Current market surveys in Spain make clear the key difference between price sources: the Consejo General del Notariado publishes sale prices from notarised purchases, while property portals show the amounts requested in listings. This explains the commonly observed gap between the two levels, without either reference being “wrong” in itself.
Notary statistics – available through the Portal del Notariado and the Centro de Información Estadística del Notariado – are based on real transactions. They show the price per square metre recorded in the notarised purchase deed. This series is retrospective but reliable: it shows what buyers and sellers actually agreed and signed. In addition, Registradores also report market trends based on land registry entries, which may be recorded some time after notarisation.
Property portals such as Idealista and Fotocasa by contrast, aggregate the asking prices set by owners. This is a snapshot of the visible supply and reflects expectations, pricing strategies and the competitive landscape. Since negotiations are still under way in many cases, these listing prices are often higher than the sale prices ultimately recorded in the deeds. Portals also provide context on availability and the diversity of properties, from location to condition – aspects that are not immediately visible in statistics limited to completed sales.
When using the data, those seeking actual sale prices and reliable comparables for completed purchases should turn to the Consejo General del Notariado series. Those looking to understand market pressures, the breadth of supply and sellers’ price expectations can use property portals. In negotiations, sellers often rely on portal averages, while buyers refer to notarial comparables; the gap typically narrows as negotiations progress.
Differences also arise from reference dates, update cycles and data filters. Notaries count completed transactions only after notarisation, whereas listings appear immediately and may be amended or deleted several times. Some parts of the industry are trying to bring the two worlds together: Fotocasa announced that it would incorporate notarial sale data into its analytical tools to compare listing signals with actual sales. Whether this will sustainably narrow the gap depends on how consistently sale data are integrated and how transparently methodological differences are explained.
Editor: Daniel Mayer (Article created with AI assistance).