The number of properties sold in Spain decreased 24.6% in 2009 compared with 2008

In this period, recorded sales of used housing have maintained a greater degree of adjustment (27.8% to 191,255 sales) and new builds (21.8% to 231,859 sales).

The number of properties sold in Spain decreased 24.6% in 2009 compared with 2008

The total number of home sales recorded during the 2009 was 423,114, representing a decrease of 24.6 percent from 2008, according to data released today by the College Registrar of Property.

In this period, recorded sales of used housing have maintained a greater degree of adjustment (27.8% to 191,255 sales) and new builds (21.8% to 231,859 sales). However, registrars expect in the coming months to converge the result of sales of both types of housing.

Data published by the Association of Registrars hardly differ with the National Statistics Institute from information provided by notaries, to suggest that last year there were 414,811 transactions, 24.9% less than in 2008.

The autonomous communities with the greatest reductions were Castilla-La Mancha (38.2%), Balearic Islands (32.6%), Asturias (28.6%), Valencia (27.6%), Murcia (27.3%), while those that experienced smallest decreases were La Rioja (10.1%), Cantabria (12%), Aragon (17%) and the Basque Country (19.2%).

In the last twelve months, the average mortgage amount per household stood at 121,525 euros, representing a decrease of 14.6% over 2008, while the average monthly mortgage payment in 2009 decreased by 19%.

In the last quarter has been the predominance of variable interest rates (97.47% of the total) compared with fixed interest rates (2.53%).

Contract term mortgages have slowed their downward trend, rebounding in the last quarter of the year to 24 years and 4 months. Savings banks financed 49.7% of mortgage credit granted in the last quarter of the year, banks increased its market share, they provided 40.2% of mortgage credit, while others accounted for 10 %.