La Zagaleta is a nearly 900-hectare gated country-club estate situated entirely within the municipality of Benahavís above Marbella, owned since December 2024 by Abu Dhabi’s Modon Holding. According to CASAFARI Area Insights, houses for sale in La Zagaleta averaged an asking price of €13,957/m² in Q3 2026. This secure enclave offers ultra-prime buyers absolute privacy, world-class amenities, and a low-density residential masterplan.
Where is La Zagaleta and how is it connected to Marbella and the coast?
Although frequently associated with the wider Marbella property market, the entire 900-hectare estate lies strictly within the municipal boundaries of Benahavís (Málaga) and is governed by the local Plan General de Ordenación Urbanística (PGOU), as published in the Boletín Oficial de la Junta de Andalucía (BOJA, May 2022).
Road access is controlled via North and South security gates connected to the A-397 Ronda road, which links directly down to the AP-7 motorway. Driving distances place the estate 8.9 to 12.2 km (13 to 20 minutes by car) from Puerto Banús, 18.2 to 20 km (20 to 25 minutes) from central Marbella, and approximately 69.7 km (45 to 50 minutes) from Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport. For residents travelling by air, the estate also features a private heliport.
What is it like to live inside the La Zagaleta country club?
Originally conceived as a private hunting reserve, La Zagaleta evolved into Europe’s most exclusive low-density residential sanctuary, spanning wooded hillsides between the Sierra de las Nieves and the Alborán Sea. In December 2024, Abu Dhabi-based Modon Holding P.S.C. (majority-owned by ADQ and IHC Group) acquired 100% of La Zagaleta S.L. (Diario Sur, December 2024), securing the ongoing stewardship of the country club.
Residents enjoy extensive private amenities reserved exclusively for homeowners and their guests. These include two private 18-hole golf courses (the Old Course and the New Course), two clubhouses featuring fine dining and social spaces, an equestrian centre with professional stables, tennis and padel courts, and discreet around-the-clock security patrols operating from the guarded gates.
What kind of housing stock exists in La Zagaleta and who buys here?
The masterplan permits a maximum capacity of approximately 420 residential plots across its nearly 900 hectares, with between 230 and 300 detached villas built to date and roughly 2.7 million square metres of land remaining for future development (Diario Sur, December 2024). Architectural styles span two distinct eras: classic Andalusian estates constructed in the 1990s and 2000s—frequently acquired for substantial interior refurbishment or complete architectural rebuilds—and contemporary, glass-walled hillside villas equipped with indoor spas, staff quarters, and multi-car subterranean garages.
Buyers are predominantly international entrepreneurs, family offices, corporate executives, and multi-generational families from Northern Europe, the UK, and the Middle East. They are drawn to the estate for its absolute physical security, privacy, and proximity to international private schools along the Costa del Sol.
How does the La Zagaleta property market perform in 2026?
Data from CASAFARI Area Insights for Q3 2026 (queried 25 October 2026, location id 316989) shows that houses for sale in La Zagaleta recorded an average asking price from indexed listings (outliers excluded) of €13,957/m², while the limited selection of apartments for sale averaged an asking price of €7,922/m².
Because La Zagaleta is an ultra-prime enclave with a relatively small total housing stock, quarterly listing samples are inherently sparse. A single newly listed multi-million-euro mansion or a completed custom villa entering or leaving the portal indices can noticeably influence quarterly levels. Consequently, property professionals evaluate market values using property-by-property attributes and historical comparables rather than relying on headline percentage shifts.
To contextualise these asking prices against the wider region, official closing prices (precios escriturados y registrados from notary deeds and land registry records, reported via Brainsre.news in October 2026) illustrate a distinct gap between the municipality and the estate: across Benahavís as a whole, registered closing prices averaged €4,112/m² at year-end 2025 (€933,772 per home) before rising to €4,718/m² in Q1 2026, while neighbouring Marbella recorded closing averages of €4,424/m² in 2025 and €4,864/m² in Q1 2026.
What taxes, residency rules and licences apply to buyers in 2025–2026?
Acquiring a property in Andalusia involves specific regional tax frameworks. For resale villas, buyers pay Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales (ITP) at the general rate of 7%, with reduced rates restricted by strict primary-residence caps (Junta de Andalucía, January 2026). New-build villas purchased directly from developers attract 10% IVA (VAT) plus 1.2% Stamp Duty (AJD), as outlined by the Junta de Andalucía transfer tax and stamp duty rates.
