Real estate investment doubles in Barcelona and office leasing grows by 13%

Real estate investment is regaining momentum in the Catalan capital. According to consultancy firm JLL, the volume of assets leased in Barcelona during the first half of the year doubled compared with the same period last year. By the end of June, investment had surpassed €1.3 billion, 92% higher than in 2024.

This figure does not include the purchase of Mango’s logistics centre in Lliçà de Munt (Barcelona) by Punta Na, the holding company of businessman Isak Andic’s family, for an estimated €170 million at the end of July. Covering 280,000 square metres, it is one of the largest real estate assets in Europe.

The figures show growth across nearly all market segments, reflecting the confidence of both domestic and international investors. Notable rebounds were seen in the office market (€420 million), logistics (€300 million), hospitality (€250 million) and retail (€130 million). Real estate investment forecasts for 2025 as a whole point to around 300,000 square metres.

Office leasing in Barcelona reached 88,000 square metres in the second quarter of this year, up 22% on the same period last year, highlighting the sector’s ongoing recovery. In the first half of the year as a whole, the total volume leased reached 142,000 square metres, 13% more than in the first six months of last year, according to real estate consultancy Forcadell.

It is also noteworthy that 49% of office space leased in Barcelona during the second quarter was in the 22@ district. Strong demand for office space in this part of the city at the end of the last decade spurred the construction of new buildings, adding 300,000 square metres delivered from 2020 onwards, just before the pandemic hit. These latest figures confirm the recovery and leadership of the 22@ district as the driving force of Barcelona’s office market, signalling the beginning of the end for vacant space in the area.