31.8 percent of people looking for a habitual rental property in the Valencian Community have to move to the outskirts due to high rental prices in their city of reference.
They are mostly couples, with and without children, with an average age of 35.6 years, renting apartments of 80.8 square meters as their primary residence for an average rent of 874 euros, according to a study conducted by the National Federation of Real Estate Associations (FAI) and the Spanish Society of Guaranteed Rent, in collaboration with the Valencian Community Real Estate Association (Asicval).
Two years after the implementation of the Housing Law, the demand for rentals in the Valencian Community continues to grow, increasing from 23.9% in June 2024 to 32.4% currently. The tension between supply and demand also «persists,» as real estate agents point to a 33.6% decrease in rental properties on the market. These are the main conclusions of the study conducted by these entities on the evolution of habitual rental housing, as reported in a statement.
«We are facing an exceptional situation where various factors coincide. This year, leases signed in 2020 before the price surge are expiring, forcing these tenants to face a very different rental scenario than five years ago, having to bear much higher rents than they were paying and having to look outside the city to find more affordable rentals,» detailed Nora García Donet, president of Asicval.
According to Valencian real estate agents, the most demanded average price for a rental property is 725.8 euros. However, the average rent of the properties rented by the consulted real estate agents is 874 euros. Precisely, the price is the reason why more and more people (31.8%) are seeking affordable rentals outside their city of reference.
INCREASE IN GUARANTEE CONTRACTS
However, property owners still perceive habitual rentals as a «risky activity,» as in the last year, not only has the number of rental properties on the market decreased by 33.6%, but there has also been a 43.3% increase in the hiring of insurance or guarantees for non-payment of rents among those who decide to opt for this rental modality. This decrease in supply is, however, «slightly lower» than the same period of the previous year, when it stood at -37.8%.
«This year, rental contracts that have expired are returning to the market. On the other hand, the different measures to limit tourist rentals may have led many property owners to rethink the way they want to profit from their properties,» added García Donet.
Nevertheless, she indicated that the scarcity of housing in the market «remains unprecedented.» «Property owners have felt very abandoned since the approval of the Housing Law. It is important to remember that most are small property owners who rent out their first residence or a property inherited, whose rents help them pay the mortgage on their homes. Facing a long process of non-payment and eviction scares them a lot because it can compromise their own personal situation,» she emphasized.
PROFILE
According to Valencian real estate agents, the majority profile of a tenant is childless couples (60.2%), followed by couples with children (59.1%), single individuals (20.4%), and people sharing a flat (19.3%), whether they are friends (11.8%) or multiple family units (7.5%). Rentals by companies represent 7.5%.
In terms of age, the people who rent housing in the Valencian Community are mostly between 20 and 30 years old (45.2%), followed by those between 30 and 40 years old (44.1%), and those between 40 and 50 years old (10.8%). The average age of tenants in the Valencian Community is 35.6 years. Five years ago, the average age was 31.5.
Regarding the purpose of the rental property, 93.5% rent a property as their primary residence, 12.9% as a student flat, 11.8% for professional reasons, and 4.3% as a second residence. The most rented properties by Valencian real estate agents have an average of 80.8 m2.
In response to the worsening housing crisis, Asicval joins FAI’s demands to address housing issues in a comprehensive manner, with policies that cover urban planning, transportation, taxation, and territorial development, involving administrations at all levels in a «great State pact for housing.»
The Survey on the evolution of habitual rental housing since the enactment of the Housing Law, conducted by the National Federation of Real Estate Associations (FAI), the Spanish Society of Guaranteed Rent, and the Valencian Community Real Estate Association (Asicval) was administered online randomly among 706 real estate professionals from all over Spain, 93 from the Valencian Community, in May 2025.
