Magazine · Spring 2025
Marbella and Benahavís Real Estate Magazine, Spring 2025
The spring 2025 issue of our magazine. Its market data cover the year 2024, compared with 2023.
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IN THIS ARTICLE
THE MAGAZINE (PDF)
Spring 2025 edition
The full issue, with the year-in-review charts, four articles by legal and insurance advisers and the properties of the season.
Open the PDFHow did Marbella and Benahavís close 2024?
Marbella sold 4,745 homes in 2024, 5.2% more than in 2023, close to 5,000 and well above its historical annual average of about 3,500. Benahavís went the other way: 801 sales, a 25% drop after a record 2022 with more than 1,000, and closer to its historical average of about 600. Even so, both places remain above their 20-year average. For 2025 the magazine expects steady sales in Marbella and, in Benahavís, stable prices with steady or slightly lower sales, because of the gap between asking and closing prices.
| 2024 against 2023 | Marbella | Benahavís |
|---|---|---|
| Homes sold | 4,745 (+5.2%) | 801 (-25.0%) |
| Average price per m² | €3,907 (+6.4%) | €3,641 (-1.8%) |
| Estimated stock for sale | 5,883 (-2.1%) | 1,589 (-10.9%) |
Figures for the year 2024. Average prices are provisional and stock is an estimate. Source: Spanish Land Registrars, Notaries and Idealista, as printed in the magazine.
What happened to prices in 2024?
In Marbella, closing prices rose 6.4% in twelve months (3.0% in the last quarter), a slower pace than the double-digit gains of earlier years but one the magazine calls stable and healthy. The warning is that the gap between asking and closing prices stays near a maximum of around 27%, which could hinder agreements between buyers and sellers. In Benahavís, closing prices fell 1.1% in twelve months (-0.3% in the quarter), and the gap between asking and closing prices is 27.5%. The magazine describes Benahavís as moderating, with fewer transactions and stabilising prices. For more recent data, see the Costa del Sol market in the first quarter of 2026.
The Beckham Law: how it works
In the tax and law section, Santiago Lapausa (JCA Abogados) explains that this regime lets people who relocate to Spain for work pay tax as non-residents despite being resident. Salaries are taxed at 24% up to €600,000 and at 47% above that, and income or gains obtained abroad are generally not taxed in Spain, except for salaries or self-employed business income. It lasts a maximum of five years plus the year of application, and you must not have been tax resident in Spain during the previous five years. Among the drawbacks, double tax treaties do not apply and you lose the roll-over exemption on the sale of your main home. See also tax residency.
Buying property in Spain through a company
The same article stresses that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Among the advantages, a Spanish company pays 25% corporate tax on net profit with most expenses deductible, whereas a non-EU individual renting out a property pays a flat 24% on gross income with no deductions. It may also help avoid Wealth Tax and Solidarity Tax for some buyers, and save tax when distributing funds. Among the disadvantages, if the owner uses the property privately, the company must declare market rental income, and a company brings higher setup, accounting and management costs. Each case needs a detailed analysis.
Home insurance: avoid underinsurance
Francisco Delgado (MD Asesores) warns that one of the most common problems is underinsurance, when the insured value is below the real replacement cost. He gives the example of a house that cost €200,000 to build ten years ago and may now cost €300,000 or more, and says an outdated policy can lead the insurer to reimburse only a percentage of the damage. He also advises updating the policy when you add valuable belongings, and relying on an advisor who reviews it regularly, compares insurers and guides you through claims.
Why legal advice matters when buying a luxury home
Carlos Gallego (Cuatrecasas, Málaga) recommends a complete legal due diligence before buying, covering ownership and encumbrances, licences and permits, urban planning status, taxes, the community of owners, the contractual analysis and the absence of litigation. He adds that the mechanisms in Spanish law, such as the seller's liability for eviction and hidden defects, can be vague or insufficient. For that reason he advises negotiating accurate representations and warranties from the seller in the private purchase contract, which give the buyer a basis to claim damages or even terminate the purchase.
Also in this issue
The magazine also includes client reviews, our sold properties, new listings, a cultural agenda for the season and the featured properties. It ends with a section where Alfonso answers a question: how is the market and is it a good time to buy?
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: Alfonso Lacruz Team | KW magazine, Spring 2025 (Spanish Land Registrars, Notaries and Idealista; articles by Santiago Lapausa of JCA Abogados, Francisco Delgado of MD Asesores and Carlos Gallego of Cuatrecasas). Last updated: 24 March 2025.
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