Spain is currently building around 100,000 homes a year, compared with 700,000 at the 2007 peak. According to Fotocasa data, 1.8 million would be needed to balance the market — roughly 18 years at the current pace, and that is before future demand is taken into account.
Read moreBBVA Research has raised its shortfall forecast to around 794,000 homes by 2027. The pace of construction will barely meet 48% of new household formation, with prices set to keep rising on the back of scarce supply.
Read moreCatalonia carries a historic shortfall of 150,000 homes and adds 75,000 new households a year, while the private sector builds barely 10,000 to 15,000. A report by the University of Barcelona and Forcadell attributes the mismatch to regulatory changes.
Read moreNew-build construction in Barcelona collapsed by 39% in 2025, in the midst of a housing-access crisis. The fall, tied to a shortage of building land and to planning charges, has pushed permits to their lowest level in a decade.
Read moreSpain’s housing stock has grown by 1.5 million units since 2014, reaching 27 million, but it covers neither population growth nor the accumulated shortfall (around 983,000 homes). At the current pace, the market would take some six decades to reach equilibrium.
Read moreAccording to a survey by the European Parliament Office in Barcelona, most Catalans favour boosting construction and refurbishment (33%) over intervening in the market. Access to housing is now their leading priority for the future of the EU (53%).
Read moreThe Association of Architects of Catalonia reports a sharp slowdown in new-build activity: Barcelona’s permits fell by almost 40% in 2025 — the lowest in ten years — while Catalonia as a whole retreated by 7.5%. The sector points to the shortage of building land and the mandatory 30% set-aside for social housing among the causes.
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