THE MARKET

Idealista places the Benahavís urbanisation at number three with an average price of EUR 10.5 million. It has slipped from the top spot it held last year.

Black Horse Partners is building 20 residences on a plot bought for roughly EUR 2,500 per square metre. The units are priced between EUR 2.5m and EUR 5.3m.

A Tinsa report places the Costa del Sol at the top of Spain's affordability league. A household must commit 57% of its income to purchase a home here.

The TT earthing system common in country houses relies on soil moisture to dissipate current. August dryness can double or triple rod resistance, turning appliance casings into shock hazards.

A study by Transport & Environment and the New Economics Foundation links the projected 11.8 per cent rise in air arrivals to higher housing costs. The model estimates the average annual rent bill will be €217 higher in 2031 than it would have been without that growth.

The regional housing agency plans to sell 735 public properties in 2026, with a minimum valuation of €124.3m. The portfolio includes residential plots for 3,678 homes and various commercial units.

Idealista reports 3,671 homes listed above €3 million in Malaga as of June. That is 35% of the national total for properties at that price point.

Spain's cybersecurity watchdog warns criminals pose as hotels on WhatsApp with accurate names and reference numbers. The OCU reports guests have lost hundreds of euros after clicking links to cloned sites.

The municipal register lists 3,846 applicants for protected housing. The 1,021 units scheduled for delivery by 2027 cover 26.55% of that total.

ASAJA Málaga estimates dehydration could wipe out 40% of the Axarquía muscatel crop. The union has requested an official damage assessment to determine compensation.

Spain’s British-born over-65s dropped to 109,000 last year as more than 6,000 pensioners emigrated. The sun: still free. The shade: increasingly expensive.

Six of the ten largest new companies in Andalucía by capital are based in Málaga, accounting for €66.8m of the regional total. The province registered 4,303 new businesses in the first half of the year.

Idealista’s July figures place Malaga province third nationally for rental costs, ahead of Barcelona and behind only Madrid and the Balearics.

Grupo Inversor Hesperia has acquired the five-star La Zambra from Intriva Capital, adding 197 rooms to its portfolio. The deal follows a record year for the buyer, which posted a net profit of €38 million in 2025.

Foreign students generated €302,820,443 for the regional economy in 2025, despite a drop in total enrolment to 60,211. The sector compensated for fewer arrivals with stays that lengthened by 23.4%.

The developer targets Málaga as its primary market, with four new Marbella villas priced from €5 million each. Construction costs for identical blocks have risen 45% in a year.

Andalucía recorded 56,505 home sales in the first five months of 2026, a 7.9% drop from the previous year. The average price per square metre rose to €1,788.

The Ministry of Transport is executing noise reduction works on the AP-7 Marbella bypass, funded by European recovery funds. The budget for the acoustic barriers is €13.1 million.

A new confirmation step at Spanish cash machines asks users to accept or reject conversion after selecting euros, where pressing accept locks in the operator's rate. A single €200 withdrawal can cost £10 more than the cardholder's bank rate.

Málaga city's tourist apartments average €260 per night this August, with provincial rates at €210, as last-minute bookings push occupancy above 60%. The sector now supplies 465,000 beds; four times the hotel capacity.

Fuengirola has granted initial approval for 300 new homes in Los Pacos, splitting the supply between 189 private units and 111 social housing. The project occupies 38,360 square metres of the Cerro del Agua sector, one of the municipality's last major land reserves.

A €180,000 home in Cuevas del Becerro could be yours for €10, with 40,000 tickets already sold ahead of the October 2026 draw. The winner also gets €20,000 for furniture.

The Grove's 139-unit San Pedro Alcántara development includes a pet spa among its saltwater pools and rooftop lounge, citing 3.3M registered pets in Andalucía as market rationale. The gym logic: now with shampoo.

Domestic demand for rural holiday homes in inland Malaga is up 30% year-on-year, pushing August bookings to 87% occupancy at an average €2,368 per stay. The essential amenity: a private pool.

The €3.07 billion Carteia project, aiming to produce 600,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually, returns to public consultation with minor route and water-supply tweaks. The paperwork: adjusted. The ambition: unchanged.

Retail sales in Andalucía rose 4.2% year-on-year in June, outpacing the national average by 1.8 points, while employment in the sector grew 1.1%. The recovery: fractional.

The housing decree, including rent freezes and tenant extensions, has been postponed until at least September after failing to secure parliamentary backing. The current rules: still the only ones.

450,000 Argentine-born residents now live in Spain, with many settling on the Costa del Sol for permanent homes and schools rather than holiday flats. The market: grateful.

Málaga's rural rentals hit 87% occupancy for August, with national demand up 30% year-on-year as international uncertainty drives Spaniards to stay local. The pool: private. The Wi-Fi: non-negotiable.

Spanish rental law allows tenants to terminate contracts after six months with 30 days' notice, though landlords may charge one month's rent per remaining year if specified in the lease.

The PM calls for Málaga to join Barcelona and Coruña as a 'stressed housing market', citing a 3.5% rent drop in Guipúzcoa under similar measures. The local PP government: unconvinced.

Malaga province added 28,400 jobs last quarter, reaching a record 835,500 employed, while unemployment rose by 15,000; the largest increase in Spain. The labour force grew faster than the market could absorb it.

Inmho now manages 3,400 communities and 165,000 properties in Andalusia, after absorbing 20 smaller firms in 18 months. The portfolio includes Estepona's Amex, known for its 'VIP clients with very high incomes'.

The region's 1.42 million certified hectares yield more than locals buy: a gap the new 'pioneering' law aims to close.

ChatGPT leads at 45.6%, with 63.6% of users logging in multiple times a week. The top use case: work, at 24.3%.

The government approved 70% of 1.17 million applications for residency, issuing 822,000 provisional work permits; nearly double its initial estimate of 500,000.

22.2% of Andalusians cite housing access as their main worry, outpacing healthcare (14.3%) and unemployment (13.7%). The margin: decisive.

A Murcia homeowner earns €400 a day renting his pool to strangers via an online platform. The water: still wet. The business model: less so.

A private fund will build 599 homes on municipal land, with rents set at €7.95/m²; 45% below market rate. The smallest unit: €377/month for 47.5m².

The housing decree will not go to cabinet this week, with approval now set for September. The reason: more time is needed for "broad and transversal" agreement.

The town hall will cover 100% of refurbishment, equipment or digitalisation costs for new or relocating businesses in its historic centre: up to €4,000 per project, with no clawback if the venture lasts two years.

A 500-square-metre 'gastronomic destination' with a 65-seat tasting bar opens in Mijas: the Club del Gourmet's selection includes 'bean-to-bar' chocolates and a wine cellar heavy on Andalusian producers.

The funds will cover multi-year projects from health sciences to humanities, and buy equipment for labs. The university’s position in international rankings: secure.

The region saw a 3.59% increase in hotel stays, driven by foreign tourists who accounted for 15.3 million nights. Marbella led with an average room rate of EUR 315.46.

Argis, which bought the 218,000-square-metre complex for EUR 132 million in April, is converting it into a listed real estate investment company.

The municipal government has greenlit a full refurbishment of the Hotel Oromana, aiming to upgrade it to four stars and 'consolidate it as one of the main tourist references of the municipality'. The plan includes physical rehabilitation and a new private-sector management model.