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Moroccan Homebuyers Close in on the British as Key Players in Spain’s Property Market. Moroccan nationals purchased 5,654 homes in Spain during the first half of 2025, marking a significant shift in the country’s real estate landscape, according to new data from Spain’s General Council of Notaries.
Traditionally dominated by British buyers, Spain’s foreign property market now sees Moroccans just 77 homes behind, taking second place among international purchasers. British buyers still lead with 8.1% of total foreign sales, but Moroccan buyers now represent a close 7.9%, overtaking Germans at 6.7%, as reported by The Objective.
One key distinction sets Moroccan buyers apart from their British counterparts: their intent to reside in Spain. While most British buyers invest in vacation properties and maintain non-resident status, the majority of Moroccans settle permanently, becoming residents and integrating into local communities.
This residential trend is especially visible across multiple Spanish regions. Moroccan buyers make up a significant share of foreign purchases in:
- Murcia: 38.7%
- Navarre: 37%
- La Rioja: 26.8%
- Extremadura: 23.5%
- Castilla-La Mancha: 21.3%
They also hold strong positions in Andalusia (19.9%), Aragon (19.4%), Castile and León (15.2%), Catalonia (12.1%), and the Basque Country (9.2%).
Moroccan interest in Spanish real estate has steadily increased since 2011, when only 904 homes were purchased. Though growth was consistent throughout the 2010s, the COVID-19 pandemic marked an inflection point. In early 2020, Moroccan buyers acquired 2,918 properties — a figure that soared to 4,533 in the second half of the same year. By 2021, purchases exceeded 10,000 for the first time. After slight dips in 2022 and 2023 (9,165 annually), numbers surged again in 2024, reaching 10,326 transactions.
Moroccan buyers tend to purchase lower-priced properties, paying an average of USD 871 per square meter — the lowest among major foreign buyer groups. By comparison, Americans pay USD 4,041 per square meter, followed closely by Swiss, Swedes, Norwegians, and Germans, all exceeding USD 3,800 per square meter.
Foreign real estate transactions overall have grown across much of Spain. The most significant increases were seen in:
- Asturias (+30.8%)
- Castile and León (+25.9%)
- Galicia (+14.3%)
- Castilla-La Mancha (+11.7%)
However, some regions reported declines, including the Canary Islands (-7.7%), Balearic Islands (-6.8%), Navarre (-3.7%), and the Valencian Community (-3.6%).
Read Also;
https://trendsnafrica.com/uk-based-real-estate-investment-trust-supra-to-list-on-jse/
To purchase property in Spain, foreign buyers must obtain an NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero), a unique identification number required for all legal and financial transactions. Spanish residents use their national ID numbers instead.
