5 Things Nobody Tells You About Buying Property in Spain

When we were going through this, I kept thinking: why doesn't someone just say this stuff upfront? The big surprises aren't obscure. They're the same things every buyer finds out at roughly the wrong moment. So here they are, in one place. Things I wish someone had told us before we started.

1. The price on the listing is not what you will pay

The listed price is the starting point. On a resale property in Andalusia, add an additional 10 to 14 per cent in taxes and fees on top of the purchase price:

• ITP (Property Transfer Tax): 7 per cent in Andalusia
• Notary fees: approximately 0.1 to 0.5 per cent
• Land registry: approximately 0.1 to 0.25 per cent
• Lawyer fees: approximately 1 per cent plus VAT

On a €400,000 property, that's an additional €40,000 to €56,000 before you've bought a single piece of furniture. Budget for this from day one. Buyers who don't discover it later, when it's too late to recalculate.

2. The estate agent works for the seller, not you

This is fundamental to understanding how the Spanish property market works, and almost no one explains it to buyers before they start.

Spanish estate agents are paid by the seller, typically 3 to 6 per cent of the purchase price, paid by the seller on completion. Their job is to achieve a sale at the best possible price for their client. That client is not you.

This doesn't make agents dishonest. It makes them agents. They are good at what they do. What they are not positioned to do is protect your legal interests, advise you on risk, or tell you about problems with the property. For all of that, you need your own independent lawyer.

3. You need a NIE before you can do anything

The NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) is Spain's foreigner tax identification number. Without it, you cannot open a Spanish bank account. Without a Spanish bank account, you cannot complete a purchase. Without a NIE, you cannot be registered as the owner in the land registry.

NIE applications take 2 to 8 weeks depending on how you apply and where. The mistake almost every buyer makes is applying too late, after they've found the property they want, when every week of delay costs them momentum and potentially the deal. Apply for your NIE before you start viewing properties, whether you're looking at buying property in Marbella, Estepona, Mijas or anywhere along the Costa del Sol.

4. The process takes 3 to 6 months, not a few weeks

Agents sometimes give impressions of a quick, smooth transaction. The realistic timeline for a Spanish property purchase is 3 to 6 months from the decision to buy to getting the keys.

The main stages (NIE and bank account, finding the property, due diligence, arras, completion) all have their own timelines, and each depends on the one before. Buyers who understand this from the start don't feel blindsided when month three arrives and they're still not through. I know this sounds like a long time, but the Costa del Sol is worth it.

5. The rule about signing anything

The one rule that protects you above all others: never sign anything before your lawyer has reviewed it.

The reservation agreement, the arras contract, any side letter or heads of terms. Your lawyer sees it first. Always.

This is not bureaucratic caution. Problems found after you've signed, undisclosed debts on the property, unpermitted extensions, title issues, are significantly harder and more expensive to resolve than problems found before. Your lawyer's job is to find them before you commit. Whether you're buying property in Marbella, Benahavís, or anywhere on the Costa del Sol, this rule is the same everywhere.

PlanMarbella.com walks you through all 15 steps in order. Free at planmarbella.com. Manage it solo or invite your partner or PA to share the plan and handle any step.