Your home-buying library.
From your first questions to your first set of keys. Explore practical guides to buying and owning a home in Spain.
Buying Property in Spain: Step by Step
A clear route from your first budget to the keys, with the decisions and documents that matter at each stage.
Buying in Spain as a Foreigner
Separate the property purchase from immigration, tax residence and the practicalities of buying from abroad.
NIE and Documents for Your Purchase
Prepare identification, proof of funds and representation documents before they become a last-minute obstacle.
Lawyer, Notary and Estate Agent
Know who handles negotiation, legal review, the public deed and the physical condition of the property.
Resale, New Build or Off-Plan?
Three buying routes with different documents, cash-flow needs and uncertainties to investigate.
The Total Cost of Buying in Spain
Build a purchase budget that includes tax, professional work, financing and the first months of ownership.
Property Purchase Taxes in Spain
Understand the tax route before applying a percentage to the price.
Mortgages for Foreign Buyers
Compare offers, documents and currency exposure before making the purchase depend on a loan.
Preparing Your Purchase Payments
Keep the payment trail clear, verify recipients and organise funds before completion.
The Ongoing Costs of Owning a Home
Budget for taxes, the owners' community, maintenance and the months when the property is empty.
Understanding the Reference Value
Distinguish the tax reference value from the cadastral value, market value and purchase price.
Your Property Documents Checklist
Gather the evidence needed to understand ownership, physical description, debts and permitted use.
Understanding a Nota Simple
Find the property, ownership rights and recorded charges without mistaking the document for a complete property report.
Land Registry and Cadastre
Compare two records with different purposes, and investigate differences before deciding what they mean.
Charges, Debts and Community Information
Separate registered charges, payment arrears and future building expenditure.
Planning, Building and Occupancy Documents
Ask whether the property and your planned use match the applicable permissions and local rules.
Energy Certificates When Buying a Home
Read the certificate, check the property it covers and use it to ask better questions about comfort and improvements.
Property Surveys, Inspections and Valuations
Understand what a physical inspection can reveal, what a mortgage valuation measures, and which questions to ask before commissioning either.
Buying Off-Plan: Documents and Questions
Look beyond the show apartment: identify the developer, the promised specification, the payment protections and the conditions for delivery.
Buying Rural Property in Spain
A country house needs a parcel-by-parcel review of planning, buildings, access, water and the use you intend to make of it.
Coastal Property: Documents and Checks
A sea view is easy to assess. The coastal boundary, restrictions and any concession need a separate documentary review.
Flood Information Before Buying a Property
Use official maps as a starting point, check their coverage, and investigate the building and its access routes as well as the parcel.
Buying a Property You Intend to Rent Out
Check the intended rental model before calculating returns: residential letting, temporary stays and tourist accommodation follow different rules.
Buying a Property to Renovate
Test the feasibility of your plans before buying, from moving a wall to changing the use or extending the building.
Reservation Agreements and Holding Deposits
Before paying to hold a property, establish who is bound, who receives the money and exactly when it can be returned.
Understanding an Arras Agreement
The consequences of paying arras depend on the wording and applicable law. Understand the commitment, conditions and remedies before signing.
Reviewing a Private Purchase Contract
Review the purchase as a set of promises that can be checked: the property, payments, documents, deadlines and what happens if something changes.
From Accepted Offer to Completion: A Practical Timeline
Build the purchase timetable around documents, finance and decisions rather than a single promised completion date.
Completion Day at the Notary
Prepare the deed, payments and handover before the appointment so you can use the signing to understand and confirm the transaction.
Buying Remotely and Using a Power of Attorney
A carefully scoped power can let someone act for you. Plan its wording, acceptance and delivery before relying on a remote completion.
Registering Your Purchase and Keeping Your Documents
Follow the purchase beyond the deed: track tax evidence, registry processing and the final documents you will need as an owner.
Utilities, Insurance and the Owners’ Community
Organise a practical handover of supply contracts, insurance and community contacts so the home is ready to manage from the first day.
Your First Year as a Property Owner in Spain
Create a manageable first-year calendar for documents, taxes, maintenance and the decisions that change when your use of the property changes.