Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
In over 40 Spanish cities, there are plans for massive demonstrations against a housing shortage that has forced many citizens out of the market.
The unprecedented mobilisation encompasses almost all major cities plus dozens of smaller towns that collectively represent over a third of the entire population of the country – and more could join the list.
Under the slogan ‘Down with the housing sector’, the nationwide protests will be the first in over a decade at this scale.
On Saturday, April 5th, these towns and cities will be halted for several hours as millions of people are expected to take to the streets.
READ MORE The war in Spain on tourist apartments is continuing with a new law that will come into force this month.
Protests are also expected in other popular resorts and towns, such as La Linea de la Concepcion (Tariff), Cadiz (Eivissa), Almeria, Jerez de la Frontera (Elche), Granada, Alicante, and La Linea de la Concepcion.
The demands include a reduction of rental prices, the end of the empty property phenomenon and even criminalisation of private homeowners. desokupa Companies that force squatters to leave their homes.
Other causes are for stopping the evictions of vulnerable families who have no alternative homes and an end to the repression of the ‘housing movement’.
The latest figures show that the prices of non-new builds have risen by 11.2% in the last year. The biggest increases were seen in Madrid, Valencia, and Malaga.
READ MORE In Spain, the Costa del Sol has two of the highest-rising cities in terms of house prices.
The Spanish capital’s average price has now reached €5,321 per square metre – a 22.7% increase and a new historic record.
Valencia follows closely behind with a dramatic 21.6% price rise over the past 12 months, bringing average costs to €2,919 per square metre.
Malaga is the third most stressful metropolitan area, with its prices rising by 20,3% in a year.
READ MORE Will your home in Spain pass the MOT? Inspections are mandatory for homes older than 50 years.
The nationwide picture shows an average price of €2,311 per square metre – another all-time high for the Spanish property market.
Andalucia has experienced even stronger growth than the national average, with used property prices rising 13.3% in the last year to reach €2,390 per square metre.
This is a record-breaking quarterly increase for the region, at 3.1%.
The price spiral contrasts with the most common salary in Spain of around €18,503 in 2022, and a median salary of €21,638 – both below the average annual gross salary per worker of €26,948.
READ MORE What does this mean for squatting and squatting in Spain? You need to know the latest information about new rules regarding evictions, which will be implemented this week
For idealista spokesperson Francisco Iñareta, the crisis is borne from several factors.
The supply of property for sale is shrinking, and neither new construction nor the rental properties from an almost nonexistent market can meet the demand.
“Despite the expectation of stabilisation in interest rates, the appetite to buy remains strong because the vicious circle is expected price increases as well as high rental costs due to supply shortages.
It is urgently necessary to pass legislation that will ease the process of building new homes and redeveloping land.
“We have a significant lack of housing that is worsening quarter by quarter, and only creating supply can end the price escalation,” Iñareta concluded.
