The apartment waiting for you
is in Málaga

When buying a resale property in Andalusia, budget for roughly 8 to 13% in additional costs on top of the advertised price:

• ITP (Transfer Tax): 7% of the purchase price in Andalusia (regional tax reduced since 2021, previously 8%).
• Notary fees: 0.5 to 1% of the price.
• Land Registry: 0.3 to 0.5%.
• Banking fees + account opening: 1 to 2%.
• Multilingual solicitor: 1 to 1.5% (strongly recommended for non-residents).

For a new-build property (off-plan or first sale), ITP is replaced by VAT 10% + Stamp Duty (AJD) 1.2%, i.e. roughly 11.2% in costs excluding solicitor fees.

Before every viewing we provide a full written budget in your language including these costs. No nasty surprises at completion.

For a non-resident (an international buyer purchasing from abroad), Spanish banks typically finance up to 70% of the purchase price. You therefore need to plan for:

• 30% deposit minimum on the property price itself.
• + 10 to 13% acquisition costs (taxes, notary, registry, bank).

Worked example: for a €500,000 property, you'll need around €210,000 in available funds (€150,000 deposit + €60,000 costs).

Some private multilingual banks accept up to 80% financing for premium profiles (senior executives, professionals, business owners). We put you in touch with a multilingual mortgage broker who negotiates on your behalf.

1. Project brief — real budget (deposit + costs), criteria, target town. 1 free multilingual video consultation.
2. NIE (Foreigner Identification Number) — mandatory before any purchase. We handle the application: 2 to 4 weeks.
3. Accompanied viewings — shortlisted properties prepared in advance, viewings grouped over 2 or 3 days on the ground, multilingual support.
4. Offer and reservation deposit — purchase commitment with a deposit of 5 to 10% of the price. Contract drafted in your language by our solicitor.
5. Legal due diligence — verification of title deed, any outstanding debts (IBI, community fees), planning, licences. No property signed without this stage.
6. Completion at the notary — keys handed over the same day. Simultaneous translation by our solicitor if required.

Average overall timeline: 8 to 12 weeks from first viewing to key handover.

Three recurring taxes apply to a non-resident who owns a property in Spain without being tax-resident there:

• IBI (council tax / property tax): 0.4 to 1.1% of the cadastral value, paid annually to the town hall. For a €500,000 property, budget on average €600 to €1,200 per year.
• IRNR (Non-Resident Income Tax):
  • If you let the property: 19% of the net annual rental income.
  • If you do not let the property: "imputed income" of 1.1 to 2% of the cadastral value, taxed at 19%.
• Capital gains tax on resale: 19% on the gain. However, the double-taxation treaties signed by Spain with the UK, Ireland, the USA and most European countries prevent being taxed twice: tax paid in Spain is credited in your country of residence.

We put you in touch with our multilingual tax adviser for annual filings (form 210 for IRNR, declaration of overseas assets in your home country).

Yes, this is common and entirely legal. Two options:

• Notarised Power of Attorney — you grant authority to a representative (your solicitor or a trusted agent) who signs in your place before the Spanish notary. Process in your home country before a notary with the Hague Apostille: allow 10 to 15 days to obtain the apostille.
• Full remote representation — we handle every viewing by video call from your sofa, the paperwork, due diligence and final completion via power of attorney.

Many of our clients living in the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, France or Switzerland buy this way without setting foot in Spain before the key handover. The NIE can also be obtained via the Spanish consulate in your home country without travelling.