Although there are no official numbers confirming the market inventory - that is the number of homes for sale - it is possible to make an estimation based on information found in real estate portals and property databases. This at least gives us an idea of what the tendency is.
GRÁFICO 1 - NÚMERO DE VIVIENDAS VENDIDAS EN MARBELLA 2º TRIMESTRE 2021
and Benahavís is shown on Charts 1 and 2. Looking at both charts, the tendency is clear. There is a reduction of the number of properties for sale in the market, which is directly associated with the increase of the number of sales we have been experiencing. The inventory reached historical maximums in the last years and as I mentioned before, this affected property prices. The real estate market works in the same way as other markets: more offer available, lower prices. Now we are in a situation with more demand, more sales, and less inventory, which should push up the prices as was the case in 2021.
GRÁFICO 2 - NÚMERO DE VIVIENDAS VENDIDAS EN BEHAHAVÍS 2º TRIMESTRE 2021
Looking at the details, we can see that the inventory is going down for all types of properties and prices apart from villas on sale for more than 1.500.000 euros. The tendency in this range is similar in Marbella and Benahavís, staying stable rather than going down.
The conclusion is that the market is moving from a “buyers´ market” to a “sellers´ market” and this market change will be reinforced if the figures continue going in the same direction, that is more transactions and less inventory.
The chart showing the absorption rate - or the number of months it takes to sell the whole inventory - attached on the left as Chart 3, shows exactly that. A reduction in the number of months to sell the full inventory means that it is easier to sell now than it was a year ago.