Market · Q1 2026
The Costa del Sol market has fallen 30%: what it means for your home's price in 2026
It is not your home or your area: it is the market. And in this market, the asking price is the only lever that counts.
SHORT ANSWER
In the first quarter of 2026, resale volumes fell between 31% and 35% in Marbella, Benahavís, Estepona and Mijas compared with Q1 2025: from 2,778 to 1,910 transactions in total. Because everything is falling at once, the cause is general (interest rates, financing, the international backdrop), not local. What keeps selling is what is correctly priced.
IN THIS ARTICLE
The question I get most often in recent months is what is happening to the market. The honest answer is in the Land Registry data.
The figures: a slowdown in all four municipalities
| Resale · transactions | Q1 2025 | Q1 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marbella | 1,108 | 760 | -31% |
| Benahavís | 187 | 122 | -35% |
| Estepona | 702 | 486 | -31% |
| Mijas | 781 | 542 | -31% |
| Total, four municipalities | 2,778 | 1,910 | -31% |
Resale volumes, Q1 2026 against Q1 2025. Source: Spanish Land Registrars (Registradores de España).
That is around 870 fewer sales in a single quarter. Since it is the same period of the previous year, the fall is real and not the usual slow start to the year.
1. The whole market has slowed at once
Marbella, Benahavís, Estepona and Mijas are down between 31% and 35%. When four different areas move almost identically, the cause is not local: it is not one street, one building or one type of home. It is the general situation: interest rates, harder financing, the international backdrop and buyers taking their time.
2. The buyer is now in charge
Fewer sales mean homes take longer to sell and inventory builds up. What used to sell in weeks can now take months. We have moved from a seller's market to a buyer's market. But a slower market should not be confused with a cheap market: good, correctly priced homes still sell quickly.
3. The asking price is the only lever
When the buyer has options, the home stops competing and the price does. A home correctly priced from day one still sells well: in our experience, in under 90 days and with less than a 3% discount. A home priced too high does the opposite: it chases the market downwards, loses its best weeks and sells later and for less. That is why we do not take on overpriced properties: they cost you money without you noticing. We explain this in overpricing your home.
The seller who accepts the new pace and prices for today keeps selling well. The one who clings to last year's prices waits months and ends up chasing the market downwards.
Alfonso Lacruz
The market has not collapsed, although homes take longer to sell than a year ago. What we are watching now is how long they take to sell and whether unsold inventory keeps growing over the summer. If you want to see the upper segment separately, read the luxury market in Q1 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much have resale volumes fallen on the Costa del Sol?
Between 31% and 35% in Marbella, Benahavís, Estepona and Mijas in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025: from 2,778 to 1,910 transactions.
Is it a good time to sell?
Yes, if the price is today's price. Correctly priced homes still sell, in our experience in under 90 days and with less than a 3% discount.
Why has the market fallen?
Because it is falling equally in all four areas: the cause is general, such as interest rates, financing and the international backdrop.
About the author
Alfonso Lacruz
Naval engineer and market analyst. Over 25 years advising owners in Marbella and Benahavís. Publishes a monthly market analysis with Land Registry data.
The figures are indicative and every property is different: for a specific number, ask for a valuation of your home.
Sources: Spanish Land Registrars (Registradores de España, Q1 2026 transactions); experience of Alfonso Lacruz Team | KW. Last updated: 18 June 2026.
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