The buyer's real estate agency on the Costa del Sol

On a new build, allow roughly 12 to 14 % on top of the purchase price; on a resale property, 9 to 10 %. The biggest difference is tax: on a new build you pay 10 % VAT and, in Andalusia, 1,2 % stamp duty, while a resale carries a 7 % transfer tax instead.

It depends on whether you are buying a new build or a resale property. On a new build the most important thing is the bank guarantee. The payments you send the developer before construction is finished must be protected under the relevant payment regime, and before the money goes the lawyer checks the account, the documentation and what security applies to that particular payment. For payments covered by a bank guarantee you receive a certificate relating to that specific amount and buyer. On a resale property the arrangement is different. The lawyer keeps track of the contracts, the dates and the method of transfer so that the seller only receives the money at the point the transaction says it should be released. So it is not only about where you send the money. Before every significant payment the lawyer checks why you are sending it, to whom and on what terms.

It depends on the wording of the reservation contract, and it varies between developers and sellers. The reservation is the only payment outside the guarantee system, which is why it should be small and the contract must set out clearly when it is refunded. That is exactly why the lawyer reads it before the money goes, not afterwards.

It depends mainly on whether you are buying a new build or a resale property. On a new build it is worth having roughly 20 to 40 % of the purchase price ready for payments that may come before the project is finished. On top of that you need your own money for the taxes and the additional costs of the purchase, including the 10% VAT and the other costs of the transfer. On a resale property, as a non-resident, realistically expect the bank to finance about half of the value it puts on the property itself. So you need the rest of the purchase price and the costs of buying from your own funds. On a property at 500.000 €, then, the cash you need is often not 100.000 or 150.000 €, but considerably more. That is why we sort out financing before the reservation, not once you have already settled on a specific property.

Yes, but as a non-resident do not automatically count on financing of 70 or 80 % of the price. On income in a currency other than the euro it is realistic to expect financing of around 50 % of the value the bank sets. For some clients the offer can be better and for others worse, depending on income, existing commitments, age, the currency of the income and the particular bank. It also matters that the bank does not calculate the mortgage from the purchase price, but from its own valuation. So if you are buying at 500.000 € but the bank values the property at 470.000 €, the financing is calculated from that 470.000 €. That is why, before you even choose a property, we check what financing you can realistically expect and how much of your own money you will need.

Who really owns the property, whether there are mortgages, enforcement orders or other charges on it, whether the land registry details match, whether there are debts to the community, and whether the legal position matches what you are buying. On a specific property the checks widen according to its type and its history.

Yes. An independent lawyer who represents you, not the developer and not the seller. They check ownership, debts, charges, permits, contracts and the legal position of the property before you commit to the purchase. We do not employ lawyers and we take no commission for referring you. We give you several options and you choose yourself.

On a finished property, typically expect a few weeks to a few months from reservation to keys. On a new build it depends on the stage of the project: you can buy a finished apartment, but also a project that will take another two years to complete. The whole path from choosing through the legal due diligence to the notary is set out above.

Once is enough and twice is better. It can be done entirely remotely with a power of attorney, and even so we would rather you came at least once.

Yes. Buying a property and Spanish residency are two different things. You can own a property as a non-resident, and a large part of the process can be handled through a power of attorney.

A NIE, yes. A Spanish account is very useful in practice. The NIE is a foreigner's identification number that you will need for the purchase, for taxes and for other dealings around the property. We arrange it with the lawyer in good time, because waiting for it when you are due to sign is a pointless way to complicate a purchase.

You will pay the largest part of the purchase in euros, so on a larger amount it is worth looking not only at the transfer fee but above all at the real exchange rate. Money can be transferred through your own bank or a specialist exchange provider, and on larger amounts it pays to compare offers. Above all, do not leave the transfer to the last minute. The bank may want proof of the source of the funds or may hold the transfer up for internal checks. Following the payment schedule, we tell you in advance when you will need each amount.

Yes. On a larger transaction, expect the bank and the other parties to want proof of the source of the funds. If the money comes from the sale of a company, from dividends, from investments or from another more complex structure, sort the documentation out before you start transferring money.

Yours, both spouses', or another arrangement depending on your family and financial situation. There is no single right answer. How you own it can later affect inheritance, tax and selling, so it is better to decide with a lawyer and a tax adviser before signing the purchase contract, not at the notary. If you are buying as a couple, have children, hold larger assets in Spain or are considering buying through a company, tell the lawyer right at the start.

Not automatically. It depends on the specific property, the municipality, the community rules and the current rules for tourist accommodation. So we check whether short-term rental is possible before the reservation, if renting is part of the reason you are buying.

IBI, community fees, waste collection, insurance, utilities and water, and for non-residents also tax obligations in Spain. The biggest difference between two similarly priced apartments is often the community fees, which is why on a specific property we show the real annual costs rather than one universal figure.

Yes. Modelo 210, the non-resident tax on imputed income. The name explains almost nothing and most owners find out about it too late.

No. Owning a property does not on its own make you a Spanish tax resident. Tax residence is assessed on your actual situation, including how much time you spend in Spain and where the centre of your economic and personal interests lies. If you want to spend most of the year here or move permanently, discuss tax residence with an adviser before you move. It can affect how Spain treats your income and assets outside Spain.

By law, every payment before construction is finished must be covered by a bank guarantee issued in your name. Your lawyer checks the exact wording of the guarantee for your unit before any payment goes, and tells you exactly what it covers.

Some debts and obligations connected with a property can reach the new owner, which is why the checks before a purchase cover not only the seller but the property itself. Among other things, the lawyer checks the position with the community and requests the relevant certificates before signing.

You can sell whenever you want. The question is at what price and how quickly. The properties that resell best are the ones with something the next buyer will also want: a good micro-location, a view, the right orientation, walkability or a good urbanisation. So when buying we do not only look at whether you like the property today, but also at who you will one day be selling it to. When selling as a non-resident, also allow for the costs and taxes connected with a sale.

Yes, and it can be arranged in advance. Spanish inheritance tax applies, but Andalusia has generous reliefs for close family. In a will you can also choose for the inheritance to be governed by the law of your own country, and a short Spanish will alongside it saves the family months of paperwork.

If you come once a year for two weeks and the property would just sit there the rest of the year, renting may be simpler. But once you come several times a year, or spend a longer part of the year on the Costa del Sol, owning starts to make a completely different kind of sense. You do not have to find an available rental every time, deal with seasonal prices or move between different apartments. You arrive with a small bag and everything else is already at home. It is even more marked if you travel with a dog or children, or want to come for several weeks or months. Good longer-term rentals are not always easy to find and in high season they can be very expensive. And if you let the property legally while you are not using it, the rental income can cover a significant part of the annual cost of ownership. On a well-chosen property you are then not only paying for somewhere to go on holiday, but own a second home that can earn for part of the year. So with clients who want to come here regularly, we usually look at when buying starts to make sense, rather than whether it makes sense at all.

It depends mainly on the budget and on what you want from Spain. The Costa Blanca is generally cheaper and the same budget buys considerably more there. The Costa del Sol is more expensive, but offers stronger life all year round, international infrastructure, Malaga airport, golf, schools, healthcare and a large foreign community. If you have less than roughly 250.000 € for the property itself, we will tell you straight that we probably would not focus on the Costa del Sol. The choice at that price is very limited, and on the Costa Blanca the same budget can make considerably more sense. From roughly 300.000 € real options start to appear on the Costa del Sol, but it still depends on the location, the distance from the sea, the condition of the property and what you want in terms of view or renting.