How does buying property in Spain work, step by step?

You choose a property, sign a reservation, your lawyer checks the legal position, you sign a private purchase contract and pay a deposit (usually 10%), then complete in front of a Spanish notary, pay the taxes and register the property in your name.

First get an NIE, open a Spanish bank account and appoint an independent lawyer. Then find a property. On a reservation you pay a small amount to take the property off the market while your lawyer checks it.

Your lawyer should confirm the seller really owns the property, that there are no debts or charges against it, that it is legally built and registered, and that community fees and local taxes are paid. On a new build they also check licences and that your stage payments are covered by a bank guarantee.

You then sign the private purchase contract and pay the deposit, commonly 10% on a resale. The final step is the deed of sale (escritura) signed in front of the notary, with the balance paid. Taxes are paid and the deed is registered at the land registry. A resale commonly takes a couple of months from reservation to completion, and a new build takes as long as the construction.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and figures were last checked in November 2026 and change, so take independent advice from a Spanish lawyer for your own purchase.