The state of the market, in one sentence

Orihuela Costa remains the most liquid micro-market on the Costa Blanca South. International demand is real and steady — but more discerning than two years ago. Scandinavian buyers no longer accept renovation projects from a distance, and Dutch and Belgian buyers benchmark against new-build before they will even visit.

Demand, by nationality

Swedes and Norwegians concentrate between late January and mid-April, then return in September. Dutch and Belgian buyers dominate winter — November to March. UK buyers are more evenly spread but remain the main buyer in Playa Flamenca and Villamartín. German buyers, fewer in number but with higher budgets, split between Las Colinas and the villas of Cabo Roig.

Corridor by corridor

Villamartín — still the volume engine. Golf resales and townhouses move well at the right price; premium villas take longer to place if unrefurbished.
La Zenia — clear premium for walkability to the Boulevard. Refurbished apartments disappear quickly; unrefurbished ones need an 8–12% adjustment.
Playa Flamenca — steady UK and Dutch demand. Bungalows with gardens and ground-floor apartments with terraces are the most active band.
Cabo Roig — premium corridor. Front-line villas with genuine views still command a 20% premium over inland.
Punta Prima — short stock in villas with views; active Norwegian and Belgian demand.
Campoamor & Las Colinas — Dutch and German buyer, higher ticket, slower cycle but clean completion.

What is going stale

Properties listed between spring and summer 2025 without any price adjustment are now sliding into "burned" territory: more than six months on portals with no movement. Serious buyers discard them straight away — they assume something is wrong. By the time the price is finally cut, the property is meeting a market that no longer looks at it with interest. This pattern explains much of the 12–18% gap we are seeing between asking price and accepted offer.

What is selling

Properties refurbished in the kitchen and bathrooms, professionally photographed, priced honestly from day one. Ground-floor apartments with gardens in La Zenia and Playa Flamenca, apartments within walking distance of the Boulevard, and villas with genuine views in Punta Prima and Cabo Roig are the most fluid bands. The difference between selling in 4 weeks and 6 months sits in the combination of opening price and presentation quality — not in how many portals carry the listing.

Tax-aware seller checklist

For non-resident sellers, three numbers matter more than the asking price: the 3% retention at the notary, the form 210 capital gains liability, and the plusvalía municipal. Sellers who model these before going to market price with confidence; those who do not, lose negotiating leverage when buyers push and the real net becomes a moving target.

Recommendation for owners

If you are considering coming to market in the next few months, the two costliest mistakes we are seeing are: listing at an aspirational price ("let's see what happens") and underestimating the weight of professional photography. Neither corrects itself with time — on the contrary, both worsen.

How Orihuela Costa is moving.