The Growth of Fractional Ownership in Holiday Property

In the exclusive enclaves of the Costa del Sol, a quiet but seismic shift is occurring in how the world’s wealthy — and increasingly, the savvy middle class — are securing their slice of the Mediterranean. If the 1980s were defined by the high-pressure sales of timeshares, 2026 is the year of the Fractional.

But let’s be clear. This is not your parents' holiday club. This is a cold, hard equity play. In an era where Spanish property prices have effectively doubled over the last decade, and the cost of renting a self-catering villa in Marbella has surged by 40% since 2020, the smart money is no longer content with just "buying time." They are buying the bricks.

The Death of the Timeshare; The Birth of the Co-Owner

To understand the rise of Fractional Ownership, one must first bury the ghost of the timeshare.

Traditional timeshares were essentially right-to-use contracts on a depreciating asset. You paid for the privilege of a holiday, but you owned nothing of the underlying value. When you wanted out, the "asset" was often worth less than the paper it was printed on.

Fractional Ownership flips this script. In a Fractional model, you are a literal shareholder in a property-specific company (typically a Spanish S.L.). You hold the title. You benefit from the capital appreciation. And crucially, when the property is sold at the end of an agreed term — typically 10 to 15 years — you receive your proportional share of the proceeds.

In the context of the Costa del Sol, where property prices in hotspots like Estepona and Mijas have seen year-on-year growth of 13-14% as of early 2026, this isn't just a holiday strategy; it’s a diversified real estate investment.

The VC Heavyweights: VIVLA and the €100m Surge

The sheer volume of institutional capital pouring into this sector proves that Fractional Ownership has moved from a niche idea to a proven asset class. Leading the charge is VIVLA. Based in Madrid and backed by a who’s who of venture capital — including Samaipata, Fasanara Capital, and Bonsai Partners — VIVLA has raised over €35 million in equity and secured a massive €55 million debt facility from Fasanara to fuel its European expansion. Their board looks more like a luxury lifestyle club than a PropTech startup, with sporting legends like Pau Gasol and César Azpilicueta putting their own capital into the model.

VIVLA’s specialism is the Ultra-Prime. We are talking about architectural masterpieces in Ibiza, Menorca, and the most prestigious postcodes of Marbella. Here, a villa might command a price tag of €3 million. By selling these in one-eighth fractions, VIVLA allows an investor to secure a world-class estate for around €375,000. It is a model built for those who want the lifestyle of the 1%, but the financial efficiency of a seasoned fund manager.

The Rental Squeeze: Why Renting is Now a Losing Game

The secondary driver of this Fractional boom is the Rental Crisis currently gripping the Spanish coast. In 2025, the average weekly price for a holiday rental on the Costa del Sol climbed to €1,270, with premium villas in Puerto Banús often exceeding €3,700 per week. For a family taking a fortnight’s holiday every year, the lost capital of renting is becoming eye-watering. Over a 10-year period, a family could easily spend €40,000 to €70,000 on holiday rentals with zero return.

By contrast, the Fractional Owner has essentially "pre-paid" their holidays at today’s prices, while their equity sits in an appreciating asset. With the Spanish government’s recent crackdowns on illegal tourist flats reducing supply in major cities, the cost of traditional self-catering is only going one way - up. Fractional Ownership provides a hedge against this inflation.

Democratising the Dream: The Evita Estates Model

While the VC-backed giants are chasing the multi-million-euro villa market, there is a different kind of player that has been quietly perfecting the model for decades. Evita Estates represents the bridge for the middle-class investor who wants the same equity security as a VIVLA buyer, but at a more accessible entry point.

Evita Estates is a veteran in a field of newcomers. They have been in the Spanish market for over 30 years, and their Fractional product has been running for more than a decade. Crucially, they have something the startups don't: a proven exit track record.

The difference in strategy is distinct. While the big funds are buying private villas, Evita Estates focuses on luxury resort apartments, typically valued at a maximum of around €400,000.

For an Evita Estates owner, the play is about reliability. Because the apartments are located within established holiday resorts, they benefit from existing infrastructure, high-end communal facilities, and a management team that has been on-site for three decades. It allows the regular professional — the lawyer, the doctor, the small business owner — to play in the Fractional space without the €3 million price tag.

The 15-Year Horizon: Can You Get Your Money Back?

The provocative question at the heart of the Fractional movement is this: Can you really have 15 years of luxury holidays and get your original investment back at the end?

While no investment is guaranteed, the data suggests it is a very reasonable possibility. With Spanish property inflation currently outstripping the UK and much of Northern Europe, and the Costa del Sol's supply of new-build homes remaining chronically low, the equity exit is the ultimate goal.

Consider a Fractional owner who buys an eighth of a €400,000 apartment today for €50,000. Even with modest 4% annual appreciation, that property could be worth nearly €720,000 in 15 years. Upon the sale of the asset, that owner receives their share of the growth, potentially recouping their entire initial outlay and effectively erasing the cost of 15 years of holidays.

The Verdict

The Spanish holiday market is maturing. The days of the cheap getaway are fading, replaced by a flight to quality and a demand for ownership that makes financial sense. Whether you are seeking the glitz of a VIVLA villa or the proven, resort-based security of an Evita Estates apartment, the message is clear - the most expensive way to holiday in Spain is to rent. The smartest way is to own a Fraction of the future.