Few native residents own a second home

Staff Reporter ONLY 17.3 percent (16'357) of the 94'350 second homes owned in the Balearics belong to residents of the islands, while the remaining 82.7 percent (77'993) belong to people from outside the region, with British and German owners being predominant in this category. According to a recent population survey of residents in Spain published by the central government Ministry of Public Works, the Balearics are one of the areas of Spain where the least number of native residents own a second property within their own Community. The Islands are superceded only by Estremedura, with only 9.3 percent of second homes owned by local people; and Castilla-La Mancha (10.2 percent). At the opposite end of the scale, 51.1 percent of second homes in Asturias are owned by local people; 42.1 percent in the Basque Country and 38.2 percent in Navarra. At a national level, the enquiry reveals that the majority of Spaniards who own a second home, have chosen to have it situated less than 100 kilometres away from their main property. Of the journeys made to second residences, 41 percent are of a distance less than 100 kilometres, while the figure drops to 11.6 percent for the category of journeys which amount to more than 100 kilometres.