The official Q1 2026 transaction data sends a clear message to anyone looking at the Costa Blanca: international demand is stable, mature and more concentrated here than anywhere else in Spain. Alicante province leads the country with 44.65% foreign purchases. This is not a fad; it is the structure of the market.
By Noël Picou and the team at Team Picou · RE/MAX Costa Blanca, Finestrat (Benidorm / Alicante), we advise international buyers in 6 languages.
In the first quarter of 2026 there were 24,800 foreign purchases in Spain, 13.92% of the 178,096 total transactions. This figure is often misread. It is not a peak or a bubble; it is a sustained share that shows the international buyer is now a structural part of the Spanish market. When roughly one home in seven across the country is bought by someone from abroad, foreign demand stops being an extra and starts setting the pace.
The striking thing about Q1 2026 is not who leads but how evenly spread the field is. As a share of all foreign purchases: British 6.82% (1,668), Dutch 6.56% (1,604), Moroccan 6.21% (1,518) and German 6.09% (1,489). No single nationality dominates. For a seller, that means your buyer could arrive from almost anywhere; for a buyer, it means you will compete with very different profiles for the same well-located homes. A well-spread market is a resilient one: it does not depend on any single source country.
Here is the decisive figure. By provincial share: Alicante 44.65%, Malaga 34.30%, Murcia 21.73%, Almeria 17.84% and Valencia 13.05%. Almost half of all purchases in Alicante province are made by foreigners. The Costa Blanca is not just another destination within Spain; it is the epicentre of international demand. Climate, air connectivity, European communities settled over decades, and a supply that ranges from the beach apartment to the villa with sea views explain why the overseas buyer chooses this coast before any other.
Market behaviour is shifting too. In Q1 2026 new-build rose 7.2% while second-hand fell 2.0%. The international buyer increasingly values energy efficiency, guarantees, a turnkey handover and not inheriting pending renovations. The Costa Blanca has well-located new-build with specifications aimed at exactly this profile, which explains the pull. It does not mean resale lacks opportunities, it has them and very good ones, but new-build is clearly gaining weight in the decision.
Behind the numbers sit forces that never make the headline but truly call the shots: regulation, taxation and expectations. They are quiet drivers. The informed buyer no longer looks only at the asking price but at the full cost of buying and holding, the tax that applies to their situation, and the legal framework. That is why it pays to understand upfront the hidden costs of buying in Spain, the property purchase tax in the Valencia region, and whether to buy in your own name or through a company.
The practical takeaway is simple. A stable, internationally-driven market means more competition for good homes, not that everything is expensive. The Q1 2026 behaviour pattern confirms it: buyers deliberate more slowly but reject unsuitable homes faster. In plain terms, those who arrive prepared, with clear criteria and the ability to decide, buy well; those who hesitate over the right home lose it to one of the many profiles also viewing it. Being ready to say yes on time is worth more than chasing an impossible bargain.
We are local Costa Blanca specialists and we speak the languages of the buyers behind these numbers: British, Dutch, German, French, Belgian and Ukrainian. We know the province street by street, filter out the noise and show you only what fits, so you can move decisively when the right home appears. Start by browsing properties or, if you are thinking about the other side of the deal, selling.
Figures are from official Q1 2026 transaction data; they reflect a point in time and may change. Updated: July 2026.
According to official Q1 2026 transaction data, there were 24,800 foreign purchases, or 13.92% of Spain's 178,096 total transactions. That is a stable share and confirms international demand is a structural part of the market, not a spike.
Alicante, by a wide margin. In Q1 2026, 44.65% of purchases in the province were made by foreigners, ahead of Malaga (34.30%), Murcia (21.73%), Almeria (17.84%) and Valencia (13.05%). The Costa Blanca is the epicentre of international demand in Spain.
In Q1 2026, as a share of all foreign purchases: British 6.82% (1,668), Dutch 6.56% (1,604), Moroccan 6.21% (1,518) and German 6.09% (1,489). It is a well-spread field with no single dominant nationality.
In Q1 2026 new-build rose 7.2% while second-hand fell 2.0%. International buyers increasingly value energy efficiency, guarantees and a turnkey home, and the Costa Blanca has well-located new-build stock built for this profile.
It means more competition for good homes, not that everything is expensive. Buyers today deliberate more slowly but reject unsuitable homes faster. With local guidance and a readiness to decide, you can still buy well; the key is not to lose the right opportunities.
Asesor inmobiliario internacional desde 2019, especializado en la zona costera entre Benidorm, Finestrat y Villajoyosa. Atiende compradores y vendedores en espa?ol, franc?s e ingl?s, con experiencia en obra nueva, villas y apartamentos en la Costa Blanca.
“Buying in Spain is safe — if you run the checks in the right order.”
For an international buyer the essentials are: NIE, a Spanish bank account, and an independent lawyer (not the seller’s). Before the deposit we check the nota simple, that there are no charges or debts, licences and the energy certificate. I coordinate the whole process and explain each step in your language so you sign with complete peace of mind.
Asesora inmobiliaria con base en el interior de la Marina Baixa ? Polop, La Nuc?a y Benidorm. Atiende a la comunidad alemana, brit?nica e hispanohablante en su propio idioma.
“Peace of mind lives in the details no one checks.”
I work calmly and methodically. In the interior of the Marina Baixa I see many homes with nuances: a cadastre that doesn’t match, un-legalised extensions, or shared access. I check those details before you fall for the price, so there are no surprises after signing. My job is for you to buy knowing exactly what you’re buying.
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