Hi everyone, I’ve recently started house hunting in Spain, and it’s been quite overwhelming. The real estate agent kept throwing out a bunch of Spanish terms like Nota Simple, Arras… I was completely lost. After making a few mistakes, I’ve put together a list of common vocabulary you’ll encounter during the viewing and buying process. I’m sharing it here hoping to help others who are on the same journey!
First off, let’s cover the basic property types. A Piso is what we’d typically call an apartment or flat. An Apartamento usually refers to a smaller apartment or a holiday flat. A Chalet is a house or villa, which generally comes in two types: Chalet adosado (semi-detached or terraced house) and Chalet independiente (detached house). Then there’s the Ático, which is a penthouse apartment with a terrace, usually offering fantastic views!
Key Terms in the Process
Once you’re familiar with the property types and have reviewed some banking vocabulary, the next step is to understand the ‘jargon’ of the transaction process, which includes a lot of Spanish real estate vocabulary. These terms directly affect your finances, so it’s crucial to understand them!
| Term | English Meaning | Notes |
|---|
Nota Simple | Simple Land Registry Report | The property’s “ID card,” showing the owner, any outstanding loans, or debts. |
Contrato de Arras | Deposit Agreement | A preliminary contract signed by the buyer and seller upon payment of a deposit. |
Escritura Pública | Public Deed of Sale | The final title deed, which must be signed before a notary. |
Notario | Notary | A legal professional who witnesses and legally certifies the transaction. |
Hipoteca | Mortgage | A loan from a bank to purchase a property. |
Besides the property price itself, there are various related fees and taxes. ITP (Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales) is the transfer tax for resale properties, and the rate varies by region. For new properties, you’ll pay IVA (VAT). Additionally, there are monthly Gastos de comunidad, which are the community fees or service charges. These are mandatory costs, so don’t forget to ask about them during viewings. Some listings might state the price is impuestos no incluidos, which means taxes not included, so pay close attention to that.
That’s all I can think of for now, all learned the hard way. It feels like language is the first major hurdle when buying a home in Spain; even if your Spanish is decent, these technical terms can be confusing. What other tricky words have you all come across? Feel free to add them below so we can tackle them together! Wishing everyone a successful house hunt! Oh wait, I mean, wishing us a successful house hunt!
