Why Many Properties Fail To Sell In Mijas Costa And The Inland Costa Del Sol

And How To Fix It Quickly

Selling a home in Mijas Costa or anywhere inland from Mijas Pueblo through to Coín, Alhaurín el Grande, Álora, Cartama, Pizarra, Monda, Ojén and the wider countryside should not be a struggle. Buyer demand for well positioned homes across the Costa del Sol remains strong all year round.

Yet many sellers still end up facing the same situation.

Their property goes online. A few enquiries come through in the early days. Then everything slows. Viewings drop. Offers do not arrive. Weeks pass and the listing starts to feel stale. Many sellers begin to believe the market is the problem, when the truth is very different.

Homes do not fail to sell because the market is weak.

They fail because the strategy behind the listing is not aligned with today’s buyers.

After years of working in Mijas Costa and the inland countryside, helping sellers from Spain, the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Germany, the same three issues appear time and time again.

The good news is that all of them are fixable.

Below are the real reasons properties struggle to sell in our region and how to turn things around quickly.

1. Pricing Based On What Is For Sale Instead Of What Has Actually Sold

This is the most common mistake in the Costa del Sol property market.

Many sellers open the main portals, look at the asking prices of similar properties, and assume that those advertised figures reflect real value.

But this creates a false impression because:

Most properties still online at high prices are unsold for one very clear reason. They are overpriced.

Anyone can list a home for any amount. Online listings tell you what people want to achieve, not what the market is willing to pay. The real value of a home is only revealed in the prices recently achieved for completed sales in the last three to six months.

When a property is priced using unrealistic online comparisons, several things happen:

• Enquiries slow down
• Serious buyers ignore the listing
• The property loses early momentum
• Viewings fall away
• It becomes harder to recover interest later

A well-priced home will always attract interest quickly in the Mijas Costa and inland Costa del Sol markets. A poorly priced home will always struggle. It really is that simple.

2. Presentation That Does Not Meet Modern Buyer Expectations

The way buyers search for homes has changed dramatically.

Whether they are relocating from the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland or Germany, buyers now expect to feel an emotional connection before they book a flight to Spain.

This means presentation is no longer optional.

It is essential.

With so many properties competing for attention on Idealista, thinkSPAIN, Kyero, Fotocasa, A Place in the Sun and Habitaclia, buyers will scroll past anything that does not immediately catch the eye.

What people want today includes:

• Beautiful, bright lifestyle photography
• Professional walk-through video tours
• Clear floor plans
• Drone footage for countryside and rural settings
• Clean, uncluttered and well-prepared interiors
• A strong sense of space, layout and light

A good video tour alone can double enquiries.

Buyers want to see how the home flows, where the terraces sit, how the light enters the rooms, what the views look like and how the property lives day to day. If the presentation is weak, the emotional connection never forms and interest remains low.

This is even more important for country homes and inland fincas in Coín, Alhaurín el Grande, Álora, Pizarra or Monda, where lifestyle matters just as much as the bricks and mortar.

3. Marketing That Does Not Reach The Right Buyer Groups

The Costa del Sol buyer pool is broad, but not random. Different areas attract different kinds of buyers.

• A modern apartment in Mijas Costa appeals to one audience.
• A rustic country finca near Coín or Álora appeals to another.
• A renovated villa near Mijas Pueblo attracts a very different demographic again.
  
  A common mistake is to use the same marketing message for every property. But success comes from targeting the right audiences, including:
  
  
• UK families looking for space, schools and community
• Scandinavian buyers attracted to light, design and orientation
• Remote workers needing strong internet, terraces and privacy
• Retirees seeking low-maintenance living and easy access
• Spanish domestic buyers looking to relocate inland for better value

When marketing does not speak directly to these groups, enquiries remain shallow. When it does, the difference is immediate.

Where We Showcase Your Property Online 

Maximum Exposure Across Spain, The UK And Northern Europe

When you instruct us to sell your home, it does not just appear on one portal.

We place your property on all the major Spanish and international platforms, ensuring it is seen by millions of active buyers every month. Here is where your property appears and why it matters.

Idealista – The Number One Property Portal In Spain

Idealista is the most visited property portal in Spain with close to 11 million monthly users, and more than 14 million people check listings each month across Spain’s main portals. It attracts local Spanish buyers as well as international users from France, Germany, the UK and other northern European countries.

For sellers in Mijas Costa, Mijas Pueblo and the inland countryside, Idealista is essential. It is where serious buyers begin their search and where your property gains strong, sustained visibility.

thinkSPAIN – The English Language Hub For Expats

thinkSPAIN receives over one million visits every month and has been one of the main English language property portals since 2003.

It reaches British, Irish and northern European expats researching life in Spain and then moving directly into the property pages.

This portal is especially strong for homes inland from the coast, where lifestyle buyers come searching for space, views, countryside and authenticity.

Kyero – A Leading Portal For Overseas Buyers

Kyero is one of the most recognised international portals for people searching outside their home country. It is used heavily by UK and Irish buyers and by northern Europeans comparing Spain with Portugal, France and Italy.

Your property is promoted to a motivated audience of buyers who already know they want a life in the sun and are actively comparing areas like Mijas, Coín, Alhaurín el Grande and Álora.

Fotocasa – One Of Spain’s Largest Domestic Portals

Fotocasa has millions of monthly users and forms part of the Scout24 group. It attracts:

• Spanish buyers looking for a permanent home
• Investors searching for opportunities in Málaga province
• International buyers from the US, Belgium and the Netherlands who increasingly use Spanish portals

This platform strengthens your exposure to serious Spanish domestic buyers, especially in areas like Coín, Alhaurín el Grande and Cartama.

Habitaclia – Strong Mediterranean Reach For Spanish Buyers

Habitaclia, also part of Scout24, is heavily used along the Mediterranean coast.

Around 94 percent of its users are based in Spain, with additional visitors from France and Germany.

It is a key portal for reaching Spanish speaking buyers who are open to relocating inland for space, views and better value.

Why This Multi-Portal Strategy Works

By listing your home on Idealista, thinkSPAIN, Kyero, A Place in the Sun, Fotocasa and Habitaclia, we ensure:

• Exposure to millions of monthly buyers across Spain, the UK and northern Europe
• A balance of Spanish domestic and international demand
• Availability in both English and Spanish
• Strong visibility for countryside properties, not just coastal homes
• Coverage across all buyer types, including families, retirees, investors and remote workers
• Your property is seen by the right people in the right countries at the right time.

This multi-portal strategy is one of the reasons our inland listings receive strong enquiry levels and attract buyers who genuinely appreciate the lifestyle of the Costa del Sol countryside.

Final Thoughts: Selling A Property In Mijas Costa Or Inland Costa Del Sol Requires Strategy, Not Luck

Property does not sit unsold because of a weak market. It sits unsold because something in the strategy is misaligned with what buyers want today.

Once you correct the key issues:

✔ Pricing based on real completed sales

✔ Presentation that creates an emotional connection

✔ Marketing that targets the correct buyer groups

✔ Full exposure across the major portals used by international and Spanish buyers

Everything changes.

Well-presented and well positioned homes across Mijas Costa, Mijas Pueblo, Coín, Alhaurín el Grande, Álora, Cartama, Pizarra, Monda, Ojén and the wider inland region sell faster and more smoothly when the right approach is used.

Thinking About Selling?

If you would like:

A free valuation based on real sold data

Expert advice on preparing your home for the market

Professional video and photography

International and Spanish marketing across all major portals

You can contact us directly through our website: