Introduction
Access to housing in Spain has become one of the biggest social and economic challenges of the last decade. In 2025, only 19% of young spaniards gets access to a home of their own, while prices are rising at rates not seen since 2008, with increases year-on-year by 12%.
This crisis not only affects those looking to buy their first home, but also to small and medium-sized investors who wish to participate in the real estate market but are entry barriers virtually impassable.
In this article we analyze the causes of the crisis, the most recent data and the alternative solutions that are democratizing the access to both the housing and the real estate investment.
The magnitude of the problem: data updated to 2025
Over 700,000 homes are missing in Spain
According to the latest calculations of the Bank of Spain, currently missing approximately 700,000 homes in the country. This deficit can be explained because the homes are created at a faster rate than the finished homes.
In 2024, is created of 195,000 new homes, but only ended up 101.000 homes. This means that this year missed almost 94,000 homes to balance supply and demand.
Shortage structural supply
Between 2021 and 2023, were created approximately 777.000 households net (a few off 260,000 per year), while the number of houses completed barely reached the 273.000 (approximately 90,000 per year).
The gap between supply and demand is evident, and it conditions the whole evolution of the Spanish real estate market, pushing prices up, and with limited access.
Young people, those most affected
Only 19% of young people gain access to housing in 2025, despite their high participation in the labour market. The high prices, stagnant wages and credit constraints create a wall nearly impossible to overcome for this generation.
Causes of the housing crisis in Spain
1. Lack of construction of new housing
Despite the recent increase in visas of new work (a few 127.721 in 2024), housing starts represent only 70% of the households created. In the autonomous communities such as Catalonia, Madrid, Valencia and the Canary islands, this proportion is even lower.
2. Increase uncontrolled prices
House prices grow by 12% year-on-year in 2025, representing the fastest pace since the 2008 crisis. This increase is not slowing sales due to the shortage of supply, but it is to the exclusion of broad sectors of the population.
3. Speculation and empty homes
Spain, like other european countries, are faced with a problem of vacant homes that contribute significantly to the limited supply of housing. The speculation and the use of real estate as an investment without rent aggravate the crisis.
4. Difficulty of access to credit
Credit restrictions, coupled with the high prices, prevent young people and middle-class families have access to mortgage financing, perpetuating the problem of access.
The european problem: it’s not just Spain
The housing crisis is not exclusive to Spain. Across Europe, the middle class is being hit by prices unaffordable.
In Rome, there are currently 12,000 families on the waiting list for access to public housing and rental prices have risen 7% in the last year alone.
In cities such as Paris, London, Rome and Madrid, the price of the accommodation, grows well above the purchasing power of its traditional inhabitants, pushing families out of the urban areas.
Housing prices have grown by 50% in the European Union during the last decade, and over 200% in countries such as Portugal, where the properties are overvalued by up to 35%.
Alternative solutions: tokenization of real estate and democratization of access
In the face of this daunting odds, arise innovative alternatives that seek to democratize not only the access to housing, but also the investment in real estate.
What is the tokenization of real estate?
The tokenization of real estate is a process that allows you to split the participation in a real estate project in multiple digital parts called tokens. Each token represents economic rights on the property and is registered via technology blockchain, ensuring security, transparency and traceability.
In simple terms: a property valued at 200,000€ can be divided into 2,000 tokens of 100€ each. Any person can buy one or multiple tokens and become co-owner of the project, benefiting from the returns generated by rental or sale.
How does the tokenization of real-estate debt?
In the case of Atomic Home, the model goes a step further: is tokeniza debt to finance the property. This means that each token represents a debt financial instrument backed by the project real estate.
This model combines the accessibility of the tokenization with the security of financial instruments regulated under the Law 6/2023 of Securities Markets, through the registry ERIR (Entity Responsible for the Registration and Registration).
Currently, Atomic Home are going through the documentation necessary to make emissions monitored and recorded with the technology blockchain.
Advantages of tokenization of real estate
1. Financial accessibility
, you Can start investing from 100€, which opens up the real estate market to students, entrepreneurs and anyone with a savings capacity limited.
2. Transparency and security
technology blockchain records every operation on an immutable and transparent. Contracts smart automate processes, reduce costs and minimize risks.
3. Diversification of portfolio
small investors can diversify their capital participating in multiple real estate projects, while reducing risks and maximizing opportunities.
4. Investment from anywhere in
the Whole process is done online, so ultra accessible, and in a few clicks.
5. Greater liquidity
To the difference of the real estate investments to traditional, the tokens can be traded in secondary markets, facilitating the liquidity of the asset.
How platforms such as Atomic Home are democratizing access
Atomic Home was born with the mission of breaking through the barriers of the real estate market and make it accessible to all.
Through a platform for tokenization of real estate projects, small and medium-sized investors can:
- Invest from€ 100 in real projects
- Receive returns from the first month (with an average return of 9%)
- Participate in the creation of spaces livable and sustainable
- Access to projects that traditionally required large capital, contacts and experience
All backed by technology blockchain, regulatory compliance, and total transparency.
The future of access to housing and property investment
The problem of access to housing in Spain and Europe requires structural solutions that include:
- Significant increase in the construction of public housing and affordable
- Effective regulation against speculation and empty homes
- Facilitation of access to credit for young people and middle-class families
- Promotion of alternative models, such as the tokenization of real estate
While public policy is moving slowly, private initiatives, such as the tokenization of real estate is democratizing access and allowing thousands of people to be part of the real estate market without the need of large capital.
The combination of technology blockchain and financial regulation creates an ecosystem where real estate investment is more accessible, transparent and secure than ever before.
Conclusion
The crisis of access to housing in Spain is real, structural and affects millions of people. With over 700,000 homes missing, and the prices go up to 12% per year, and only 19% of young people achieving access to their own home, the outlook is challenging.
However, innovative solutions such as the tokenization of real estate are opening the doors to small investors, democratizing the access to and generating positive social impact.
Betting on a world accessible platforms such as Atomic Home show that investing in real estate is no longer a privilege of the few, but a real possibility for all.
Do you want to be part of the democratization of investing in real estate? Join the waitlist Atomic Home and start investing from 100€.
