From Marbella to Andalucía: NVOGA welcomes the launch of FAEPI
What began as an initiative to raise professional standards among Marbella's leading estate agencies has grown into part of a much broader movement. The launch of FAEPI marks an important, much-awaited step towards a more united, professional and influential property sector across Andalucía.
Great ideas often begin with a relatively simple question. What if, instead of viewing one another solely as competitors, estate agents could work together to improve the industry they share?
This was the thinking behind LPA, The Leading Property Agents of Spain, an association established in Marbella with the support of some of the Costa del Sol's most respected real estate companies. Among its founding members was NVOGA Marbella Realty, whose founder and CEO, José Carlos León, has long championed greater cooperation, transparency and professional standards within the property industry.
Now, that original ambition has taken a significant step forward. On 8 October 2026, representatives of seven property associations gathered at the Hotel Inglaterra in Seville for the official launch of FAEPI, the Federación Andaluza de Empresas y Profesionales Inmobiliarios (Andalucian Federation of Real Estate Companies and Professionals).
The new federation brings together 406 companies and associates, representing more than 417 estate agency offices across Andalucía. It is an important development for an industry that plays a central role in the region's economy yet has not always spoken with a unified voice.
Seven associations, one common purpose
FAEPI brings together seven established professional organisations: GICA, Alianza Sevilla, LPA Spain, Inmobiliarias de Granada, ASAICOR, BPI Andalucía and BPI Málaga.
Each represents businesses working in different parts of Andalucía, from the international property markets of Marbella and the Costa del Sol to the residential markets of Seville, Granada, Córdoba and Cádiz.
The federation's purpose is not to replace these organisations or diminish their individual identities. Instead, it provides a common platform for sharing expertise, addressing industry challenges and engaging more effectively with public authorities.
Its first president, Álvaro Botella, and vice-president, Begoña Gómez Roldós, will lead an organisation whose priorities include professional training, legal certainty, market analysis and greater representation in discussions about housing policy.
One of its immediate objectives is to contribute to the regulation of real estate intermediation under Andalucía's new housing legislation, particularly the proposed registration of property professionals and the standards expected of those operating in the sector.
For buyers, sellers and property owners, the implications are significant. Greater professionalism and accountability should ultimately mean better-informed advice, clearer procedures and greater confidence when making important property decisions.
From Marbella's LPA to a regional movement
For José Carlos León, the creation of FAEPI represents another milestone in a journey that began several years ago. When LPA was established, the ambition was to bring together respected agencies with a shared commitment to professional ethics, market knowledge and high standards of service.
It was also about changing the relationship between businesses operating in the same market. Collaboration, rather than competition alone, could benefit individual agencies, their clients and Marbella's reputation as an international property destination.
NVOGA has been closely involved in that mission from the beginning, with José Carlos helping to promote the exchange of knowledge and greater cooperation between property professionals.
The creation of FAEPI takes those principles beyond Marbella, bringing together associations representing a much broader cross-section of the Andalucian property industry.
The achievement reflects years of meetings, discussions and determined work by professionals who recognised that meaningful improvements require collective effort.
Why a stronger property sector matters
The timing of FAEPI's launch is particularly relevant. Andalucía faces considerable challenges in housing availability and affordability. According to figures from Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE), residential property prices in the region increased by 11.9% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026.
Yet the pressures affecting Marbella's international market are not necessarily the same as those experienced by families seeking a first home in Seville or residents of smaller inland municipalities.
One of FAEPI's strengths lies in bringing these different perspectives together. By drawing on the practical experience of professionals working directly with purchasers, sellers, landlords and tenants, the federation aims to contribute constructively to discussions about housing supply, planning, regulation and market transparency.
It also seeks to ensure that introducing professional standards provides meaningful protection for consumers without creating unnecessary obstacles for responsible businesses. For an industry built on trust, it’s a distinction that matters.
Education at the heart of the next chapter
Alongside the launch of FAEPI, LPA is pursuing another initiative that could make a lasting contribution to the profession.
Plans are progressing for a School of Professional Real Estate Sales, developed in collaboration with the town halls of Marbella, Estepona and Benahavís, with the aim of beginning training in 2027. The proposed school will prepare property professionals for the demands of a modern, increasingly sophisticated market.
It is an ambition that resonates strongly with NVOGA's own approach to professional development. The principle is straightforward: professional knowledge cannot remain static in an industry where legislation, technology, market conditions and client expectations are constantly changing.
Investment in training benefits the people working within the industry, but it also benefits those who depend on their expertise.
A milestone worth celebrating
The launch of FAEPI is a significant achievement for Andalucía's property industry and the many professionals who have worked to bring its associations together. For NVOGA, it is particularly rewarding to see the collaborative spirit that inspired the creation of LPA in Marbella now reflected in a federation representing the wider Andalucian property sector.
We congratulate FAEPI and its seven founding associations on reaching this milestone. The work is only beginning, but the ambition remains clear: to build a stronger, better-informed property industry that ultimately serves everyone who places their trust in it.