How to buy a home in Spain as a foreigner: step-by-step guide

Spain isn't bought in a day. It's bought over an afternoon of maps, a morning of paperwork, a long coffee with a lawyer, and a slightly trembling signature the moment the notary hands you the keys. Between that first click on a property portal and the moment you push open the door of your Costa Blanca home, there are ten steps. None is optional. All of them are easier than they look once somebody walks you through them properly. This guide does exactly that.

1. Get your NIE

The NIE — Número de Identidad de Extranjero — is your fiscal passport in Spain. Without it you can't open a bank account, sign an arras contract, or complete a deed. It's free and issued by the Spanish National Police in Spain, or by the Spanish consulate in your home country. Book an appointment online, bring your passport, form EX-15, and proof of fee payment (modelo 790). It's resolved in days, not weeks.

2. Open a Spanish bank account

The second piece of the puzzle. You'll use it to pay the reservation, the arras, the purchase price, taxes, utilities and community fees. Major banks offer non-resident accounts: you only need the NIE, passport and a fiscal address in your home country. Some also require a certificate of non-residency, obtained from the National Police, valid for three months from issue.

3. View and reserve the property

Visit. Visit again. Visit a third time. A property feels different in the morning than in the afternoon, and more different still in winter. When you find the right one, the seller will usually ask for a reservation deposit — €3,000 to €6,000 — in exchange for taking the property off the market for 15 to 30 days while you prepare the rest.

4. Legal due diligence

This is where the invisible work happens. Your lawyer requests an updated nota simple from the Land Registry: it tells you who legally owns the property, whether it carries charges, mortgages, seizures, tax liens or limitations. In parallel, they check the Cadastre matches physical reality, the homeowners' association is up to date, and there's no outstanding IBI debt.

What to request, no exceptions

• Recent nota simple (under 30 days old)
• Latest IBI receipt
• Certificate of good standing with the community
• Habitability certificate or first-occupancy licence
• Energy performance certificate
• For new builds: bank guarantee per Law 38/1999

5. Sign the arras contract

Arras is the most serious step before the notary. You sign a private contract, typically pay 10 % of the price, and both parties are bound. If the buyer backs out, they lose the arras; if the seller backs out, they return double. Between arras and deed, expect one to three months — enough time to close the mortgage and prepare funds.

6. Non-resident mortgage

Spanish banks lend non-residents up to 60–70 % of appraised value. You'll need a work contract or three recent payslips, tax returns from your country, bank statements and proof of savings. The official appraisal is ordered by the bank through a Bank of Spain-approved valuation firm. Remember one thing: the bank doesn't finance taxes or fees, only the price. Keep 12–13 % of the property value in cash to cover them.

7. Sign before the notary

The big day. Buyer, seller, a bank representative if there's a mortgage, and the notary. The deed is read aloud, bank cheques are handed over, signatures go on paper, and the notary reports the transaction to the Registry and the Tax Office. You receive the keys and a simple copy — the certified copy follows within days. From that moment, legally, the home is yours.

8. Land Registry inscription

The deed makes you the owner, but registry inscription makes you the owner against the world. Without registering, a good-faith third party could, in theory, inscribe first and legally outrank you. Your gestoría or lawyer handles it: they pay the ITP or IVA, settle the AJD, submit the deed to the Registry. It takes 15 to 60 days depending on the office.

9. Taxes, fees and total cost

The 12 % rule is your mental anchor. On top of the purchase price, roughly count:

• Resale: ITP 10 % in the Valencia region until 31 May 2026, 9 % from 1 June 2026 (11 % for properties above €1M). Plus 1 % notary, registry and gestoría, and 0.5 %–1 % lawyer
• New build: VAT 10 %, AJD 1.5 % in the Valencia region until 31 May 2026 and 1.4 % from 1 June 2026. Plus 1 % notary, registry and gestoría, and 0.5 %–1 % lawyer

Annual IBI, waste tax and community fees come after, just like any other neighbour. You can check the official brackets at the Spanish Tax Office portal and notary fees at notariado.org.

10. After the signature

Change of titleholder on utilities — electricity, water, gas, internet. Notify the homeowners' association. Register on the municipal Padrón (empadronamiento) if you'll be living there. Home insurance, which for new builds you can contract with the same bank financing you. And if you fell in love enough to stay year-round, the natural next step: empadronamiento and a residency application.

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy without living in Spain?

Yes. You don't need to be a resident to buy. You only need the NIE, a Spanish bank account and verifiable funds.

How long does the full process take?

From accepted offer to notary signing, 6 to 10 weeks is a realistic pace. New builds can stretch if delivery is still pending.

Do I need a lawyer, or is the notary enough?

The notary guarantees the legal act is correct. They do not defend your interests. An independent lawyer does. On purchases above €150,000, the €800–1,500 legal fee protects a six-figure investment.

Can I pay in cash?

No. Spanish law bans cash payments above €1,000 between individuals and professionals, and notarial practice requires traceable bank cheques or named transfers for the deed.

Is the Golden Visa still active?

No. The real-estate Golden Visa was abolished on 3 April 2025 via Organic Law 1/2025. Since that date it is no longer possible to obtain Spanish residency by purchasing a home. Applications filed before the cut-off are still being processed, but no new ones are accepted. The current alternative routes are the non-lucrative residence visa, the digital nomad visa and self-employed residency, each with its own requirements. A lawyer can tell you which fits your case.