Dutch buyers are accelerating in Spain’s housing market

Foreign demand has been one of the defining forces in Spain’s housing market, but the mix is changing. Dutch buyers have shifted from a steady presence to one of the fastest growing groups, and the numbers now back that up.

In the first half of 2025, around 49,750 home sales involved a foreign buyer, a 15 percent year on year rise and the strongest first half on record, according to Spain’s professional association of property registrars as cited in Lucas Fox’s market reporting.

Within that, Dutch buyers completed 3,108 purchases, up 38 percent year on year, making the Netherlands the third largest foreign nationality by transactions in that period.

This is happening in a market that remains busy and competitive, with 379,484 residential sales in H1 2025, up 7.6 percent year on year, the highest first half since before the global financial crisis.

In prime pockets, the dynamic is familiar: quality stock is finite, decision windows are short, and the best homes tend to be won by buyers who move early and move cleanly.

Why Dutch demand is rising now

Spain fits the new idea of proximity. With strong air links to Barcelona, Alicante, Málaga and Palma, a second home becomes genuinely usable, not just a summer plan. The distance is manageable, the rhythm is realistic, and ownership starts to look like a lifestyle upgrade rather than a logistical project.

Value still speaks. Even after several years of price growth, Spain continues to offer more space, more outdoor living and more climate for the budget than many Northern European markets. As affordability tightens at home, that comparison is sharper.

A more permanent version of “holiday living”. Remote work norms, longer stays and earlier lifestyle planning are blurring the line between second homes and semi permanent bases. That supports demand not only on the coast, but also in well connected city neighbourhoods.

It is visible in the prime segment too. Dils Lucas Fox’s 2026 outlook expects luxury demand to remain internationally led, with Dutch buyers named alongside British, German, French and US purchasers as key drivers.

This is not just a volume story, it is increasingly a prime story.

What Dutch buyers are prioritising

While motivations vary, the pattern is increasingly consistent:

Turnkey homes that remove friction and shorten the move in timeline
Outdoor living: terraces, pools, privacy and light
Walkable locations near beaches, marinas, international schools or city centres
Flexibility: the option to rent, host family, or switch between personal use and income

In practice, Dutch buyers are often decisive once they see the right fit. The challenge is that “right fit” is also what everyone else wants, particularly in established international enclaves.

Premium Advisory service: clarity, access, execution

In a market where the best options can disappear quickly, Dils Lucas Fox’s Premium Advisory service is built around three things: sharper insight, better access, and tighter execution.

A premium advisor typically adds value by:

Pinpointing the micro markets where long term performance is being built, street by street, not just region by region
Sourcing off market opportunities in areas where discretion is common and public listings understate what is available
Managing negotiation and due diligence with clarity, pace and control
Aligning the purchase with the buyer’s real objective, whether that is lifestyle, rental strategy, tax planning, or future resale

For Dutch buyers, who tend to be practical and data led, that combination often turns interest into confident action.

What to watch next

Dutch demand is rising inside a wider foreign market that is still near record levels, and Spain’s registrars continue to show the Netherlands among the leading nationalities by share of foreign purchases.

The question for 2026 is where this demand concentrates next: the most established prime coastal enclaves, or the adjacent markets that offer the same lifestyle with more breathing room. Either way, the Netherlands is no longer a niche source market in Spain. It is becoming one of the most important.