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Spain’s rental nightmare laid bare: How up to 85 families are forced to ‘audition’ for homes in the hottest markets – with demand surging in Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante and elsewhere [Video]

SPAIN’S growing rental nightmare has been laid bare by the latest statistics from the second quarter of 2024. 

According to property portal Idealista, across Spain, the average flat has 32 people applying for a viewing before being taken off the market. 

READ MORE: Flat sharing in Spain? These are the cheapest and most expensive cities for 2024

The figure represents a 55% increase on the same period last year. 

Malaga, which has become a mecca for digital nomads and expats, has seen interest soar to an average of 37 viewing requests per home. 

The figure is a 20% year-on-year increase, during which time rental prices have grown nationally by 9.8%. 

It follows repeated protests by locals in the city (pictured above), who claim Airbnb-style lets are reducing demand and hiking up prices.

The most overcrowded markets are Vitoria, with 85 interested renters per home, followed by Guadalajara (64), Barcelona (63), …

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Home Based Business

Firefighter, retired judge among men charged in suspected prostitution ring [Video]

Prosecutors charged five additional men in connection to a suspected prostitution ring operating out of an apartment on Milwaukee's near west side. The new misdemeanor charges come just days after public defender Travis Schwantes faced serious charges in the same investigation. Prosecutors accused Schwantes of falsifying documents in order to defend one of the sex workers investigators say he solicited. Schwantes resigned from the Office of the Wisconsin State Public Defender in September. George Easton, 76, of Pleasant Prairie; William Green, 59, of West Allis; David Ornstein, 50, of Milwaukee; Christopher Riegg, 55, of Greenfield; and Leroy Stewart, 53, of Racine, each face a misdemeanor pandering-solicitation charge.Investigators said the men paid sex workers operating out of an apartment building near 29th and Kilbourn. According to the court documents, Easton is a retired Pleasant Prairie municipal judge. The complaint said he admitted to police he paid a woman "$200.00 per hour to engage in acts of prostitution." Investigators said Ornstein is a Milwaukee firefighter. According to court documents, he had multiple paid sexual encounters, including one "just hours prior to his arrest" in March. Milwaukee fire Chief Aaron Lipski said the department launched an open internal investigation. "We take these matters extremely seriously," Lipski said. According to the complaint, Stewart runs Sunset Options Funerals and Cremation in Oak Creek. A sex worker told investigators he paid for sex encounters at the near west side apartment and at the funeral home. Stewart told police he "didn't recall having sex with her there."Online records show Riegg works in investment banking. Court documents said he paid for sex acts "once a week during 2021 through 2023."Investigators said a sex worker provided Green's first and last name and occupation as a lawyer. He told police he is affiliated with the Salvation Army and that he would see the sex worker for companionship and "to take a break from his wife."WISN 12 News made attempts to get ahold of each of the men, none of which had a comment Monday night. The court documents said a sex worker provided information to police. That woman has since been charged and convicted for keeping a place of prostitution. At her sentencing, her attorney said she was a victim of sex trafficking. The five men charged Monday each face a misdemeanor charge. If convicted, they could each face a maximum fine of $10,000 and prison time up to nine months. They're due to face a judge next month.