Buying a home in Spain, step by step
What happens when, what it costs and which papers you need. Plain words, no surprises.
The ten steps
From an agreed price to the keys often takes two to three months. We are with you at every step.
Search
Decide on coast, country or city and set your budget, including about 10% on top of the price for taxes and fees. Our area pages help you compare places.
Get your NIE
The NIE is your Spanish tax number. You need it to sign, pay taxes and connect utilities. Apply at a police station in Spain or a Spanish consulate at home, or give a lawyer power of attorney to do it.
Open a Spanish bank account
You pay the taxes and the bills from it. The bank will ask where your money comes from, so keep your statements ready.
View
Visit in person, or join a live video viewing from home. We tell you honestly what we think of each home.
Arrange your mortgage
If you borrow, get an assessment before you make an offer. Non-residents can usually borrow 60–70% of the price, residents up to 80%.
Choose a lawyer
An independent lawyer checks the land registry extract (nota simple), the licences, debts on the home and the community fees, before you pay anything substantial.
Offer and reserve
We negotiate with the seller. Once the price is agreed, a small reservation deposit takes the home off the market while the lawyer checks it.
Sign the private contract
In the private purchase contract (contrato de arras) you usually pay 10% of the price. If you pull out you lose it; if the seller does, they usually pay you back double.
Complete at the notary
You sign the deed (escritura), pay the rest and get the keys. Your lawyer then pays the taxes and registers the home in your name.
Move in
Water, electricity and internet are put in your name, and the yearly local taxes are set to come from your bank account.
What it costs on top of the price
In Andalucía the buyer pays these. Plan for about 10% of the price, paid in cash, even with a mortgage.
A resale home
- Transfer tax (ITP)
- 7%
- Notary and land registry
- about 0.5–1%
- Lawyer
- about 1% + VAT
Example: on a €300,000 home, about €27,000 in taxes and fees.
A new build from a developer
- VAT (IVA)
- 10%
- Stamp duty (AJD)
- 1.2%
- Notary and land registry
- about 0.5–1%
- Lawyer
- about 1% + VAT
Payments before the home is finished must be covered by a bank guarantee.
Costs every year
- Local property tax (IBI)
- Paid to the town hall every year. It depends on the home’s official (cadastral) value, usually a few hundred euros for an apartment.
- Rubbish collection (basura)
- A small yearly charge from the town hall.
- Community fees
- For homes in a community: pools, gardens, lifts and security. Ask the seller for the latest receipt and the minutes of the last meeting.
- Non-resident income tax
- If you do not live in Spain, you pay a small yearly tax on your home even when you do not rent it out. Your lawyer or accountant files it.
- Insurance and utilities
- Home insurance (required with a mortgage), water, electricity and internet.
Where should you buy?
Our area pages show what each place is like, what homes cost and what you can buy.
Questions buyers ask us
Do I need an NIE to buy property in Spain?
Yes. Every buyer needs a foreigner identification number (NIE) to sign at the notary, pay taxes and connect utilities. We help you apply, in Spain or through a Spanish consulate at home.
What are the buying costs in Andalucía?
On a resale home, transfer tax (ITP) is 7% of the price. On a new build you pay VAT (IVA) at 10% plus stamp duty (AJD) of 1.2%. Allow roughly another 1–2% for the notary, land registry and your lawyer.
Can non-residents get a Spanish mortgage?
Yes. Spanish banks lend to non-residents, typically up to 60–70% of the purchase price, depending on your income and where you live.
Do I need a lawyer to buy in Spain?
It is not a legal requirement, but we strongly recommend one. An independent lawyer checks the nota simple, licences and any debts on the property before you sign anything.
Is inland Málaga better value than the coast?
Usually you get more space and land for the money. Towns such as Coín, Alhaurín el Grande and Monda sit within reach of Málaga Airport and the beaches, at lower prices per square metre than most coastal towns.
Questions about buying?
Ask us anything. We reply in your language.