Polish nationals among the top property buyers in Malaga

Housing is a central issue in Malaga province and even more so now, in the midst of the campaign for the Andalusian elections on 17 May. The housing issue has been analysed from almost every possible angle: price, scarcity, lack of social housing, phenomenon of tourist flats. Until now, however, the question of who actually buys these homes had not been studied in sufficient detail.

Statistics for 2025 from the Consejo General del Notariado shed light on this issue, showing that the province behaves differently from the rest of Spain. This data also helps clarify the messages from some political circles, even though they are not always accurate.

These statistics provide the most reliable information on the purchase and sale of all types of real estate since all of them, without exception, require the signatures of notaries.

According to this data, foreign buyers do indeed have a significant relative weight in the local real estate market, although they are only the majority in specific municipalities. It is important to note that the available data refers to the 40 most populated municipalities. The low number of purchases in smaller municipalities does not allow for accurate conclusions to be drawn.

The first conclusion is that, in general, domestic buyers still outnumber foreign buyers, although the margin is narrow. At the provincial level, Spaniards account for 57 per cent of purchases and sales (from Malaga or other areas), while foreigners account for 43 per cent.

In Malaga city, the disparity is clear: 84 per cent are Spanish nationals compared to less than 16 per cent from other countries. Other municipalities where demand remains predominantly local include Benalmádena, Vélez-Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Alhaurín de la Torre, Antequera, Ronda, Cártama, Alhaurín el Grande and Coín, to name only the most populated.

On the other hand, foreigners are the majority of buyers in Marbella, Mijas, Fuengirola, Estepona, Manilva, Benahavís and Ojén.

The most striking data comes when the focus shifts to foreign buyers. To begin with, the nationalities most likely to buy in the province are well-known: British (despite Brexit, the UK leads this ranking), followed by Dutch and Swedes.

The real surprise comes in fourth place. Polish nationals have become the top clients of real estate agencies and developers. In fact, they have already overtaken the Germans, who were traditionally major clients and have now fallen to fifth place.

Notarial statistics reveal several surprising facts about this market. Poland appears among the top five countries of origin of foreign buyers in eleven of the province's largest municipalities, as well as in some smaller ones: Marbella, Mijas, Fuengirola, Estepona, Rincón de la Victoria, Torrox, Manilva, Casares, Algarrobo, Villanueva del Rosario and Alcaucín. Furthermore, there are four municipalities where the Polish are the third most common nationality among buyers: Mijas, Estepona, Manilva and Algarrobo.

Notary representative for Malaga Carmen Casasola confirms "a clear increase in Polish clients over the last three or four years". According to her, they seek not only a second home but also long-term stability. "They buy properties, set up companies or open branches, settling permanently with their families and professional teams," she says.

Casasola observes a monthly increase in transactions at her notary office. She says the reasons go beyond vacations. "Beyond the weather and tranquility, there are determining geopolitical factors related to the war in Ukraine and the fear of possible Russian aggression."

Director of development for Malaga-based construction company Guamar Borja Codes gives their Pacaraima development in Torremolinos as an example. He says that they have already sold 85 per cent of the flats there, with 90 per cent of the buyers being foreigners. Of those 90 per cent, half are Polish, while the other half are either Dutch or from other Northern European countries.

"Polish clients are key and they are driving new construction projects," he says. Among the key factors, Codes cites Poland's harsh weather conditions, with very low temperatures in winter. He also points to the abundance of daily flights from major Polish cities to Malaga.

However, he also notes that the war in Iran has significantly slowed operations in recent weeks, though he believes this is temporary and expects the situation to improve soon.

"We're noticing it, in Malaga and other Spanish coastal destinations like the Canary Islands. We even have a Polish sales agent and, in some developments, 40 per cent of sales have been to Polish buyers."

CEO of Foro Consultores Inmobiliarios Carlos Smerdou confirms the impact of the war in Ukraine. "Since the war in Ukraine began, we've noticed that countries bordering Russia have increased their purchases of homes in Spanish tourist areas."

In addition, there is a Polish upper-middle class with an investment capacity that didn't exist before. According to Smerdou, Malaga, along with Valencia, is "the city that has changed the most in Spain in recent years". "Malaga has become a universal destination. It's undergoing the same process as Madrid," Smerdou says.

José Luis Ramos, dean of the local consular corps, confirms the growing interest from investors from major Eastern European countries, who are contacting their respective embassies and consulates to explore opportunities in the province. Their main requests include the potential purchase of hotels and the development of housing for their compatriots.

"These real estate agencies rely on their own domestic clients. That is, they bring both the development and the client. The developments are marketed directly in Hungary, Romania and Poland, because they have a very good potential customer base," Ramos states.

Another noteworthy development is the growing presence of American clients in Malaga's real estate sector. In fact, the US ranks among the top five countries of origin in seven municipalities. Malaga city stands out in this regard. Equally striking is the preference of Americans for investing in the province's interior, in municipalities such as Ronda, Archidona, Ojén, Cómpeta, Frigiliana and Casarabonela.

Smerdou confirms the high number of Americans buying property in Malaga - a trend also linked to the establishment of American companies. "Their executives come, get to know Malaga and are amazed by the quality of life here. Then they return with their families."

Casasola agrees on the diversification of the foreign market. "We observe a notable presence of Czech and Hungarian buyers, especially in Marbella, while in Malaga city Americans stand out," she says.

The analysis of data reveals several more interesting details. For example, the growing importance of clients from Morocco, which appears ten times among the top five countries: in Antequera, Álora, Archidona, Alameda, Villanueva de Algaidas, Colmenar, Villanueva del Rosario, Periana, Casarabonela and La Viñuela.

Italians hold a prominent position, ranking among the largest client bases in eight municipalities: Malaga city, Benalmádena, Alhaurín de la Torre, Antequera, Ronda, Alhaurín el Grande, Álora and Almogía. Industry experts say that, while Italians have always been fond of the Costa del Sol, their number has grown thanks to the many Argentinians who use their Italian passports to make purchases in Spain. Argentinians, using their own passports, also complete numerous transactions in four municipalities: Antequera, Ronda, Alameda and Villanueva del Rosario.

Malaga province also has a significant number of buyers from many other nationalities, such as France, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, China, Czech Republic, Brazil, Uruguay, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela and even Israel.