Two measures of liquidity
- Absorption: annual sales divided by the number of homes for sale. Above 100 per cent, the stock turns over more than once a year.
- Months of supply: how long current stock would last at the current pace of sales. If 880 homes are for sale and 840 sell each year (70 a month), that is 12.6 months.
These figures do not predict how long your own home will take to sell; they measure competition between sellers. A well-priced home sells faster than the average and an overpriced one much more slowly. On average, a comparable home takes four to five months longer to sell in Málaga city than in Torremolinos, not because it is worse but because it competes with far more stock.
The twelve markets side by side
Indicative figures based on our local partners' estimates, drawn from published supply and twelve months of transaction volumes up to mid-2026. Useful for comparing markets with each other, not for valuing an individual property.
| Town | Sales per year | For sale | Absorption | Months of supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torremolinos | 780 | 750 | 104% | 11.5 |
| Benalmádena | 1,020 | 1,050 | 97% | 12.4 |
| Rincón de la Victoria | 600 | 620 | 97% | 12.4 |
| Fuengirola | 840 | 880 | 95% | 12.6 |
| Nerja | 480 | 520 | 92% | 13.0 |
| Mijas Costa | 760 | 850 | 89% | 13.4 |
| Nueva Andalucía | 540 | 620 | 87% | 13.8 |
| Mijas | 1,250 | 1,500 | 83% | 14.4 |
| Estepona | 980 | 1,200 | 82% | 14.7 |
| Marbella | 1,520 | 1,900 | 80% | 15.0 |
| Manilva | 380 | 480 | 79% | 15.2 |
| Málaga city | 2,150 | 2,900 | 74% | 16.2 |
| Costa del Sol overall | 11,300 | 13,270 | 85% | 14.1 |
Why some markets turn faster than others
Fast (Torremolinos to Fuengirola). Towns that are lived in all year, with apartments averaging 82 to 100 m² and prices between €3,455 and €3,620 per m². Both residents and foreign buyers buy here, and in this price band the pool of potential buyers is largest.
Mid-paced (Nerja, Mijas Costa, Nueva Andalucía). Healthy markets, but more seasonal or more dependent on foreign buyers who decide at particular times of year.
Slow (Mijas, Estepona, Marbella, Manilva, Málaga city). The reasons differ. Mijas and Manilva cover a large territory with scattered supply. In Marbella and Nueva Andalucía there are fewer buyers per home in that price band. Estepona has the highest share of new builds in its supply, 29 per cent, which swells the stock.
Málaga city shows that price growth and speed of sale are two different things: prices there rose by about 10.1 per cent, yet every seller competes with a very large supply. Torremolinos rose less (+9.4 per cent) and sells fastest.
Property type affects liquidity too
Of all the homes for sale on the coast, 21 per cent have one bedroom, 36 per cent two, 27 per cent three and 16 per cent four or more. The two-bedroom apartment is the core product: as a seller you compete with many others, but you also reach the widest pool of buyers, from couples and investors to retirees and second-home buyers. See two bedrooms. A large villa faces little direct competition, but also a much narrower circle of buyers.
Weighing liquidity and yield together
Fast sales and high yields do not always go together:
- Manilva has the highest gross yield (c. 7.5 per cent) and is the second-slowest market.
- Torremolinos combines c. 7.2 per cent with the fastest sales: the most balanced profile if you want to keep the option of selling.
- Rincón de la Victoria sells quickly but yields less (c. 5.8 per cent), because buyers are mostly owner-occupiers.
- Nueva Andalucía has the lowest yield (c. 4.5 per cent); buyers there do not buy for rental income.
A 7.5 per cent yield in a market with fifteen months of supply is therefore not directly comparable with 6.5 per cent in a market with twelve. If you plan to sell later, bear in mind that an asking price above market costs more in a slow market, and that September to November and March to May are usually the busiest months for sales, with August and December the quietest. See also valuations and values and yield by area.
CostaVista guides you towards a purchase in which yield and ease of exit have been weighed in advance, and takes care of the whole process together with our local partners. Contact us or browse the current listings.
General information, as of October 2026. This is not legal, tax or financial advice; for your own situation, consult an independent specialist.