Wat zijn de kosten voor het kopen van onroerend goed in Spanje? Een eenvoudige gids voor kopers aan de Costa del Sol

I am glad when clients ask me, “What are the fees for buying property in Spain?” First, it shows that you are a serious buyer, and second, it makes my job much easier when transitioning from different topics, such as legal, technical, and financial.

We will briefly discuss what you must pay and the available options. However, we have a complete guide on all property taxes on the Costa del Sol, including those after a successful purchase, such as the ongoing IBI.

The Main Fees You Should Expect

In general, buying a property in Spain incurs additional fees amounting to around 10-13% of the purchase price. These costs can vary slightly depending on whether you are buying a resale property or a new build.

The largest expense is the property transfer tax (ITP) for resale properties. On the Costa del Sol, this is typically 7%. For new builds, you pay BTW (IVA) instead of ITP, which is 10%, plus stamp duty (AJD), 1.2%.

Then, you also have:

• Notary fees for signing the official deed, usually a fixed amount of around 800 euro
• Land Registry fees: to register your ownership – from 0.1% to 0.5%
• Legal fees (optional): Best laywers charge 1% of the deal value, to cover the cost of a lawyer protecting your interests
• Property valuation fees and bank fees if you need a mortgage

In my experience, it is not worth trying to save money on legal support. A good lawyer will ensure that the property is free of debts and legally sound.

Bear in mind that in areas of high demand and limited supply (i.e. Málaga City Centre), buyers also pay commission to the agent. Here on the Costa del Sol, this is not usual practice, but it may be applied if you want to hire an agency to find a specific property for you.

This is a very rare case, but it happens when we need to search a specific urbanisation, find off-market opportunities and basically create a new listing. In such cases, you might pay a 3% commission to the agency. However, in 80–90% of cases, buyers are satisfied with what is on the market, and we receive our commission from the seller, so you won’t pay anything.

Why Understanding Fees Is So Important

Many retirees and second-home buyers only focus on the price of the property. However, the true investment lies in the total cost.

When we or our colleagues and partners ask you for your budget, we usually mean the total amount you are willing to spend on a property.

The listing price is not a budget.

Once you understand how the market works, the fees involved and how to make a successful purchase, you won’t waste time or money on unnecessary services or actions. We always educate our clients before we start negotiating.

Also, knowing your full budget helps you to choose the right property. You can avoid stretching yourself too far financially and still enjoy your lifestyle here, whether that means daily walks by the sea or long lunches in the sun.

If you have any questions about buying property on the Costa del Sol, please get in touch.