Frequently asked questions

You reserve a specific home before it is finished, with the drawings, the specification and the delivery date in writing. A purchase contract follows, you pay in stages as the building goes up, and ownership transfers at the deed, before a notary, once the home is finished and has its occupancy license.

First, a reservation of between €3,000 and €6,000, which takes the home off the market. Once the building license is granted, the deposit contract (contrato de arras) is signed and 10% is paid. Another 20% is paid in stages during construction. The exact schedule for each development is set out in its contract.

From the signing of the deposit contract, the money you pay is insured and held in a separate account.

Yes. All payments made towards your home are insured.

The delivery date is fixed in the deposit contract. If delivery is delayed for reasons attributable to the developer, you receive compensation once a set period has passed. That clause is worth reading carefully before you sign.

On top of the price come taxes and the cost of completing the purchase: the tax that applies depending on whether the home is new-build or resale, the notary, the land registry and the paperwork agent. A mortgage adds its own. Rates depend on the region and change over time, so ask an adviser for a figure before you commit. We do not give tax advice.

Yes. Visits are arranged with each buyer, with no fixed days. Write to us to set one up.

Yes. You need an NIE, the foreigner identification number, and it is usual to open a Spanish bank account for the payments. You do not have to be present at every signature: you can grant power of attorney to someone you trust. Tax and financing conditions differ for a non-resident, so take advice of your own.

Spanish law, Ley 38/1999 de Ordenación de la Edificación, sets three periods depending on the kind of defect, counted from the reception of the works, the moment the builder hands the finished building over to the developer: one year for defects in the execution of finishes; three years for defects in building elements or installations that affect habitability; and ten years for defects affecting the structure, such as the foundations, supports, beams, floor slabs or load-bearing walls. Claims for that damage expire two years after it occurs. Equipment and installations, such as appliances, have their own guarantee, as set out in their manuals.