Ukrainians Overtake Russians as the Leading Foreign Property Buyers in Valencia Province

In the province of Valencia, Ukrainians have become the largest group of foreign real estate buyers. Over the past year, Ukrainian citizens concluded approximately 450 transactions—representing about 9% of all home purchases by foreigners registered in the province. Consequently, Ukrainians have overtaken Russians, who in recent years accounted for about 7% of foreign property investment.

In a comment to Las Provincias, Alfonso Casillas, director of the property management company Engel & Völkers, noted that while many Ukrainians sought rental housing following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there has now been a significant shift towards purchasing real estate.

The buyer profile has also evolved. Real estate agency Gestali Homes points out that while the first Ukrainians interested in buying homes in 2022 were wealthy clients purchasing villas, now a much broader demographic is looking to invest in property.

Ukrainian citizens show the highest demand for apartments near the sea and in quiet, safe neighbourhoods. Popular locations include Quatre Carreres, La Patacona, and El Grao. Buyers typically choose either apartments in new developments with modern infrastructure or resale properties with two to three bedrooms. The average transaction budget ranges from €250,000 to €500,000. According to market specialists, the primary clients are "young families or professionals seeking stability and security."

Top Foreign Buyers in the Valencian Community

Regarding the Valencian Community as a whole, the region ranked second in 2025 for the volume of home purchases by foreigners, accounting for 27.65% of all transactions. For comparison, the national average in Spain was 13.82%. The Balearic Islands held the top spot at 29.86%.

A major shift in 2025 was the change in leadership among foreign buyers. For the first time in years, Dutch citizens overtook British buyers (8.48%), taking the lead with 10.22% of transactions. They are followed by Belgium (7.51%), Poland (7.25%), Ukraine (5.92%), Germany (5.81%), Romania (4.50%), France (4.35%), Sweden (3.82%), and Morocco (2.93%).

Foreign Property Purchases in Spain in 2025

In 2025, foreigners purchased nearly 97,500 properties, according to a report by the Association of Property and Mercantile Registrars of Spain. This is a record high since observations began, with foreigners accounting for approximately 13.8% of all home purchases in the country.

Alicante remains the leading province, where foreigners concluded 43% of all real estate deals. This is followed by Málaga (32.80%), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (30.04%), the Balearic Islands (29.86%), Girona (25%), Las Palmas (21.72%), and Murcia (21.42%). In Valencia province, foreigners account for 12.2% of purchases, which is slightly below the national level seen in the most popular resort zones.

Nationwide, British citizens remain the primary buyers, acquiring 7,665 properties (7.97% of foreign purchases). They are followed by Germans (6.52%), the Dutch (6.3%), Moroccans (5.74%), Romanians (5.24%), and the French (5.11%). Typically, foreigners purchase resale properties and small apartments for use as second homes or holiday retreats.

However, Idealista, citing notary data, notes a new trend: in the second half of 2025, Moroccans nearly drew level with the British in transaction volume. British citizens accounted for 5,178 deals (7.8%), while Moroccan citizens closed 5,154 (7.7%).

Idealista also highlights that housing prices continue to break records. The average price per square metre paid by foreigners reached €2,479, a 5% increase over 2024. Swedish citizens pay the highest average per square metre (€3,654), followed by Germans (€3,559), Americans (€3,501), and Norwegians (€3,085).

Prices above the average were also recorded for buyers from Switzerland, Poland, Ireland, Belgium, Italy, France, the UK, the Netherlands, and Russia. The lowest prices were paid by buyers from Morocco (€768), Romania (€1,350), Ecuador (€1,410), and Colombia (€1,507).