Buying a home in Spain is the most administratively straightforward of the big Mediterranean markets for foreign buyers, provided you get an NIE number early and understand that transfer tax is set regionally, so the same house costs different amounts depending on which side of a provincial border it sits.
The short version
Can foreigners buy?
Yes, no restrictions
Typical buying costs
About 10-14%
Transfer tax (resale)
ITP, roughly 6-10% depending on region
New build
10% VAT plus stamp duty
Required first
NIE foreigner identification number
Golden visa
Closed to property buyers since April 2025
Buying a home in Spain starts with the NIE
The NIE is your Spanish foreigner identification number and nothing happens without it - no deed, no mortgage, no utility contract. Apply at a Spanish consulate before you travel or at a police station in Spain. Many buyers give a lawyer power of attorney to handle it alongside the purchase.
The Spanish buying process, step by step
Spain's sequence is familiar to most buyers, but the reservation stage moves quickly on desirable coastal stock.
Reservation contract with a small deposit takes the property off the market.
Contrato de arras is the private purchase contract with a 10% deposit. Lose it if you withdraw; the seller pays double if they do.
Escritura signed at the notary, then registered at the Registro de la Propiedad.
Taxes and the annual running cost
Resale purchases attract ITP, the regional transfer tax, generally in the 6-10% band. New builds are charged 10% VAT plus AJD stamp duty instead. Add notary, registry and legal fees on top.
Once you own, budget for IBI (the municipal property tax), community fees if you buy in a building or urbanisation, and rubbish collection. Non-resident owners also file an annual imputed income tax return even if the property is never rented out.
Figures are typical ranges rather than quotes. Confirm your own numbers with a local notary, lawyer or tax adviser before you commit.
What changed with the golden visa
Spain ended the property route to its investor visa in April 2025. Buying no longer produces residency, so if you want to spend more than 90 days in any 180 you need a different permit - the non-lucrative visa for passive income, or the digital nomad visa if you work remotely for non-Spanish clients.
Local rules that catch buyers out in Spain
Short-term rental licensing is now tightly controlled in Barcelona, the Balearics, Malaga and much of the Canaries, and a licence does not always transfer with the property. If rental income is part of your plan, verify the licence status in writing before the arras contract, not after.
Spanish homes on our current list
A live sample of what is on the Spanish side of the list.
European Listings is a members-only property list. Every Saturday you get 18 homes across Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Greece, selected by hand from the local portals most foreign buyers never find. No commission, no agents calling you, no listings we would not look at ourselves.
18 hand-picked listings every Saturday
One email, one list. We read the local portals so you do not have to translate nine of them.
Vetted for foreign buyers
Every home is checked for the things that stop overseas purchases: access, planning history, habitability.
Written in plain English
Real prices, honest descriptions of the location, and what the property actually needs.
Contact the agent directly
We do not sit between you and the seller and we take no commission on your purchase.
We have carefully selected the information on this page, but we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate. Please verify any legal, financial, or property specifics independently before making decisions.
