LPA strengthens the professionalisation of the real estate sector on the Costa del Sol and approaches 2026 with a strategic plan across the region
- LPA participates in the creation of Andalucía´s first federation of real estate associations, scheduled for the 11th of May 2026, to regulate the sector and establish an official register of agents
- Specialist training and client experience are emerging as key strategic pillars to raise professional standards across the Costa del Sol
- LPA is negotiating a pioneering framework agreement with property developers from Málaga to Sotogrande to promote best practice and protect buyers
- With 106 active members and the goal of reaching 120 in 2026, the association is expanding its territorial influence with a recruitment event in Málaga on the 3rd of June
Marbella, 20th of April 2026- The real estate sector on the Costa del Sol is experiencing a moment of profound transformation. International demand shows no signs of slowing down, prices remain at historically high levels, and the buyer profile, increasingly demanding, more informed, and more global, is redefining the rules of the game. In this context, The Leading Property Agents of Spain (LPA), the association that brings together the region’s leading real estate agencies, has launched a 2026 agenda that goes far beyond typical growth objectives: it aims to build the regulatory and institutional foundations that the sector has needed for years.
The roadmap has been shaped through strategic breakfasts that the association holds regularly with its members. These bilingual meetings conducted in Spanish and English have become a benchmark in the sector for analysing the market, sharing knowledge, and anticipating trends. The last one addressed the evolution of the sales and letting market, legal updates affecting tourist rentals, the growing impact of artificial intelligence, and the potential of MLS (multiple listing systems) to support collaborative marketing between agencies. The consensus was unanimous: the sector is advancing, but it needs structure.
“The Costa del Sol is one of the most dynamic and competitive real estate markets in the world, but to consolidate that position in the long term, we need clear rules, high-quality training, and professionals who inspire trust. That is the kind of project that we are building: a sector in which the client is protected, the agent is qualified, and the developers operate with genuine guarantees”, said Álvaro Botella Fernández, President of LPA.
Artificial intelligence and training: the bet on the qualified agent
Artificial intelligence and digitalisation play a central role in the debate. AI tools are simplifying tasks that previously consumed hours of work (automated valuations, document management, demand analysis), and more advanced agencies are already integrating them into their daily operations. However, experts at the LPA breakfast agreed that technology does not replace the agent: it enhances them, provided that they have the appropriate training to use it effectively. That is where the association wants to make a difference.
The association continues to work on a training program that aims to become the benchmark standard for the sector on the Costa del Sol. It is designed in collaboration with the national federation and adapted to the specific characteristics of the local market, with predominantly international demand and operations that require legal, fiscal, and commercial knowledge in several languages. The objective, in addition to training professionals, is to define who can carry out the activity with real guarantees for the client.
The birth of the Andalucían real estate federation: before and after
This regulatory ambition finds its most ambitious expression in what is set to be the institutional milestone of the year: the establishment, on the 11th of May, of the Federation of Real Estate Associations of Andalusia. The project, which will bring together the most important associations from across the Andalusia region, is born with the explicit mandate to promote sector regulation and implement a formal registry of agents. Belonging to this registry will require meeting a demanding criterion: certified training, civil liability insurance, physical presence, and a variable professional track record.
“What is signed in Andalusia in May will mark a before and after for the sector”, says the president of LPA
The new federation will work in close coordination with the API School of Andalusia, with whom it is planned to sign a collaboration agreement that unites the efforts of both institutions on a common front. The agreement, which will be negotiated after the formal establishment of the organisation, aims to avoid duplication and increase the capacity for dialogue with public administrations in order to definitively implement a regulatory framework for the sector in the region.
Framework agreement with developers: structure and guarantees from Málaga to Sotogrande
In parallel with this institutional work, LPA is advancing one of its projects with the greatest direct impact on the market: an agreement with real estate developers active on the Costa del Sol, from Málaga to Sotogrande. The negotiation, which is expected to be formally presented to developers in the next few months, looks to establish structured commercialisation channels, guarantees for agencies and clients, and an incentives system for developers who sign the contract. The mechanism will also include control tools to address the bad practices that still erode the confidence of the end buyer.
New board of directors, 120 members, and expansion into the Málaga capital
Following the celebration of its general assembly, LPA now has 106 active members and has set the goal of reaching 120 members by the end of 2026. The association is chaired by Álvaro Botella Fernández, and its new board of directors is made up of Mia Pearlman (Affinity Elite), José Carlos León (Nvoga Inversiones), Christopher Clover (Panorama Properties), Mariano Ariel Beristain (DMP Realty), Setareh Mohregi Shakiba (Lucas Fox DILS), Javier Pérez de Vargas Ruedas (Pérez de Vargas Abogados), Marina Nitzak (LMG Real Estate), Brice Benarroch Mennessons (Benarroch Real Estate), and Sean Woolley (Cloud Nine Consulting).
To achieve the growth objective, the association has turned its focus to the capital Málaga, an expanding market that has historically remained outside the margins of the coastal corridor dynamics. On June 3, an event specifically aimed at attracting new agencies will be held in Málaga, representing a strategic step for LPA as it expands its reach to the provincial capital. This initiative responds to Málaga’s growing prominence as one of the main business, technological, and creative hubs in southern Europe, consolidating itself as a particularly attractive environment for the development of new professional synergies and collaboration opportunities. With the emerging Andalusian federation, agreements with developers under negotiation, and a training program in development, LPA is approaching 2026 as the year in which the professionalisation of the Andalusian real estate sector ceases to be a goal and becomes a reality.
ABOUT LPA
Founded in June 2020 by a group of professionals with extensive experience on the Costa del Sol, The Leading Property Agents of Spain (LPA) currently brings together more than one hundred companies in the real estate sector. Its mission is to promote a transparent, professional, and client-oriented market, encouraging collaboration between agencies, technological adoption, and the continuous improvement of service.
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TEBA SILES Head of Press MN COMUNICACIÓN prensa@mncomunicacion.com +34 696 321 130 |
