The Forbes Real Estate Forum, held in Marbella, has revealed that the annual investment in high-end housing on the Costa del Sol exceeds €3 billion, with a new profile of buyer seeking to reside rather than just holiday.
The luxury residential market on the Costa del Sol generates over €3 billion a year, according to the findings of the 'Forbes Real Estate Forum Costa del Sol: Luxury, Business & Future Living', held on June 25 at the Kimpton Los Monteros hotel in Marbella. The event, organised by Forbes Spain and CDComunicación, brought together institutional representatives, developers, investors, and industry experts to analyse the current state of the market and future challenges.
During the opening, the general director of Forbes Spain, Cristiano Badoch, noted that the Costa del Sol “has ceased to be merely a dream holiday destination and has transformed into a strategic point for high-level conversations and networking.” On the institutional front, the deputy for Employment and Training of Tourism Costa del Sol, Mª del Carmen Márquez, advocated for listening to the business fabric to anticipate market demands. Meanwhile, the first deputy mayor of Marbella, Félix Romero, defended the municipality's roadmap towards a sustainable, inclusive, green, and connected urban model.
The CEO of CDComunicación, Carmen Durán, highlighted the need to “manage the success” of a market that attracts over €3 billion a year in high-quality residential investment in the Golden Triangle, becoming one of the main economic engines of the province. “High-quality housing is not just a real estate market; it is a true industry,” Durán stated, reminding that behind each project are developers, construction companies, architects, engineers, landscapers, interior designers, technology firms, installers, professional services, and hundreds of auxiliary workers.
The forum was structured into four discussion panels. The first, focused on the rise of luxury residential, addressed land scarcity, the evolution of the international buyer, and the lack of skilled labour. Participants included José Andrés Mena, CEO of JAMENA Construcciones; Artur Loginov, CEO of Drumelia Real Estate; and Vitaliy Rushchynskyy, developer of Tyrian Residences, moderated by Jorge Manrique de Lara, advisor of EBISUM and professor of Commercial Law at the University of Málaga. The speakers agreed that the profile of the international buyer has changed significantly: they no longer seek a second holiday residence but a place to live, work, educate their children, and develop business activities. This change generates a more demanding demand that values technology and is oriented towards services, well-being, security, and quality of life.
The second panel discussed the role of architecture, landscaping, technology, and technical installations in redefining high-quality housing. Speakers included Laura Pou, CEO of Laura Pou Paisajismo; Roque Justicia, general director of PROINSERMANT; and Antonio Ruiz, CMO & PR of ARK Architects, moderated by Sonia Ruiz Bartolomé, project director at Novakey. The debate highlighted the importance of integrating architecture, landscape, energy efficiency, acoustic comfort, climate control, sustainability, and design tailored to the buyer's lifestyle from the outset.
The forum also included panels on financing and new business models, as well as the future of the luxury market in the region. Experts agreed that the Costa del Sol maintains its international appeal but must face challenges such as land availability, training qualified professionals, and the sustainability of growth. The event concluded with a call for public-private collaboration to ensure that the sector's development benefits the entire province.
A new edition of the forum is planned for next year, which has established itself as a reference point for the luxury real estate sector in southern Spain.
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