International investors attending the Spain Real Estate Summit confirmed their continued interest in the Spanish market, with optimism prevailing in their investment intentions for the Iberian country. On the 5th and 6th of May, Iberian Property returned to Madrid with the 2026 edition of the summit, bringing together over 300 industry leaders from countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the UK and the USA. The event consolidated institutional support from the Comunidad de Madrid, through Invest in Madrid, welcoming Consejeros like José María García Gómez, Deputy Minister for Housing, Transport and Infrastructure.
Geopolitics and the European Real Estate Outlook
Former EU High Representative Josep Borrell opened the event, arguing that global trade has ceased to grow at the pace of recent decades, marking a phase of stabilisation in globalisation. Borrell identified China as “the elephant in the room,” noting the Asian country accounts for around 30% of the world’s industrial goods. He linked this transformation to a deterioration in the international context, warning that respect for international law is at one of its weakest points. In conversation with Adolfo Ramírez-Escudero, Borrell argued that the European Union is not yet fully adapted to this new setting and must prepare for a more unstable environment.
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He also linked strategic autonomy to productive and technological capacity. Europe has benefited from the influx of low-cost Chinese goods to keep inflation in check, but this dependence has consequences for its industrial base. As an example, he pointed out that the continent now produces 10% fewer cars than it did a decade ago. The former EU High Representative argued for the need to rethink the ‘just in time’ approach and move towards a ‘just in case’ approach to ensure the supply of strategic goods.
For investors, the geopolitical shifts mean that assets are no longer just evaluated on location and price. The shift toward greater European strategic autonomy requires a rethink of how long-term value is calculated. Real estate investors are now forced to consider the resilience of supply chains and the stability of the region they are backing. This changes the risk profile of traditional markets, making stability a premium commodity rather than a default assumption.
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Adapting to the Digital Age
The session on technology and artificial intelligence was opened by Alexandre Lima of Iberian Property. Magnus Lindkvist, trendspotting futurologist and author of How to Make AI Useful, argued that the current technological leap should not be understood merely as an improvement in tools, but as a change of scale in organisations’ ability to access, process and utilise knowledge. Lindkvist noted that, in an increasingly technological world, “the cost of doing is falling, but the cost of waiting is rising.” He warned against business strategies based solely on a “wait and see” approach, as delaying the adoption of new tools can lead to a loss of competitiveness.
The session concluded with a reference to Moravec’s paradox, which helps explain why some tasks that are complex for humans can be simple for a machine, while others that appear simple remain difficult to automate. In the property sector, this idea introduces an important nuance: AI does not eliminate the human dimension of the business, but it does force a review of which processes, decisions and tasks can be transformed.
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The second day of the event opened with a panel discussion on the role of REITs as investment vehicles in the new property cycle. Marie Cheval of Carmila explained that the Spanish market has performed particularly well in terms of sales and footfall, partly due to the impact of tourism. Ismael Clemente of Merlin Properties noted that data centres present significant capital barriers and a heavier bureaucratic burden in Europe.
The debate also addressed the differences between European and US REITs. The participants agreed that Europe is characterised by greater risk aversion and a more savings-oriented investment culture, which makes it more difficult to raise capital compared to the US market. Despite these limitations, the panel concluded with a positive outlook on Europe’s ability to attract more capital.
