Majorcan residents are rapidly losing access to housing due to purchases by foreigners.

18:16, Mon, Dec 29, 2025 Updated: 18:16, Mon, Dec 29, 2025

Idyllic view of Sant Elm, coast scenery, Majorca island, Spain

Majorcan residents are rapidly losing access to housing due to purchases by foreigners (Image: Getty)

New data has revealed the staggering extent of foreign property ownership on the iconic holiday island of Majorca, with some popular municipalities seeing nearly one in two homes owned by non-Spaniards. Bombshell new figures have revealed that foreign buyers - including thousands of Brits - now own nearly half of all properties in the island’s most desirable areas.

The data, released by the Balearic Ministry of Housing, shows that the picturesque municipality of Andratx has officially become the capital of foreign ownership on the island. A staggering 48.2% of all residential properties in the area are now held by non-Spanish citizens. The news has sparked fresh fury among local residents who have often claimed they are being permanently locked out of the housing market by wealthy international investors.

Beautiful view of the bay Port de Andratx on Majorca island, Spain

Andratx, with 45.19% of its residential stock in foreign hands, tops the list (Image: Getty)

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Land registry data for 2025 indicates that the total number of Majorcan residential properties held by non-Spanish citizens is 92,030, accounting for 16.02%.

The invasion of foreign capital is concentrated in the island's coastal gems. Behind Andratx, the areas with the highest percentage of foreign-owned homes include: Calvià - a firm favourite with British expats with 43.1%, Deyá (41.8%), Santanyí (39.5%) and Pollensa (37.2%).

In contrast, the island’s capital, Palma, remains largely in local hands, with foreign ownership sitting at a much lower 14.5%. In Soller, a picturesque town on Majorca's northwest coast, there are 1,276 residential properties in foreign hands - 19.4% of the total housing stock.

"In a limited and strained island market, the price ends up reflecting more what those who buy as a refuge or investment can pay than what those who live and work here can pay," said geographer Antoni Marcús, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma in Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain

Majorca is now the most expensive region in Spain to buy a home (Image: Getty)

The Land Registry figures measure foreign ownership of property, but do not differentiate between residents and non-residents. However, Mr Marcús highlighted that complementary sources, including property registrars and notaries, indicate that a significant proportion of sales are made by European citizens with high purchasing power and, in many cases, non-residents.

"This explains why the market ends up functioning according to logic that is alien to the economic capacity of the local population," he added.

The surge in international demand has sent property prices skyrocketing across the Balearic Islands, making it the most expensive region in Spain to buy a home. While the influx of foreign cash is a positive for the local economy and the construction industry, it has also created a "social time bomb".

Young Majorcans are increasingly forced to live with their parents or move to the Spanish mainland because they cannot compete with the deep pockets of buyers from countries such as the UK, Germany and Scandinavia.