Author: Alfredo Bloy-Dawson

Alfredo Bloy‑Dawson is a seasoned real estate marketing consultant based in Marbella, Spain. Drawing on over a decade of experience he now collaborates with top-tier real estate agencies, property developers, and property portals across Spain - most notably on the Costa del Sol - to craft marketing strategies. He is the co-author of Home Truths: A Candid Analysis of the Costa del Sol Property Market
News
December 31, 2025

Mandatory or Voluntary? Andalucia’s Agent Registry Dilemma Explained

The regional government of Andalucia has approved a new registry for residential real estate agents. Its arrival has immediately ignited a debate over a fundamental question: is this a mandatory license or a voluntary badge of quality? The legislation, published in the Official Bulletin of the Junta de Andalucía (BOJA) on December 24, 2025, aims to regulate a previously unrestricted sector. The law enters into […]

marbella rea estate market update
Stats
December 30, 2025

US Tourists Move into Second Place

The United States has emerged as the second-largest international source market for hotel stays in the Costa del Sol. Data from the National Institute of Statistics and the Malaga tourism board confirm that American visitors have overtaken traditional European markets, including Germany, France, and the Netherlands. In November 2025, the American market recorded 7,718 visitors in the province of Malaga. This volume of tourism trailed […]

News
December 22, 2025

Andalucía Approves Registration for Estate Agents

Important regulatory update for real estate professionals operating in Andalucía: the regional government has approved legislation regarding the registration for residential estate agents. Timeline Overview: 2 December 2025 – Law approved Publication in BOJA (Official Bulletin) – 24th December 2025 here Entry into force – One month after BOJA publication – 24th January 2026 Full implementation – Maximum 2 years Key Questions for 2026: As […]

Stats
December 17, 2025

Sotogrande’s 2025 Agent Sentiment Survey: Leads Up, Business Harder

On December 11, 2025, Sotogrande SA held an event for more than 100 agents to present the results of their first agent sentiment survey hosted by Director of Marketing Rita Jordao and Sales Director Agustin La Rocca from Sotogrande as well as LPA President Alvaro Botella and I. Participants of the survey included a mix of Sotogrande and Costa del Sol agents, which may slightly […]

News
December 15, 2025

Manilva: No New Tourist Licenses for 3 years

Manilva Council has approved a municipal ordinance that halts the granting of licences for tourist apartments (short-term rental licences) in designated “stressed” areas for three years. The measure aims to improve housing availability for local residents. The suspension covers coastal-edge areas including El Hacho, Puerto de la Duquesa, Los Hidalgos and Princesa Cristina. The council is reviewing whether to extend the suspension to San Luis […]

Marbella
December 15, 2025

Incoming: Waldorf Astoria Marbella – Hotel & Branded Residences

Marbella East is to get another boost: Waldorf Astoria will open its first hotel in Spain in Marbella in 2029. The project is led by Higuerón Developments with an investment of 220 million euros. It will form the centrepiece of the Higuerón Marbella Golf Resort, which covers more than one million square metres. The introduction of Waldorf Astoria is expected to strengthen Marbella’s position as […]

Stats
December 4, 2025

Spain Tourism Up 3.5%

Spain received 9.2 million international tourists in October 2025, a 3.2% increase over the previous year. The accumulated total for the first ten months reached 85.7 million visitors, a 3.5% rise, marking the highest figure in the INE’s FRONTUR series. The United Kingdom was the largest source country, accounting for 1.84 million tourists (19.9% of the total) and showing a 2.8% year-on-year increase. Germany was […]

Buying in Spain
December 3, 2025

Blame it on the Guiris?

OPINION: The housing market along Spain’s coast, particularly in areas like Marbella, operates on principles that defy local economics. Recent Eurostat data shows Spanish household incomes grew 11% between 2004 and 2024. Property prices in the same period increased much faster. This gap highlights a serious affordability issue. Local income data is irrelevant to price movement here. The average Spanish salary cannot purchase a home […]

Marbella Stats
December 3, 2025

Stats Deep Dive: Golden Triangle vs O.G. Costa del Sol

If you like stats, you´re going to love this… There is a lot to unpack here. The real estate market on the Costa del Sol shows a clear division in price and buyer demographics, according to data from the new Spanish Notaries portal for the 12 months ending September 2025. Analysis of sales in six major municipalities groups them into two market areas: the premium […]

News
December 2, 2025

September Property Sales +5%

The Notaries’ report for September shows that home sales in Spain increased by 5 percent compared with the same month last year. A total of 58,845 property transactions were completed. Mortgage lending for housing rose by 11.4 percent, reaching 29,614 loans. This signals stronger access to credit and greater buyer confidence. The average price per square metre reached 1,940 euros, 6.3 percent higher than a […]