Rising number of “occupied” apartments for sale in Spain: alarm signal or statistical curiosity?

News/October 24, 2025

At Idealista - one of Spain's largest real estate portals - there are growing signs that the phenomenon of so-called “ransomas” (i.e., illegal foreclosures) is beginning to be noticed by the housing sales market. Although the numbers are not drastic in relation to the total, the upward trend deserves attention - especially from the point of view of apartment owners, investors and the real estate market for the Polish community in Spain.

Data and comparison 2024 vs 2025

As of the end of 2024, the Idealista portal noted that there were 20,464 apartments for sale listings with the annotation “without possession” (okupados). This accounted for about 2.6% of the portal's total listings of apartments for sale.
By September 2025, the same portal already reports 23,010 apartments listed for sale that are in an “occupation” situation. In relation to the total sales offer, this represents about 3%.
The increase in the number of such listings between the end of 2024 and September 2025 is about 2,500 apartments, which is nominally not a very large number - but in percentage terms it is an increase of about 12-13%.
It is also pointed out that the problem does not affect just one province: although the geographic distribution varies - in the province of Barcelona, for example, the share of bids with occupation reached 7.6% in 2024.

How to interpret this data?

Upward trend: The data show that the number of apartments with occupation in sales listings is increasing - although it is still a small part of the total market (3% is relatively small).
Don't panic, but note: This doesn't mean that Spain is turning into a “mass occupation” country. Rather, that owners and the market are beginning to be more aware of the phenomenon and are increasingly identifying/marking it.
Is the problem “systemic”? One might assume not - most apartments in Spain sell without such complications - but it is clear that for the owner affected by the occupation, the situation can be problematic: a drop in the value of the apartment, longer procedures, risks. As an Idealista spokesman puts it: “la sensación de desprotección de los propietarios” is increasing.
Comparison with other countries: In many European countries, there are cases of tenants not paying or unfairly occupying properties. In the Spanish context, however, it is important to note that this phenomenon is becoming apparent not only in rentals, but also in offers for sale - which may be a signal of greater market sensitivity.
“Sweeping under the rug?” Rather, the data suggests the opposite - the problem is attracting media and analyst attention, becoming part of the debate about real estate, landlord protection and housing law, rather than being completely ignored

What does this mean for the Polish community in Spain?

For Polish homeowners in Spain or those considering buying property in the country, the following findings may have practical significance:

It is worth carefully checking the legal status of the property - whether there is no seizure, occupation, whether the apartment can actually be freely transferred.
When listing an apartment for sale or rent - it is worth taking into account the risk: an apartment with an occupation can be sold or rented at a much lower price, as Idealist points out.
Better awareness - the fact that the portal shows data on occupied housing helps market transparency and better decision-making.
Although the problem is relatively limited (3%), in terms of the number of offers (more than 23,000) it can be significant in some regions - so preparation and knowledge are an asset.

A picture emerges from the data for 2024-2025: the phenomenon of illegally occupied apartments put up for sale in Spain is on the rise, although it remains a minority (about 3% of listings). It cannot be considered a massive threat to the market, but definitely an element that needs attention - especially from those who are owners or investors. It is a real problem, but not a catastrophic one; it is not completely “swept under the rug” as data is collected, published and commented on.