A guide to buying property in Spain

The Costa del Sol is one of Europe’s most popular destinations for buying property — and not by chance. More than 320 days of sun a year, mild winters, quality healthcare, international schools and direct flights make it a place to live all year round, not just to holiday.

For international buyers, the legal certainty is an added draw. Buying property in Spain is transparent, ownership is well protected and the whole process can be handled remotely. This guide walks you through every phase so you never feel lost in any of them.

Good news to start: as an EU citizen you can buy property in Spain without any restrictions. The same goes for non-EU buyers. You need neither Spanish residence nor permanent income in Spain — just two things.

We can arrange both the NIE number and the account by power of attorney before you even arrive — so you only need to come once for signing, or give your lawyer power of attorney.

The location decides how you’ll feel here and how the property holds its value. Marbella offers prestige and year-round life, Estepona authenticity at better prices, Fuengirola practical city living and Benahavís privacy in the mountains. First clarify whether you’re buying to live, for holidays or as an investment — the ideal location and property type follow from that.

Don’t underestimate the details photos don’t show: sun orientation, noise in season, distance to the beach and shops, or community fees. This is exactly where local knowledge pays off.

Spanish banks routinely finance EU non-residents. Typically expect financing up to 60–70% of the property value (residents reach 80%), so you need the rest from your own funds plus a reserve for taxes and fees. The bank independently values the property and assesses your creditworthiness from income and statements.

It pays to have a mortgage pre-approval before searching — you then know exactly what budget you’re in and look like a prepared buyer when negotiating.

From reservation to the handover of keys you go through a few clear phases: the reservation contract takes the property off the market, then legal due diligence, the private purchase contract with a 10% deposit and finally signing the final deed (escritura) at the notary. The whole process usually takes 6–10 weeks.

Beyond the property price, budget for taxes and fees. On a resale, in Andalusia that’s the transfer tax (ITP) of 7% plus notary, registry and lawyer — together roughly 10–13% of the price. On a new build you pay 10% VAT and the AJD stamp duty of 1.2%.

We always go through these figures in advance and in writing so nothing surprises you at the end. For a rough estimate you can use our cost calculator.

The most important phase, never to be skipped. An independent lawyer requests the land-registry extract (nota simple) and checks who the real owner is, whether the property carries charges, mortgages or seizures, whether the building is duly certified and whether community fees are paid.

The key rule: no payment leaves until the property is legally clean. Your own lawyer represents only you — not the seller or the agency — and that is exactly what gives you certainty.

Never sign or pay a deposit before legal due diligence. A cheap offer with an outstanding debt or without a habitation certificate can become many times more expensive.

After signing you need to transfer utilities, water and insurance and register for tax obligations. As a non-resident you pay the annual local tax (IBI), a waste charge and tax on imputed income, or rental tax if you let the property.

If you plan to be in Spain only part of the year, it pays to arrange property management and any rental through a trusted partner. We help clients with all of this after the handover of keys too.

Our clients’ experience can be summed up in a few recurring lessons. Avoid them and the purchase will be smooth.