Tinsa: House Prices Rose By 0.8% In Q4 2016

4 January 2017 – El Mundo

Average house prices in Spain rose by 0.8% during the fourth quarter of the year with respect to the same period in 2015, according to provisional data published in Tinsa’s IMIE Local Market Index. According to the appraisal company, the stabilisation in prices, which is in line with the YoY variation recorded during the third quarter of the year, “reflects micro-market multiples, which are evolving at different speeds”.

The index highlights that Cataluña, which saw an increase of 7.2%, the Community of Madrid (5.2%) and País Vasco (4.3%) continue to be the drivers of the housing market in Spain, followed by the Canary Islands and Andalucía, which saw price rises of 2.8% and 2%, respectively, in terms of YoY variation during Q4.

At the other end of the spectrum, the highest price decreases were recorded in the regions of Murcia (-4.8%), Castilla y León (-3.9%) and the Balearic Islands (-3.1%). Price decreases were also observed in Cantabria (-2.1%), Navarra (-1.9%), Asturias (-1.3%) and Aragón (-0.9%), which closed the year with lower prices than in Q4 2015.

According to Tinsa’s report, homes are now at least 5% more expensive than they were a year ago in up to six provinces. Barcelona (8.4%), Palencia (7.8%) and Guipúzcoa (7.4%) saw the highest price rises over the last year, followed by Málaga (with growth of 6.6%), Madrid and Almería (both of which recorded YoY rises of 5.2%).

By contrast, the provinces of Huelva and Lérida registered decreases of -6.9% and -6.5% over the last year, respectively. The provinces of Orense, León, Murcia and Valladolid are saw prices decreases of more than 4%.

Cities

By provincial capital, house prices rose significantly over the last year in San Sebastián (12.1%), Bilbao (11.6%) and Barcelona (11%), well above the increases recorded in Madrid, Málaga and Palencia, where average prices rose by 6.3%, 5.4% and 5% YoY, respectively.

This evolution contrasts with that recorded by the group of 29 capitals where average prices are lower than they were a year ago, led by León (-11.1%), Murcia (-7.3%), Valladolid (-6.6%) and Lugo (-6.2%).

Tinsa’s detailed analysis of the residential market in Spain’s five largest provincial capitals reveals significant price increases in certain districts of Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. That was the case in the neighbourhoods of Gràcia and Eixample in Barcelona, where the average price of finished homes rose by 16.5% and 15.1% YoY, respectively.

In Madrid, the highest price rises were concentrated in the areas of Hortaleza (13.4%), Centro (11.9%) and Tetuán (11.4%). (…).

The Barcelona district of Sarriá-Sant Gervasi continued to be the most expensive neighbourhood of the five large capitals analysed, at €3,901/m2, followed by Les Corts (€3,716/m2). In the capital, the neighbourhood of Salamanca, with an average price of €3,645/m2 exceeded prices in Chamberí (€3,562/m2), which saw the highest price rises in the city last quarter.

Rate of sales

According to Tinsa, average sales periods (…) have decreased below 10 months for the first time since this indicator was first compiled in Q2 2015, to 9.9 months across Spain. (…).

Original story: El Mundo

Translation: Carmel Drake