Property for sale in Spain

Property Prices in Spain

• Alicante. Real estate here costs about half as much as in Madrid, the capital of Spain, or in Barcelona, one of its major cities. The cost of an apartment in Alicante is 1,500 euros per square meter.

• Costa Blanca. Prices for one-bedroom apartments and studios here start at 70 thousand euros. Three-room housing located 10-15 km from the sea can cost 150 thousand euros and more. The most expensive option are villas located 2-4 km from the sea, they will cost you at least 250-300 thousand euros.

• Catalonia. Real estate prices in this region are higher than in Costa Blanca. Even a small one- or two-bedroom apartment here will cost you 150 thousand euros. Over the past 5 years, the cost of housing has increased by 40%, which is one of the highest rates (the first place belongs to Madrid).

• Barcelona. The average cost of real estate in the city is 4,100 euros per square meter. If the property is located in the city center, then its prices start from 500 thousand euros.

• Costa Brava. The average cost of housing on the coast is 2,500 euros per square meter.

• Girona. An apartment here can cost an average of 2,250 euros per square meter.

• Madrid. The capital of Spain has the highest real estate prices, they are about 56% higher than in other cities of the country. The cost of housing here starts from 4,000 euros and varies depending on its location. For example, a standard 120 square meter apartment in the center of Madrid will cost you 550 thousand euros. The average cost in other regions is about 235 thousand euros.

• Marbella. The average price is about 3,000 euros per square meter.

• Canary Islands. The average cost of housing here is lower than in other regions and is 1,900 euros per square meter.

• Tenerife. The most common are premium class villas, whose cost starts from 1.5 and goes up to 8 million euros.

• Balearic Islands. Real estate here costs about 3,000 euros per square meter.

Find out more about prices and the real estate market in Spain in our article

How to Buy Property in Spain

• open a bank account that will allow you to make transactions and pay associated costs;
• get an identification code (NIE is a tax identification number used when conducting any financial and legal transactions, it is an analogue of a TIN). You can get it in the Spanish Consulate in your country or at the Spanish police station upon prior scheduled appointment;
• choose a real estate object based on its location, age, materials used, and infrastructure availability;
• draw up a preliminary contract after agreeing on all the terms of the transaction with the seller and making a deposit;
• get a mortgage if needed. In Spain, you can get it for up to 30 years at a minimum rate of 2.5% per annum.
• sign the contract of sale with the seller and have it notarized;
• register your property in the Land Registry, the process will take about three months, then get an extract from there.

Learn more about real estate registration and required documents in our article

Mortgage in Spain

Applying for a mortgage in Spain is available for both residents of the country and foreign nationals. Citizens of Spain and other EU countries can borrow up to 70-80% of the value specified in the escritura (purchase contract). Foreign nationals can get 50-70%. Mortgages for non-residents of Spain and the European Union have a shorter term of 25 years. Currently, the lending rate is 2.5-3.5% per annum.

Learn more about the required documents and conditions for getting a mortgage loan for foreign citizens in our article

Residence Permit in Spain for Property Buyers

A Spanish residence permit can be obtained after purchasing real estate in this country. The requirement to have a place of residence in Spain is a key part of the residence permit program for financial independence. In addition, it is necessary to provide sufficient financial guarantees to the investor.

Applying for Spanish Citizenship

One way to obtain citizenship in Spain is through the Golden Visa Program:

• obtaining a D-type national visa for 12 months;

• obtaining a residence permit for 24 months;

• continuous residence in Spain for at least 5 years without leaving the country for more than 10 months;

• obtaining citizenship after 10 years of uninterrupted residence in Spain.

Find out more about getting a Spanish passport in our article

Property Maintenance Costs

Expenses include insurance, taxes, utilities, and management company fees. The average cost of maintaining real estate in Spain ranges from 1.8 to 2.5 thousand euros per year.

Learn more about repair costs, taxes, utility bills, and other expenses in our article

Taxes in Spain for Foreign Nationals

Once a year, real estate owners pay property and income tax. During a real estate purchase transaction, both parties must pay a tax: the seller must pay a commission to the real estate agency, and the buyer must pay the notary services and the registration fee (impuesto sobre el valor anadido or IVA), which is 0.5-2.0% of the total value of the house or apartment. When buying primary real estate, the buyer must pay a tax of 10% of its value, when buying a land plot or commercial property, the tax is 21%. Another necessary tax is the stamp duty (Actos Jurídicos Documentados, AJD), which is 1.5% of the property value.

When buying real estate on the secondary market, the buyer must pay a tax on the transfer of property rights. Its cost ranges from 6% to 10% of the value of the object, depending on the region.

Real estate owners must pay a municipal tax (impuesto sobre bienes inmuebles, IBI), which ranges from 0.405% to 1.3% depending on the cadastral value of the property.

Learn more about rental income taxes, income, and other types of taxes in our article

Education in Spain

There are three stages of education in Spain:

• Preschool education for children aged 0 to 6 years. It is split into two cycles: nursery schools for children up to 3 years old and preschools for children aged 3 to 6 years. Nursery schools are not compulsory in Spain. Moreover, all educational institutions for children under 3 years old require payment. Preschools are compulsory and are free in Spanish public institutions.

• Primary education for children aged 6 to 12 years. At the age of 6, after completing preschool education, children begin compulsory schooling. Primary and secondary public schools in Spain are free.

• Secondary education for children aged 12 to 16 years. This stage is required to enter a higher education institution. After completing secondary school, students can continue their studies for another two years as part of an ESO program. In this way, they can get a bachelor’s degree or secondary vocational education.

• The fourth stage is university education. There are more than 80 universities in Spain offering various fields of study.

You can find more information about higher education in Spain here

More real estate in Spain:

• Coastal property for sale in Malaga
• Property for sale in San Sebastian
• Apartments for sale in Valencia (city)
• Property for sale in Gran Canaria
• Property for sale in Finestrat
• Property for sale in Malaga