Buying in Spain, honestly explained

Yes. Spain does not require a buyer to be resident, an EU citizen or the holder of a special permit. You follow the same notary and Land Registry route, with an NIE for each buyer.

No. As of August 2026, the proposal had not become law and no such surcharge applied. It could return to the political conversation, so check the dated status rather than an old headline.

No. Spain's property golden visa ended on April 2025. Owning a home and having permission to stay are now separate questions, so begin with the visa route that fits your life rather than the purchase price.

On the Costa del Sol, a resale is usually around 8%–10% on top and a new build around 12%–13%. Costa Blanca rates differ, so use the calculator for the right costa and route rather than one blended Spanish average.

Not as an ordinary home buyer. The 2% rate is reserved for professional resellers who meet the price cap and resale deadline. A standard resale purchase uses the general 7% rate unless you qualify for a different named relief.

The NIE is the identification and tax number a foreign buyer needs, and every co-buyer needs their own. The official fee is €12; you can apply through a Spanish consulate or let a lawyer handle it under an apostilled power of attorney.

It is not the document that makes you an owner, but it makes the purchase and the months after it much easier. Utilities, IBI and community charges can then be paid by direct debit, and a lawyer can often open the account under a suitable power of attorney.

Yes. A properly drafted and apostilled power of attorney can cover the NIE, bank account, contracts and completion at the notary. Keep the powers specific to the purchase and have your own lawyer explain exactly what they can sign.

A cash purchase commonly takes 6–12 weeks, while a mortgage purchase commonly takes 8–16 weeks. The exact pace depends on the legal checks, the seller's paperwork and the bank, so a fast target should never shorten due diligence.

A reservation is commonly €3,000–€6,000 and briefly takes the home off the market while early checks begin. The arras is usually 10% of the price and sets the binding route to completion, so have your lawyer approve its wording before you sign.

Under Article 1454 of the Civil Code, the usual arras penitenciales cuts both ways. If you withdraw you lose the deposit; if the seller withdraws, they return 2 times it. Your contract can change the practical detail, so your lawyer should confirm the clause before money moves.

Yes. Non-resident lending is commonly 60%–70% of the lower of price or valuation, so plan to bring 30%–40% of the price plus buying costs in cash. Start before you offer because approval commonly takes 8–12 weeks.

The exchange-rate exposure often sits between arras and completion, a period commonly lasting 30–90 days. A forward contract can lock a rate for that window, while source-of-funds documents should be prepared before any large transfer.

Your own lawyer should compare the Land Registry and catastro, check planning and occupation licences, and obtain the community debt certificate. Community liability can follow the home for the current year and 3 prior years, which is why the certificate and recent minutes matter.

It is the Land Registry extract showing the registered owner, description, mortgages and charges. Yes, your lawyer should obtain an independent current copy before you send a meaningful deposit, then reconcile it with the physical home and the catastro.

Spain does not make the familiar northern-European survey a standard part of every resale. That does not make one unnecessary. For an older, altered or hillside home, an independent building survey can answer questions the legal file cannot.

Expect municipal IBI and a non-resident Modelo 210 return even when the home is not rented. The imputed-income rate is 19% for EU and EEA residents and 24% for non-EU owners, applied to a small cadastral-value base rather than the purchase price.

Possibly, but check the particular building and municipality before relying on the income. As of August 2026, an Andalusian holiday let generally needed 2 registrations and explicit community approval at 3/5; local restrictions can still rule it out.

For a non-EU visitor under the Schengen rule, the limit is 90 days in any rolling 180. Owning a home does not extend that allowance. Track travel across the whole Schengen area, not Spain alone.

A resale pays regional ITP, while a standard new build pays 10% IVA plus the costa's AJD rate. Resale can complete sooner and may offer more room to negotiate; off-plan gives staged delivery and statutory guarantees. Compare the full route, not the brochure price alone.

Every stage payment should have its own bank guarantee or insurance under Ley 38/1999 as amended by Ley 20/2015. If the agreed delivery fails, that protection is designed to return the secured amount with interest. Never accept a promise that the guarantee will appear later.

It can be, but planning due diligence is not a formality. As of August 2026, the replacement planning process was still ongoing after the earlier plan was annulled, so your lawyer must confirm the status of the exact home and development.

In prime areas, a typical negotiated range has been around 3%–7%. More than 10%–12% is uncommon, and a well-priced home may not move at all. Treat those as context, not a rule for the home in front of you.

The seller normally pays commission, often around 5% plus 21%. Agencies share much of the coastal inventory, so one good local expert can usually show you homes from many sellers. Ashworth & Drake introduces you to that expert, rather than selling a listing of our own.

For a lifestyle home, a company is usually more administration without a purchase-tax saving and can complicate inheritance relief. Some non-cooperative-jurisdiction companies also face an annual levy of 3%. Use a company only when your own tax adviser can name a real business reason.

A Spanish will covering Spanish assets usually makes the practical work simpler, and you can elect your national succession law under EU Regulation 650/2012. In Andalusia, close family can have an allowance of €1,000,000 per heir plus 99% relief, but the filing still belongs inside 6 months.

They pay for the shared building or urbanisation, and a modest community can run around €50–€150 a month while a full-service one can be €300–€600 or more. Ask for the current budget, reserve fund, debt certificate and recent minutes so planned special levies are visible before you buy.