Property purchase in Spain — Complete Guide for International Buyers
Everything UK, US, French, Belgian and Dutch buyers need to know about buying property in Spain: legal checks, contracts, taxes and the notary process, step by step.
What’s inside the checklist
- How the Spanish property purchase process works step by step — from offer to deed registration
- Pre-purchase due diligence explained: Land Registry, Catastro and Town Hall checks
- Documents foreign buyers must produce: NIE, Power of Attorney and source-of-funds paperwork
- Buyer taxes explained: ITP on resales, VAT and stamp duty (AJD) on new builds
- The deposit contract (arras) and the Public Deed (“Escritura Pública”) explained
- How long the process takes and what slows it down
- Common mistakes that delay or derail purchases by foreign buyers
- When to walk away from a purchase (and how, without losing your deposit)
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Table of contents
- Pre-purchase due diligence: Land Registry, Catastro & Town Hall checks
- NIE for foreign buyers: in-person vs by Power of Attorney
- Opening a Spanish bank account & transferring funds securely
- The Nota Simple: what it reveals about the property
- Arras / earnest money contract: terms to negotiate before signing
- The notary appointment and the Public Deed (Escritura Pública)
- Plusvalía municipal, ITP/AJD and other buyer taxes at completion
- Land Registry inscription and post-completion utilities setup
- Community of owners (Comunidad de Propietarios): what to check
- Common pitfalls: hidden charges, urbanistic problems, off-plan risks
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Information updated through May 2025. This guide is for information only and does not substitute personal legal advice. Each case is unique.
