Regarding the inheritance aspect, any tax relating to a purchase shouldn't affect an inheritance, unless they change the inheritance tax laws (which are set by region) , likewise any beneficiary who chose to sell would only be hit if they changed CGT.

There might be some British people around but nowhere near the huge numbers that were here 20-25 years ago when it was at its peak. Literally everyone we knew from 25 years ago has gone back to the UK bar one couple. Admittedly they are all very old or dead now but it stands to reason that British people will diminish in numbers because they are not being replaced due to Brexit. I can think of countless people I have met over the years who wouldn't have a cat in hell's chance of moving to Spain now because they wouldn't qualify for a visa. Losing EU freedom of movement is no small thing, it's huge and the consequences are far reaching.

I doubt any of these proposals will happen but it's always going to be more difficult for non EU nationals here in numerous ways be it property issues or inheritance tax etc.

I never said that house prices need to increase but that a simple non resident tax will stop people moving within an area that has free movement is a myth.

People living there permanently would also mean more traffic, more pollution, more people draining resources etc. Just because there are more pensioners doesn't mean the staff in the medical sector can afford property.

At the end of the day house prices are linked with the economy and we can't change that.

You could of course create incentives for people who sell their property to the government as long as it's guaranteed that it will be turned into affordable rental property for locals.

Thats already an available thing here. The council in Polop have 'inherited' a few properties from both Spanish and foreigners who had no family and have left the property to the town for 'social' use.

Yes people like ourselves will age and eventually disappear. That said certainly July to September I hear more British voices in Torre Del Mar these days than I did 20 odd years ago when we first visited the area. Back then yes around Competa there were lots of Brits . I was also surprised last year when we visited Cadiz how many Brits presumably tourists there were, certainly more than the last time we had visited . We travelled by train to Cadiz from Jerez and got off at the wrong station which meant a walk along the sea front into the centre, all we heard was British voices. So yes of course Brexit has caused some to go back but there are certainly still plenty visiting, holiday home owners or living here. We are currently visiting Asturias and drove here from near Torre, 2 overnight stays en route one near Valdepenas one just outside Burgos. So far apart from Spaniards who realise we aren't Spanish, apart from me and the wife we haven't heard any English voice.

Yes that would a good initiative for both sides especially say on inheritance. The problem I see with that though is that many of us who retired to live in Spain live either in rural village properties or some quite remote campo properties., do young Spaniards looking for a home want to live in such properties? Maybe yes the grand compo house but then their is cost of maintainable including the extensive exterior land etc to maintain. Housing situation is an issue for most countries these days because of past housing booms.in particular that applies to UK and some but not all areas of Spain.

Isn't it the case in Spain that if there is no one to inherit assets or if an inheritance is refused by the inheritor that the assets pass to Spanish authorities anyway?

That's good to hear 👍

I agree, problem with campo is often lack of jobs and things on offer for younger people rather than house prices.

On an island like Mallorca you will have other issues but incentives have always worked better than punishment.
I think you are right and if no family it goes to State but then it's often sold to banks, private investors etc.. As Barriej mentioned, it seems to work in Polop which looks like a far better solution.

Yes I agree that is a better solution

Not sure this law is going to stop the Dutch moving too Spain on mass. Holland has become a very over crowded country. It’s just a case of supply and demand.

Holland is in the EU so they are not affected.

You were saying that lower property prices... would be a bad thing because even more foreigners would purchase them. I honestly cannot imagine telling non-property-owning locals that higher property prices are actually benefiting them?

The whole idea is that if you buy a property here then you should live here permanently... or pay a substantial property tax. Take your pick. Residents contribute to the economy and they should be welcomed. Those hogging properties that are vacant most of the time (or worse yet, converted into "holiday lets") should have to contribute in a different way, namely by paying a substantial property tax.

I don't think people cherish the idea of having ghost towns here in Spain. Or seeing properties plucked and taken over by foreigners who rarely show up.

If you're here, you're contributing to the economy, plain and simple.

I wholeheartedly agree with the above and it can be seen in places with a high percentage of second homes and rentals that the local governments are struggling to keep basic services going.

Ive been contemplating a move in a year or so and we have been visiting places south of us (we are in Polop in the mountains inland of Benidorm) where the town has a 30 something percent foreign resident population (and possibly 10% more are second homes)
One of the places we were struck with maybe moving to, is the area around the Mar Menor. specifically Los Alcazares.

I have a cousin who owns a holiday flat on one of the urbs and we visit a couple of times a year.
In early may we headed there with our daughter and her other half who were visiting from OZ and I wanted to them to see Murcia and Cartagena and to see if they liked where we might move too.
We stayed in an apartment owned by the local hotel (wont use Air BnB out of principle) in one of the quieter areas north of the town in what is known as Narejos and it has lots of small developments.

Anyway, walking around LA in the early evening it was surprising how untidy the place actually is away from the sea front and the 525 strip. Lots of empty lots, old buildings that were in dire need of repair, overflowing bins and untidy streets.
So I checked the local council website and did some other digging.
It turns out that nearly 70% of the properties in the area are second homes or rentals, so the council doesnt get much money from central government as the padron numbers are low.
Ok they get IBI etc but I think most of that goes to the tourist areas.

This town is one that would benefit greatly from a second property tax, but one not just paid by foreigners as I found out that a large number of the empty houses were actually Spanish second homes (we witnessed that last August when we were there as the Spanish out numbered everyone else.)

But thats the problem, its always the foreigners fault. Just like it is everywhere else in the world. So I doubt nothing will actually ever be done about this except maybe price out people who may have wanted to retire here at some point in the future but wanted a holiday home for now.

And its sort of put me off moving down that way as well to be honest.

I think what you describe is typical of most areas that have taken the tourism/holiday home route. The money goes to keep the prime tourist sea front areas to attract more tourism or property ownership whilst large parts of the town are neglected as far as infrastructure is concerned. Really the problem lies with over reliance on tourism and property de development for either second home ownership for foreigners and Spaniards including those that want property for brief holidays but mainly as investment including holiday rentals. This includes foreigners 3rd country but mainly EU and Spaniards. So the whole model has become flawed and now central government is keen for votes so try and penalize the foreigners, they cant penalize EU foreigners so they look at the 3rd country ones. The areas have little real industry so tourism was seen as a saver but now it would seem the wheel has come off the plan as far as housing and the Spanish public of these areas. What's the answer? reduce tourism increase available properties for people of the area but that is weighed off against loss of revenue for government both local and national so they keep on developing more and more properties land and coastal areas for tourism. Near us is prime example the development of Torre del Mar area and Torrox is going on at pace with plans passed for large developments for property and a Marina. It will only stop when they have turned the area into what happened west of Malaga simply for revenue income . Its not by chance its what the local government want they have been pushing the Axarquia coast as an holiday destination for some time .