Spain's 'express' rental market grows as apartments disappear in 24 hours

One in six rental homes across Spain is now being let within a day, according to new data from Idealista

One in six rental properties in Spain is being snapped up in under 24 hours, with 'express' listings really taking off in Barcelona and San Sebastián. Finding somewhere to rent in some cities is anything but simple, with properties disappearing almost as soon as they're listed online. According to Idealista data published this week, 16% of homes advertised in the first quarter of 2026 were taken within a day. The figure is up from 14% a year ago, with some hotspots seeing much greater pressure.

San Sebastián and Barcelona are leading the way, and not in a good way for renters. These are the two cities where homes are most likely to vanish within hours of going online. In contrast, cities like Madrid, Valencia, Málaga and Sevilla are still seeing slightly less pressure in the rental market.

In Gipuzkoa, Barcelona and other major cities in Cataluña, two in every five rental listings now last less than 24 hours. That rate has effectively doubled compared with early 2025. In Barcelona, this trend was already obvious late last year, when 36% of homes were snapped up immediately. But San Sebastián has seen an even sharper jump, with 'express' rentals rising from 23% in late 2025 to 40% at the start of 2026. Both cities are officially classed as 'stressed' rental markets and are among the most expensive in Spain.

At the end of the quarter, average rents in San Sebastián were around €18.8 per square metre (roughly €1,500 for an 80m² flat), while Barcelona hit €22.6/m², about €1,800 for the same size property, even after a small annual decrease.

Behind them come smaller cities like Girona, Tarragona, Huesca and Guadalajara, where around three in ten listings still disappear within 24 hours. Several other provincial capitals are also above the national average, including Palma, Bilbao, Zaragoza and the Canary Islands' main cities.

By contrast, Madrid, Málaga, Valencia and Sevilla are slightly less frantic. In Valencia and Sevilla, about one in eight homes are rented within a day, while in Madrid and Málaga it’s closer to one in ten. The trend has eased a bit over the past year in these areas, especially in Valencia, where ‘express’ listings have dropped sharply.

Madrid still stands out for price. Average rent there reached €23.2/m², meaning around €1,850 for an 80m² flat. Málaga and Valencia sit closer to €1,300 for similar homes, while Sevilla remains cheaper at €13.1/m² despite rising over the year.

At the other end of the scale, cities such as León, Ciudad Real and Teruel see very few 'express' rentals.

Read also: Murcia once again reports the highest property price increase in Spain

Image: CC/Tom Page