British appetite for Spanish property has surged despite political moves in Madrid to curb foreign ownership.
New analysis from Enness Global shows UK Google searches for “Buying in Spain” jumped 68.9% in 2025 compared with 2024. Searches for “Holiday home Spain” rose 66.1% year-on-year, signalling sustained demand for second homes and lifestyle purchases.
The spike comes after Spain abolished its €500,000 Golden Visa property route in April 2025 and amid proposals from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to impose a 100% tax on property purchases by non-EU residents.
Discussions have also included restricting purchases to those who live and work in Spain.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
No formal timetable has been set for the proposals, and their passage remains uncertain given the government’s minority coalition status.
Legal challenges are also widely expected, as Spain’s constitution prohibits confiscatory taxation.
Enness’s listing analysis shows more than half of overseas stock is concentrated in Andalusia (52.5%), followed by Valencia (22.8%) and the Balearic Islands (8.5%). Murcia accounts for 8.0%, Catalonia 3.8% and the Canary Islands 2.6%, underlining continued demand for coastal, lifestyle-led locations.
STRENGTHENING INTEREST
Islay Robinson (main picture, inset), CEO of Enness Global, says: “Despite the political noise around restricting overseas buyers, British interest in Spanish property remains remarkably resilient and our analysis shows that demand hasn’t weakened, if anything, it has strengthened over the past year.
“For many UK buyers, Spain continues to offer an unbeatable combination of lifestyle, climate, and relative value, particularly when compared to some parts of the domestic market.
“Spain remains one of the most desirable second-home destinations.”
“While regulatory changes may alter how people buy, they are unlikely to change why people buy and we are seeing many clients place a greater emphasis on structuring purchases efficiently based on the evolving landscape.
“Ultimately, Spain remains one of the most desirable second-home and relocation destinations for British buyers and even in a tighter regulatory environment, demand for quality lifestyle property in the sun shows no sign of fading.”
