The Barcelona housing market requires a radical rethink of urban density and apartment sizes, according to the head of the region’s real estate agents. Montserrat Junyent, president of the Official College of Real Estate Agents (COAPI) of Barcelona, has called for the city to embrace apartments as small as 30 square metres to address the chronic lack of supply. Her call comes as new reports show that Catalonia’s housing crisis is set to worsen in 2026.
In a recent interview, Junyent argued that demographic shifts in the Catalan capital have rendered traditional housing stocks obsolete. With households shrinking and demand soaring, she suggests that smaller, well-designed living spaces are not only necessary but could be a dignified solution for many residents. Therefore, the Barcelona housing market must adapt.
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Home » Barcelona housing market: Experts urge shift to 30sqm apartments
Demographic shifts drive demand for smaller homes in the Barcelona housing market
The core of Junyent’s argument lies in the changing social fabric of Barcelona. She noted that the average number of inhabitants per home has dropped from 2.7 to 2.1. This reduction increases the pressure on the Barcelona housing market, as more individual units are needed to house the same population.
“There can be dignified homes in 30 square metres, and they would have great demand. But the Administration has to work on densities; it has been requested to make them more flexible for a long time.”Montserrat Junyent
Junyent emphasised that the city is moving towards a typology of increasingly smaller flats. While shared housing and room rentals are growing sectors, she believes the market must also provide independent living options for single-person households who cannot afford or do not need large family apartments.
Converting commercial spaces for the Barcelona housing market
To generate this new supply, the COAPI president pointed to the potential of unused commercial premises. Neighbourhoods such as Sants and Gràcia are dotted with ground-floor locals, back-shops, and mezzanines that have long ceased to have commercial value.
Junyent argues these spaces should be transformed into housing. “They must have the possibility of transformation,” she stated, suggesting that flexible urban planning could unlock significant square footage in high-demand areas without the need for new construction.
Impact of new rental regulations on the Barcelona housing market
The interview also touched upon the controversial new regulations affecting seasonal and room rentals, introduced at the start of the year. Junyent was critical of the legislative approach, warning that it is based on the false premise that all temporary rentals are fraudulent attempts to bypass price caps.
According to Junyent, the immediate impact on the Barcelona housing market has been a contraction in supply rather than the intended protection of tenants. She revealed reports that over 500 listings may have already disappeared from property portals in Barcelona as owners react to the uncertainty. This local trend mirrors the situation nationally, with new data confirming Spain’s tourist housing decline following a digital crackdown.
“The owner who opted for seasonal rental did not intend to earn more money, but to have more security,” she explained. Following changes to the housing law in 2024, many landlords felt unprotected and shifted to monthly rentals to mitigate the risk of non-payment and evictions. The new restrictions, she argues, leave owners with few options other than selling their properties or leaving them empty.
A call for proactive policy for the Barcelona housing market
Junyent lamented that the real estate sector feels excluded from political debate, describing current housing laws as “reactive rather than proactive.” She criticised the reliance on interventionist measures that, in her view, fail to address the root cause of the crisis: a lack of supply to match strong demographic pressure.
With prices continuing to rise and mobility stagnating because tenants cannot find alternatives, the sector is calling for a shift in strategy. Instead of further restrictions, Junyent advocates for legal security for owners and flexible planning rules that reflect the reality of how people live in Barcelona today. Meanwhile, there are also movements on the public front, such as the Barcelona City Council’s public housing investment drive.
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