain was made by a buyer from outside the country.
What will you find in the article?
The British still in first place, but their lead is shrinking
The largest group of foreign buyers remain the British, who accounted for 6.82% of all purchases made by foreigners, which is about 1,691 transactions. Right behind them were the Dutch with a share of 6.56%, followed by Moroccans: 6.21%, and the Germans: 6.09%.
Although the UK still occupies first place, the new data show that its share is clearly decreasing. It is the British who recorded the strongest quarterly drop of as much as 14%. The Germans were also in the negative, their share decreasing by 8.4%.
Foreign buyers in Spain: Poles at the forefront
From the perspective of the Polish market the most important information is that Poles took 8th place among the most active foreign property buyers in Spain. Their share was 4.61%, which means about 1,143 transactions in the very first quarter of 2026 alone.
Even more significant is the growth dynamic. According to the data published yesterday, it is the Poles who recorded the strongest market share increase by as much as 15% quarter-on-quarter. This is a very strong signal that interest in property in Spain among buyers from Poland is not only maintained but continues to grow clearly.
Who else is buying property in Spain?
In the close top ranks are buyers from Italy, France, Romania, Belgium, and Ukraine. The ranking also includes China, Sweden, Ireland, the United States, Russia, Hungary, Lithuania, and Portugal.
Buyers from the USA also deserve particular attention. Although they rank lower numerically, analysis shows they are increasingly entering the market with higher budgets, especially in the premium segment. This type of demand may continue to sustain price pressure in the most prestigious locations.
Foreign buyers in Spain: not the entire country is equally attractive
New statistics also show that foreign demand is not evenly spread across the entire country. It is most significant in coastal provinces and on the islands, where the share of foreigners in purchases is much higher than the national average. This particularly concerns markets such as Alicante and Málaga.
This is important information for those analyzing the real estate market in Spain because it means local markets in lifestyle and holiday zones are governed by somewhat different rules than the national market as a whole. It is precisely these areas where foreign buyers have the greatest impact on prices, sales pace, and the structure of the offer.
How many properties were sold in Spain?
In the entire 1st quarter of 2026, 178,096 property sale transactions were registered in Spain. This is a fairly stable result: 0.1% lower than in the previous quarter and 1.9% lower than a year earlier.
This number included:
- 39,473 sales of new properties
- 138,623 sales of properties from the secondary market
Here we point out that data concerning new construction must be interpreted cautiously. In the case of the primary market, sales are often counted already at the reservation stage, while the notarial deed is signed only upon property handover, even 18 – 24 months later. This means that some statistics reflect purchasing decisions from many months ago.
What do the new data mean?
Yesterday’s publication shows that foreign buyers remain an important driving force in Spain’s real estate market, but at the same time the structure of this demand is clearly changing. The British remain the leader, but their lead is weakening. Increasingly important roles are played by the Dutch, buyers from North America, as well as Poles, who currently record the fastest growth.
For the industry, this is a clear signal to closely monitor not only the overall number of transactions but also who is buying property in Spain and in which regions this demand is strongest. It is precisely there that the greatest price tensions and the most competition for the best assets may persist.
Summary
The data published yesterday for the 1st quarter of 2026 confirm that:
- foreign buyers account for 13.92% of the market,
- The British are still in first place but are losing share,
- Poles are growing the fastest among all analyzed nationalities,
- the greatest impact of foreign demand is visible on the coast and in premium locations.
If this trend continues, as all indications suggest, Poland may further rise in the ranking of the most active foreign property buyers in Spain in the coming quarters. This aligns with our forecasts for 2026 presented in this article: “Forecasts for the real estate market in Spain for 2026”.
[source: Registradores de España]
