The Catalan Association of Property Agents (Asociación de Agentes Inmobiliarios de Catalunya, AIC), chaired by Vicenç Hernández Reche -also Tecnotramit’s CEO-, and Barcelona’s Official College of Property Agents (Colegio Oficial de Agentes de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria de Barcelona, COAPI Barcelona) have released figures on the recovery of the Catalan property market over the past year. Figures are conclusive: the number of sales registered in Catalonia was 22,108 during the fourth quarter of the year, an increase of 26.2%. 89,112 sales were registered, a year-on-year increase of 35.2% compared to 2020.
Barcelona continues to account for more than 6 out of 10 sales in Catalonia
The province of Barcelona recorded 63.4% of the total number of property sales in Catalonia during the last quarter, 14,021 sales. This means a quarterly decrease of -10.3% but a year-on-year increase of 24.6%. This was followed by the provinces of Tarragona with 14.5%, 3,397 sales, a quarterly decrease of -10%, and a year-on-year improvement of 15%; Girona with 15%, 3,310 sales, a quarterly decrease of -5.4%, and year-on-year growth of 27%; and Lleida with 1,380 sales, 6.2% market share and a year-on-year increase of 47.4%.
Foreign buyers continue gaining ground in Catalonia
The percentage of homes purchased by foreigners in Catalonia has continued to grow for the third consecutive quarter after the low figures resulting from mobility restrictions due to the health crisis. 12.7% of homes were purchased by foreigners in the last quarter of 2021 compared to 11% who did so in the previous one. Foreigners accounted for 11.1% of purchases in the last year. Girona leads provincial results with 22.3% of the total number of sales registered for the region being purchased by foreigners, followed by the provinces of Tarragona (11.4%), Lleida (9.6%), and Barcelona (8.7%).
The rental market enters a stabilisation phase
According to the payment of sureties’ deposit data, the number of rental contracts continued to fall for the second consecutive quarter. It reached 40,934 agreements in the third quarter in Catalonia. In year-on-year terms, there was an increase of 5%. The average rental price was €738 per month, close to all-time high €755 per month in the third quarter of 2019. This meant a year-on-year decrease of -1%. The highest amount is reached in Barcelona (€806), a considerable gap between the provinces of Girona (€564), Tarragona (€496), and Lleida (€445).