Regarding annual wealth taxation, while Andalusia applies a 100% regional rebate on Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio below the state threshold, Spain’s state-level Impuesto Temporal de Solidaridad de las Grandes Fortunas (ITSGF) remains active for net global assets exceeding €3 million (€3.7 million for residents including the standard €700,000 personal allowance). Unencumbered luxury villas in La Zagaleta naturally exceed this threshold, making both resident and non-resident owners subject to annual wealth tax liabilities unless structured with allowable debt.
Non-EU buyers should note that Spain officially abolished the Golden Visa residency-by-investment route under Organic Law 1/2025, which took effect on 3 April 2025 (BOE-A-2025-76), as detailed in the text of Organic Law 1/2025 in the Boletín Oficial del Estado. Non-EU purchasers seeking residency must now utilise alternative pathways such as the Non-Lucrative Visa or Digital Nomad Visa.
Finally, construction projects and tourist rentals are tightly regulated. Building licences issued by the Ayuntamiento de Benahavís incur a Municipal Construction Tax (ICIO) of 2.4% on real execution costs, alongside a First Occupation Licence fee of 0.2% (Ayuntamiento de Benahavís, 2026), governed by the guidelines on the Ayuntamiento de Benahavís First Occupation Licence requirements. Short-term holiday lets (VUT) are strictly controlled under Andalusian Decree 31/2024 and the Horizontal Property Act reform, which prohibit tourist rentals where community statutes forbid them or lack an express three-fifths majority approval from homeowners.
How real estate professionals analyse and source villas in La Zagaleta with CASAFARI
Advisers, family offices, and luxury buyer’s agents operating in La Zagaleta frequently encounter properties syndicated across multiple boutique agencies with varying asking prices and disparate built-surface measurements. Professionals resolve these discrepancies using CASAFARI Property Sourcing to deduplicate listings across portals and inspect complete historical price adjustments.
When preparing valuations for lenders or family offices, experts construct robust market studies using Valuation & Market Study alongside macro benchmarks from Area Insights. For cross-border transactions and co-agency mandates, professionals collaborate securely via CASAFARI Connect. Developers and technical teams can also integrate raw market feeds using the CASAFARI Area Insights API documentation.
Explore live market data and configure your workspace by visiting the sign in to the CASAFARI platform page.
Frequently asked questions
Which municipality does La Zagaleta belong to, Marbella or Benahavís?
Although La Zagaleta is closely linked to the Marbella luxury property market and sits a short drive from Puerto Banús, the entire 900-hectare estate lies strictly within the municipal boundaries of Benahavís (Málaga). All urban planning regulations, building licences, First Occupation Licences, and annual municipal property taxes (IBI) are administered by the Ayuntamiento de Benahavís.
Who owns the La Zagaleta estate and country club?
In December 2024, Abu Dhabi-based Modon Holding P.S.C. (majority-owned by ADQ and IHC Group) acquired 100% of La Zagaleta S.L. The acquisition encompasses the private country club facilities, the two 18-hole golf courses, the equestrian centre, and approximately 2.7 million square metres of remaining development land within the estate.
What taxes apply when buying a villa in La Zagaleta in 2026?
In Andalusia in 2026, purchasing a resale villa incurs a flat 7% Property Transfer Tax (ITP), whereas buying a brand-new villa directly from a developer attracts 10% VAT (IVA) plus 1.2% Stamp Duty (AJD). Because properties in La Zagaleta exceed the €3 million net-asset threshold, both resident and non-resident owners are also subject to Spain’s Solidarity Tax on Large Fortunes (ITSGF) or the equivalent Andalusian Wealth Tax quota on net wealth above €3 million.
Does buying a property in La Zagaleta qualify for a Spanish Golden Visa?
No. Spain officially abolished the Golden Visa residency programme for real estate investments under Organic Law 1/2025, which took effect on 3 April 2025. Non-EU buyers acquiring a villa in La Zagaleta who wish to reside in Spain for extended periods must apply for alternative permits, such as the Non-Lucrative Visa or the Digital Nomad Visa.
What amenities are available to residents within the La Zagaleta estate?
Residents of the estate have exclusive access to a range of private facilities, including two 18-hole golf courses—the Old Course and the New Course—alongside two clubhouses with fine dining and social spaces. The estate also features an equestrian centre with professional stables, as well as tennis and padel courts. These are supported by 24-hour security patrols operating from the guarded gates.
Are short-term holiday rentals permitted for properties in La Zagaleta?
Holiday rentals (VUT) in Andalusia are strictly regulated by the 2024 decree and the Horizontal Property Act reform. Within the La Zagaleta country club, short-term tourist rentals are prohibited if community statutes forbid them or if they lack an express three-fifths majority approval from the other homeowners.