Industry experts warn that 20% of real estate agencies in Valencia are at risk of closure due to a collapse in available housing stock. Since the 2008 crash, housing development has slowed significantly, and the gap between buyer demand and property availability continues to widen. The number of homes for sale in Valencia has dropped by more than 50% in the last four years.
In high-demand neighbourhoods of Valencia city, agents report going weeks without a single available property. Properties under €200,000 (once very common) are now so rare that many often sell before ever being listed on property portals or social media. Many agencies have waiting lists of pre-qualified buyers ready to view anything that comes to market.
This housing shortage isn’t isolated. In coastal towns, similar patterns are emerging. Buyers are migrating outward and inland as property prices in popular coastal urban centres climb beyond reach. In the Alicante region, particularly in areas like Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Altea, Moraira, and Javea agencies are seeing stiff competition for exclusive contracts.
Meanwhile, the Costa Blanca housing market is split. In the north, Moraira, Jávea, Altea, new construction is restricted by topography and protected land. In the south, Torrevieja, Guardamar, Villamartín, new builds are more available, but many are bought off-plan by foreign buyers, particularly from the UK, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
Estate Agents Get Creative to Find Properties
With competition intensifying, agencies are adopting unconventional tactics to secure listings. A good business network is becoming more important than ever. Agencies are offering cash payments of up to €600 to neighbours, building porters, and even hairdressers who can connect agents with owners considering a sale.
Other strategies agencies are using include:
Door-to-door prospecting in competitive neighbourhoods.
Running large budget targeted social media ads aimed at property owners.
Cold calling past clients and property investors who might be ready to sell.
Agencies are also leaning into off-market sales, building private databases of sellers who prefer not to list publicly. These properties are offered exclusively to cash-ready or international buyers on a first-alert basis, often selling within days.
As housing supply dwindles across Valencia city, Alicante province, and the broader Costa Blanca, the landscape for both buyers and estate agents is shifting rapidly. With homes under €200,000 becoming increasingly rare, competition is fierce, not just among buyers, but among agencies vying for listings.
Both for agents and buyers hoping to enter the market, success now hinges on timing, connections, and flexibility. Off-market deals, referral networks, and hyperlocal knowledge are more valuable than ever.
For buyers willing to explore lesser-known towns or act quickly on new listings, affordable property in Spain is still within reach. But with the current imbalance expected to continue into 2025, it seems as if the era of passive property hunting is over. In today’s market, you need to be informed, quick off the mark, and very strategic.
