Marbella house prices rise as sales fall in the first half of 2026

3,422 homes were sold across Marbella, Benahavís and Estepona in the first six months of 2026. The figures come from notaries and are cited in the 2026 Marbella Property Market Report. That is 20.7% fewer homes than in the first half of 2025, which was unusually busy. The average price recorded by notaries was about €4,366 per square metre, 15.5% higher than a year earlier.

Asking prices are rising more slowly than before. Figures from the property portal Idealista put Marbella's average asking price at €5,956 per square metre in August 2026. That is 4% more than a year earlier. In February the yearly rise was 7.6%.

The two sets of numbers measure different things. Notary figures record what buyers paid. Portal figures record what sellers ask, and they cover only homes that are advertised.

What it means for buyers

Asking prices and recorded prices are not the same. So price a home from what similar homes have sold for, not from the advert. With fewer sales, a buyer also has more time and more room to negotiate than in the past two years.