October 29, 2025

We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat!

By Alfredo Bloy-Dawson

Spain’s real estate sector now employs 187,700 people, a record high that surpasses pre-2008 crisis levels. The workforce grew 14.1% over the past year, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE)’s Labour Force Survey for Q3 2025. This marks a significant milestone for the property market, which has dramatically expanded beyond its previous peak.

Approximately 70% of real estate professionals in Spain are 49 years or older as of Q3 2025.

The gender mix is evenly split between men and women.

Spain: National Employment Totals (Q3 2025)

Employment in Real Estate Activities has grown significantly faster than the overall national employment rate.

MetricTotal (Number of People)Annual Growth Rate
Employed in Real Estate Activities187,700+14.1%
Total National Employment (All Sectors)22,387,100+2.5%

Source: INE Labour Force Survey (EPA) Q3 2025, as reported by idealista/news.

 

Regional Breakdown

The largest concentration of real estate professionals is found in three autonomous communities.

Autonomous CommunityEmployed (Number of People)
Madrid54,500
Catalonia40,200
Andalucía32,800
Valencia Community17,700
Canary Islands6,900
Balearic Islands5,400

Source: INE Labour Force Survey (EPA) Q3 2025, as reported by idealista/news.

GenderEmployed (in thousands)Percentage of Total
Men95.550.88%
Women92.249.12%
TOTAL187.7100.00%
Age GroupEmployed (in thousands)
50 to 59 years53.5
40 to 49 years50.0
30 to 39 years37.4
60 to 65 years21.7
16 to 19 years1.6
Over 65 years>6.0
(Of which, 70+ years)(0.6)

What “Real Estate Activities” Include

The employment figures cited above cover a broad professional category defined by the CNAE (National Classification of Economic Activities) code 68:

  • Intermediation Services: Real estate agents, brokers, and consultants in sales and rentals.
  • Property Management: Administration of rentals, owners’ associations, and property assets.
  • Proprietary Traders: Employees of companies that buy, sell, or lease their own properties and land for investment purposes.