> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Foreign-Owned Properties Double in Barcelona by 2026 - URL: https://barna.news/foreign-owned-properties-double-in/ - Published: 2026-09-06T19:13:34.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-06T19:13:34.000Z - Description: Cadastral data shows foreign ownership of properties in Barcelona rose 79% from 2018 to 2026, with Diagonal Mar and Barceloneta seeing the highest concentrations. - Author: Laia Serra - Tags: housing ## Sharp Rise in Foreign Ownership Across City Properties in Barcelona owned by non-Spanish individuals or companies nearly doubled between 2018 and 2026, rising from 37,902 to 67,800, a 79% increase. According to cadastral data analysed by Nació and verified against Barcelona City Council records, foreign-linked properties now make up 4.6% of the city’s 1.47 million total, up from 2.7% in 2018\. The data includes homes, offices, commercial spaces, and parking lots owned directly by foreign nationals, overseas-registered firms, or permanent branches of foreign entities in Spain. However, it excludes Spanish-registered companies with foreign capital, meaning the true scale of international investment could be higher. ## Neighbourhoods with Highest Foreign Ownership Three areas have the highest proportion of foreign-owned properties: Diagonal Mar i el Front Marítim del Poblenou (14%), Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera (12%), and Barceloneta (11%). Other areas with significant shares include Raval and Besòs i el Maresme (both 11%), Poble-sec and Gòtic (10%), and Poblenou and Vallvidrera, Tibidabo i les Planes (9%). --- ### Barceloneta Sees Half of Home Sales to Foreign Buyers While foreign population growth in Barcelona rose 53% from 2018 to 2026, foreign property ownership grew faster. In some districts, the trends diverge sharply. In Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, the foreign population grew 56% compared to a 45% rise in foreign-owned properties. In contrast, Dreta de l’Eixample saw foreign ownership jump from 1,872 to 3,295 properties. Poblenou rose from 1,739 to 3,065, and Raval added 1,272 to reach 3,716. > Since 2023, foreign buyers have accounted for 25% of all flat purchases in Barcelona, up from under 20% before that year. In Barceloneta, foreigners bought nearly half (49.6%) of homes sold in recent years, according to Barcelona City Council housing market data. ## Regulation Still Pending The Catalan government under Salvador Illa has expressed support for measures to curb speculative housing purchases, but no legislation has been passed. Separately, Spain’s national government led by Pedro Sánchez has proposed restricting property purchases by non-EU foreigners, though no formal vote has taken place. --- *Reported by naciodigital.cat, ddd.uab.cat, UPCnet, Metrópoli, Catalan News, ACN, totbarcelona.cat, laciutat.cat, elperiodico.com.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Home Sales Drop 8.1% in L'Hospitalet and Baix Llobregat](https://barna.news/home-sales-drop-8-1-in-l-hospitalet-and/) - [L'Hospitalet Second-Highest Rental Demand in Spain](https://barna.news/l-hospitalet-second-highest-rental/) - [Barcelona area plans 6,000 subsidised homes](https://barna.news/barcelona-area-plans-6-000-subsidised/) - [Electric Grid Delays Over 80,000 Homes in Spain](https://barna.news/electric-grid-delays-over-80-000-homes-in-spain/)