Why property portals can give a distorted picture of the Spanish property market

Anyone looking for a property on the Costa Blanca today will almost always start their search online. And that makes perfect sense. With just a few clicks, you can access hundreds or even thousands of properties through platforms such as Idealista, Kyero and other property websites.

You can compare prices, explore locations, view photos and make an initial selection.

But there is one important question you should always ask yourself:

Is the property I see online actually still for sale?

Unfortunately, the answer is not always yes.

An online listing does not automatically mean the property is available

As estate agents, we see listings every day that have been online for months or even years without the information being updated.

The property may have already been sold, but the listing is still online.

Or the price may have increased, while the old price is still being advertised.

Or the property may be reserved but is still being presented as available.

For someone researching the Spanish property market, this can create considerable confusion.

For example, you may think you have found a property for €295,000, contact the agent and then discover that it was actually sold months ago.

The bait price

It becomes even more problematic when an unavailable property deliberately remains online at an attractive price.

A low price naturally attracts attention.

A potential buyer gets in touch and is then told that the property is unfortunately no longer available. But luckily, the agent has "another interesting property" to offer...

In this way, a listing that is no longer relevant is used to attract new clients.

We do not believe this is the right way for a property professional to deal with potential buyers.

New-build properties also require careful attention

We see a similar issue with new-build developments.

For example, a development may be advertised online as:

"From €249,000"

That sounds attractive.

But what happens when all the properties at €249,000 have already been sold?

The cheapest property actually available may now cost €289,000 or €315,000, while various listings are still showing the original starting price.

Technically, that starting price may once have been correct.

But for a buyer looking today, it no longer provides a realistic picture of current availability and prices.

Does this mean Idealista and Kyero are unreliable?

No, absolutely not.

Platforms such as Idealista and Kyero are excellent tools and play an important role in the property market.

The problem usually does not lie with the platform itself, but with the information provided by the advertiser.

A property portal can only display accurate information if the estate agent, developer or private seller properly manages their listings.

A property that has been sold should be deactivated.

A changed price should be updated.

A reserved property should be correctly indicated.

And when the cheapest properties in a new-build development have been sold, the advertised starting price should also be adjusted.

The responsibility lies with the advertiser

As a real estate agency, we believe that estate agents have a responsibility towards potential buyers.

When someone contacts you because of a listing, they should be able to rely on the information being as up to date as possible.

At Lirice Real Estate, we therefore check the properties we advertise every day.

We monitor availability, check price changes and update our listings whenever the situation changes.

Sold? We update the listing.

Price changed? We update the price.

Certain properties within a development sold? We look at the properties that are actually available and their current prices.

This may seem obvious, but unfortunately, it does not always happen in practice.

What can you do as a buyer?

Property portals are an excellent way to start your search. But use them primarily as a starting point, not as absolute truth.

When you find a property that interests you, always ask:

• Is this property still available today?
• What is the current asking price?
• Has the property been reserved?
• When was the listing last updated?
• Are the photos and information still current?
• For new-build properties: which units are actually still available?
• What is the current price of the cheapest available property?

And perhaps most importantly:

Work with a reliable and registered estate agent who actively follows the local market.

A good estate agent can not only show you properties, but also verify what is actually available, which prices are current and which properties have since been sold or reserved.

Searching online is the first step. Checking the reality is the next.

The Spanish property market is large and the amount of online listings is enormous.

But more listings do not automatically mean more available properties.

You may see hundreds of options online, while a large proportion are no longer available or cannot actually be purchased at the advertised price.

That is why we recommend that buyers certainly start their search online, but then have the information verified by a reliable professional.

At Lirice Real Estate, we believe that real estate is about more than beautiful photos and attractive prices.

It is about accurate information, transparency and trust.

Because ultimately, it is not about the property you find online.

It is about the property that is actually for sale today.