Im a property expert – heres a key warning if buying | UK News

A Place In The Sun presenter Ben Hillman has warned people adjustments are taking place in the abroad market when it come to buying property and says people must be conscious of these before they take into account buying. He explained costs are growing in sure areas and tips as to how vacation properties can be utilized have been adjusted.

Speaking solely to Express.co.uk from Gran Canaria, where he was filming an upcoming episode of the Channel 4 show, he said: “It’s going to depend on location but I do feel like we’re definitely seeing the prices creeping up now. I’m in Grand Canaria at the moment and we’ve got a budget of up to €220,000 for a two bedroom apartment and we’re just about being able to see that kind of property at that level now. Whereas two or three years ago, that would have been super easy to find. So things, I think things are definitely changing.”

Ben, 47, has been on the show for a decade so is totally up to pace on developments in the property markets.

Reflecting additional he issued a reminder that the sitruation around vacation licences had modified in one of the most widespread areas to buy in. Something to take into account if you plan on letting out your property when you aren’t there.

“I think there’s definitely a change throughout Europe in terms of pushing back against using the seaside towns as big party resorts. I think that’s slowly starting to change.

“But also, particularly on the Canary Islands, they’ve modified, as of last November, the foundations on short time period lets,” he said.

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The Canary Islands parliament approved a major overhaul of the holiday rental licensing system on Nobember 12, 2025. This new law, which took effect on December 13, 2025, strictly limits new holiday let licenses and cap rentals at 10% of municipal housing stock.

“So if you are buying a property out right here, you possibly can’t short time period let it anymore as a vacation let, and they are not renewing short time period vacation licences,” he explained.

“Even if you buy a property that had one present, you will not essentially get it when you buy the property.

“So they are, by default, minimising the quantity of those on the islands, which I guess down the road, might force the prices of holidays up a little. It may put some people off. That’s still to be seen at the moment,” he said.