What do I need to buy as a non-resident?

You need an NIE, the Spanish tax number for foreigners, and a Spanish bank account. We help you apply for both, together with your lawyer. You also need a valid passport and funds that you can show came from legitimate sources. We give you a checklist at the start, so you know which papers to collect.

Can I get a mortgage as a non-resident?

Often yes. Spanish banks lend to non-residents, but they usually lend a smaller share of the price than they do to residents. A mortgage broker compares offers for you and gives you the figures. We introduce brokers we work with. Decide your loan before you make an offer, so you know your budget.

Does buying a home give me residency in Spain?

No. Spain ended its Golden Visa for property purchases in April 2025. Buying a home no longer gives you residency. If you plan to live in Spain, ask us about the visa options and we'll introduce you to an immigration lawyer. We don't give legal advice.

Which areas do you cover?

We cover the coast from Málaga to Sotogrande. Our office is in Nueva Andalucía, in Marbella. If you are thinking of a town we have not listed, ask. An agent will tell you honestly if someone else knows it better.

Mathias talking with someone over coffee

Services

From the first call to the keys

What we do at each step, who else is involved, and how we are paid.

Book a call with an agent

Tommas in a cream linen blazer, smiling on the restaurant terrace

What you pay us

€0

How we are paid

You pay us nothing: not for the search, the viewings, the negotiation or the help with paperwork. Our commission is paid by the seller's side when the sale completes. On a resale home that is the seller; on a new build, the developer.

So whose side are we on? Yours. It is a fair question, and you should ask every agent. We are only paid if you buy, which is exactly why our job is to find the right home, not to close the first one. In your purchase, we work for you. We will tell you when a home is not worth its price.

Read what buyers ask about this

First call to keys, step by step

For a resale home, usually two to three months from the reservation to the notary. Finding the home can take days or months.

The first call
30 minutes
About 30 minutes on video or by phone. We ask about the area, your budget and how you will use the home, and you hear what is realistic.
You
Tell us what matters
We
Ask, and say what is possible
Search and short list
We look at every agency's listings and the new developments. You get a short list with our view of each home, and a reason for every home we left out.
You
Say yes, no or maybe
We
Search, sort and ask the questions
Viewings, there or on video
Two or three days
A trip of two or three days, planned so the homes are close together. Can't travel? We view on video and ask what you would ask. We look at the street, the noise and the light, not only the rooms.
You
Come, or watch from home
We
Plan, drive, film and report
Checks before you commit
Your lawyer checks the title deed, the land registry, the licences and any debts on the home. You get a written summary, and our view on whether to go ahead.
You
Choose a lawyer
Your lawyer
Run the legal checks
We
Introduce lawyers and follow up
Price and reservation
We negotiate the price and the terms with the seller's side, and you decide the offer. Then you sign a reservation, and a private purchase contract with a deposit, usually 10% of the price.
You
Decide the offer
Your lawyer
Check every contract
We
Negotiate for you
Notary and keys
You, or your lawyer for you, sign the deed at the notary and pay the rest of the price. The keys usually change hands the same day. Then we help with electricity, water, internet and insurance.
You
Sign, or let your lawyer sign
Your lawyer
Prepare the deed and register it
We
Set up the house with you

Tommas smiles from the driver's window of the vintage Land Rover

A buyer, in her own words

Within 12 hours, Tommas had a drone video taken of the view – it still impresses me!Translated from Danish

Carina H.Trustindex/Google · February 17, 2025

What we catch before you sign

Six problems that cost buyers money here, and how they are found before you commit.

Building work without a licence
A terrace, pool house or extra room that was never licensed. It may never be legalised, and the risk becomes yours. We compare what is built with the deeds and the Catastro (the property register) record.
Debts that pass to you
Unpaid community fees or property tax (IBI) can follow the home to its next owner. Your lawyer asks for the certificates before you sign.
Land you cannot build on
A plot or finca on rural land where the house or extension you have in mind is not allowed. Your lawyer checks the planning status with the town hall.
Off-plan payments without a guarantee
Money you pay a developer before completion must be guaranteed by a bank or an insurer. Your lawyer checks the guarantee exists before you pay anything.
Holiday-rental rules
Some towns and buildings limit holiday lets. If renting out matters to you, we check before you decide.
An asking price that is too high
We compare the asking price with similar homes nearby and tell you what we would offer, and why.

Example: a resale home at €600,000

Costs on top of the price

€51,123–€58,237

On top of the price, about 8.5–9.7%

Transfer tax (ITP, 7%): €42,000
Your lawyer (1–1.5% plus VAT): €7,260–€10,890
Notary and land registry: €1,000–€3,000
Admin agent, NIE, bank and utilities: €863–€2,347
Each year: Community fees and IBI (property tax): The figure depends on the home. We ask for it before you buy.

A new build at the same price: about €76,323–€83,437, because VAT (10%) and stamp duty (1.2%) replace the transfer tax.

Mortgage costs are extra. This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Your lawyer confirms your figures.

See the estimate on any home for sale

Dick, Isabel and Edward relax in sunglasses at the courtyard table

After you buy

We stay with you after completion. Many buyers live elsewhere, so this part matters.

Looking after the home while you are away: we introduce property managers for keys, cleaning and checks.
Renovation: we introduce builders and architects we have worked with.
Renting it out: we introduce managers who handle holiday or long-term lets.
Settling in: schools, doctors, and where to find what you need.

See who we work with