Home sales in Spain increased again on an annual basis in September after dipping in August, according to the latest figures from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics

Sales went up 13% in September and excluding social housing, there were 24,096 sales registered, the highest level in four years and 14% up on a monthly basis.

In the 12 months to the end of September there were 216,682 sales inscribed in the register, almost identical to the same period last year.

The data also shows that the difference between re-sales and newly built properties continues to widen, though sales of both types increased in September, with re-sales up 17% and new builds up 10.5%.

A breakdown of the figures on a regional basis show that the province of Malaga, which includes the Costa del Sol which is popular with overseas buyers, along with the Balearic islands have seen sales rise close to 15% this year. The Canary Islands and Alicante have also been showing stronger signs of activity.