Thousands of tourist apartments are set to disappear from platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com in Andalucia, but property experts say it won’t meaningfully bring down rental prices.
Under a crackdown led by Spain’s Ministerio de Vivienda, more than 21,000 tourist properties across Andalucia have been rejected from official listings for failing to meet new legal requirements.
In Sevilla alone, around 5,000 homes will vanish from major platforms.
The move is aimed at tackling illegal holiday rentals and freeing up housing for residents. But those working in the property sector say the reality is far more complex.
Fran Prieto, president of the Sevilla-based real estate group Alianza Sevilla, says the measure will have little real impact on rents.
‘The rental market won’t see anything significant,’ he told regional newspaper El Correo.
‘Supply is still far too low and demand is extremely high.’
According to Prieto, Sevilla would need around 10,000 additional affordable rental homes to meaningfully reduce prices, which is far more than the few thousand properties potentially shifting away from tourist use.
Instead, he expects a mixed outcome in which some properties will move into long-term rentals, others will be put up for sale, and many owners will simply find alternative ways to continue operating outside traditional platforms.
Premium locations, premium prices
Another key factor is location, as many of the affected properties are concentrated in high-demand, high-income neighbourhoods such as Triana, Los Remedios and Nervion, where rental prices are already among the highest in the city.
‘That means they won’t suddenly become affordable,’ added estate agent Antonio Segura. ‘They’re in premium zones, and they’ll continue to command high prices.’
Even if some are converted into long-term rentals, they are unlikely to ease pressure on lower and middle-income tenants.
Owners likely to adapt, not exit
Experts also point out that most tourist apartment owners are small landlords, often with just one or two properties, rather than large-scale investors.
For many, switching to long-term rentals – which typically offer lower returns and greater legal uncertainty – is not an attractive option.
‘The market will find a way,’ said another property professional, ‘Owners will adapt, regroup and continue operating in different ways.’
This could include marketing properties through social media or alternative channels, effectively bypassing the restrictions imposed on major platforms.
More impact on sales than rentals
Where the policy could have a clearer effect is on the sales market.
An increase in properties being put up for sale, particularly in already saturated areas, could stabilise or even slightly reduce property prices.
But in the rental market, the impact is expected to be negligible.
Demand for housing in Andalucia remains far above supply, meaning any additional properties are likely to be quickly absorbed without driving prices down.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
