We finally got our house sorted! We started thinking about it last year, and now, holding the keys, it feels like we’ve just beaten an ultra-difficult video game. I’ve noticed many people on the forums asking about couples buying a house in Spain, so I decided to write down our experience to hopefully help others avoid some of the pitfalls.
Preliminary Preparations
The first step of a long journey is crucial, so be thorough with your preparations. First and foremost is the NIE number. It’s the foundation for all economic activities in Spain; you can’t buy a house or open a bank account without it. If one of you doesn’t have it when buying property together in Spain, you need to apply for it immediately. Next, open a joint bank account at a local Spanish bank for future transfers and the mortgage application. Lastly, and most importantly, assess your budget. Besides the property price itself, be very careful to set aside an additional 10%-15% of the budget for various taxes and fees, which I’ll detail later.
Viewing and Making an Offer
Once preparations are complete, you can begin the exciting journey of house hunting. We primarily used websites like Idealista and Fotocasa to find listings. When we saw something we liked, we contacted the agent directly to schedule a viewing. Viewing properties is both physically demanding and a skill. View many, compare them, and don’t let the real estate agents talk you into a bad deal. When you find a house you truly love, you can make an offer through the agent. The price is negotiable, so don’t be afraid to bargain, but be reasonable—after all, you don’t want to lose out on your dream home.
Signing the Contract and Getting a Mortgage
Once the seller accepts your offer, you’ll sign a reservation contract (contrato de arras) and typically pay a deposit of 10% of the purchase price. This contract reserves the property for you, but if you back out, you’ll lose the deposit. So, think it through carefully before signing! If you need a mortgage, now is the time to submit your application to the bank. The bank will send an appraiser to evaluate the property, and the appraisal value will directly affect the amount you can borrow.
Main Additional Costs
Here’s a table listing the additional costs we paid on top of the property price, to give you a clearer idea when jointly buying a house as a couple in Spain:
| Cost Item | Approximate Rate/Amount |
|---|
| Property Transfer Tax (ITP) | 6% - 10% |
| Notary Fees | Approx. 600 - 1,000 EUR |
| Property Registry Fees | Approx. 400 - 700 EUR |
| Bank Mortgage Fees | Varies by bank, inquire for details |
| Gestoría (Administrative) Fees | Approx. 300 - 600 EUR |
The Final Notarization and Handover
After the mortgage is approved, you can schedule an appointment with the seller at the notary’s office to sign the final purchase deed (escritura). On that day, the bank’s representative, the seller, you, the agent, and the notary will all be present. The notary will read the entire lengthy contract aloud, and once everything is confirmed, everyone signs. After signing and paying the remaining balance, the keys are yours! We thought it was all over after paying, but not quite. Afterwards, you still need to pay taxes at the tax office, register the property at the Land Registry, and change the names on all the utility bills (water, electricity, gas, internet). Usually, you can delegate these tasks to the bank’s gestoría, which saves a lot of hassle. In short, the process is tedious, but the moment you hold the keys to your own home, it’s all worth it!
