How much deposit do I need for a Spanish mortgage?

For your second residence and as a non-fiscal resident, a bank will finance no more than 70 % of the value of your property. This means that you would need to invest at least 45% of the property value from your assets.

What is the interest rate in Spain?

As of March 2025, the average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.97%. The lowest rate ever was 2.44%, very close to the current level! The average mortgage duration is 25 years 33% have variable interest rates 67% have fixed interest rates. The average rate for variable-rate mortgages is 2.82%, and The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.05%. Read our dedicated article on that subject for more recent data.

Can foreigners get a mortgage in Spain?

Yes, foreigners can get a mortgage up to 70% of the Value of a property.

Can I get a Spanish mortgage?

It is very easy to get a mortgage in Spain. What are the documents requested? Your Passport / ID for all the applicants Your NIE: “Número de identificación fiscal para extranjeros” or Foreign Resident’s Tax Number. How do you get your NIE in Spain? What do you need to get it? Why do you need it? Last 3 paychecks with the contract of employment Proof of income/Contract A view of your assets and debts If it’s a new building: the “Deed for the new building” The private sale-purchase contract If you have a mortgage at home, land registry information on the property and the mortgage If pensioners: Official proof of annual income.

Buy property in Spain Archives - How to buy in Spain

What are the best Spanish mortgage rates? June 2025 update

STEPHANE — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 12:37:49 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google Translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

What are the best Spanish mortgage rates?

Here is our June 2025 update with the latest data available

Leveraging our expansive network of local partners, we secure Spain’s most favourable mortgage rates for those looking to finance their homes. Throughout much of 2022, we observed significant discounts on mortgage rates as inflation surged while long-term rates remained subdued, thanks to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) efforts. In early 2025, inflation is more controlled, at 1.9% as of May 2025, returning to the low end of the range over the past three years. It appears that economies are suffering from the ECB’s restrictive monetary policy. In this context, some market experts expect the central bank to lower rates. We can already see this impacting mortgage conditions and long-term rates.

To stay informed about the latest Spanish mortgage rate trends, it’s crucial to consult real-time data from the most recent mortgages issued in Spain. This insight allows you to understand the most competitive rates currently available. Foreigners must note that rates may vary since their assets are primarily overseas.

We’ve built the most extensive database to monitor fluctuations in this sector, allowing us to generate dynamic and engaging charts. The “Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas” (INE) has recently published mortgage statistics for Spain as of March 2025, providing a clear view of current market rates.

Thanks to our network of local partners, we get the best mortgage rates in Spain if you want to finance your home in Spain. Take 30 seconds to complete this quick form to get the best Spanish mortgage rates.

Spanish mortgage rates: our 2-minute video

Would you like to watch this video in your language? Click on the bottom right of the video on “cc” to get subtitles in your language.
What are the current mortgage rates in Spain?

Current market conditions
- The average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.97% (vs 3.25% end of December 2024)
- The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in September 2020.
- The average rate for variable-rate mortgages is 2.82% (vs 3.16% end of December 2024)
- The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.05% (vs 3.30% end of December 2024)
Check the evolution of the mortgage rates (average, fixed and variable ) over the last years on our interactive chart (browse with the mouse to check data)

What are the best mortgage rates for our customers?

As of September 2024, our partner can get perfect conditions for mortgages for our non-resident buyers:
- Fixed rates: from 2.85%
- Mixed solution: from 2.50% fixed for 5 years, after Euribor + 0.75%
- Variable rates: from 2.50% fixed for 1 year, after Euribor + 0.75%
And of course, they don’t stop with foreigners, our partner gets very competitive mortgage rates for Spaniards:
- Fixed rates: from 2.52% (if taking other products like insurance from the bank, for instance,…)
- Mixed solution: from 1.50% fixed for 5 years, after Euribor + 0.60%
- Variable rates: from 1.35% fixed for 1 year, after Euribor + 0.25%
So, don’t hesitate to fill out this quick form if you want a free quote from our partner. They specialise in working with foreigners looking for a mortgage in Spain. Please note that to get the best rates, banks add some conditions, as in your home country.

Essential information on Spanish Mortgages for non-residents

As a non-resident, you can take a mortgage to finance your second home or your investment. Of course, since your assets won’t be based in Spain, the bank will require warranties and generally won’t allow a loan-to-value ratio of more than 70%. The loan-to-value is the amount of mortgage you can get divided by the value of your property before tax, but this percentage is only for reasonable inquiry. Don’t hesitate to ask for a free quote from our mortgage broker; he knows exactly how it works and which Spanish banks are friendly to foreigners.

Don’t miss our new detailed article on that subject: Mortgage rates in Spain for non-residents: our detailed guide.

Get the best mortgage rate in Spain

Calculate the cost of your Spanish mortgage

Check our ultimate Spanish mortgage calculator.

To help you out, we’ve created an easy-to-use table showing the monthly repayments depending on the amount you want to borrow for a mortgage. If you want to go deeper into details, use our calculator to fine-tune your mortgage to your situation, and you will find out what your monthly payments, mortgage schedule, etc., would be.

We developed a detailed mortgage calculator: Payment schedule, monthly payments,…

What is the cost of a €100,000 mortgage over 10 years?

If you want to go into the details, here is a calculation example we did:

As you will see, if you take out a €100,000 mortgage for 10 years at a rate of 3.5%, your monthly payment to repay the mortgage will be €989.

Thanks to our Spanish mortgage rate calculator, you can change any number and calculate what your situation would be.

Summary table of your monthly reimbursements for a €100.000 Mortgage

€100,000	10 Year	12 Year	14 Year	16 Year	18 Year	20 Year
Rates	120 months	144 months	168 months	192 months	216 months	240 months
1.50%	-€898	-€759	-€660	-€586	-€529	-€483
2.00%	-€920	-€782	-€683	-€609	-€552	-€506
2.50%	-€943	-€805	-€706	-€632	-€575	-€530
3.00%	-€966	-€828	-€730	-€656	-€600	-€555
3.50%	-€989	-€851	-€754	-€681	-€625	-€580
4.00%	-€1,012	-€876	-€778	-€706	-€650	-€606

Buy to let in Spain?

If you are about to invest in Spain, it is always interesting to compare the financing conditions with your return prospects. Check our last article on that subject:

What return will you make on your Spanish Property investment? If you see your property investment in Spain as an investment, adding some financing (without being crazy) will increase your return and decrease your costs.
Should I take a mortgage with fixed or variable rates?

Fixed-rate and variable-rate mortgages are the two main categories of mortgages you can choose from. Of course, there are many other possibilities between the two.

Check the evolution of the percentage of mortgages with fixed and variable rates, with the inflation rate

The Spanish mortgage market has undergone a dramatic transformation since 2021. Our latest data shows 64% of property investors now choose fixed-rate mortgages at 3.17%, while just 36% opt for variable rates – a complete reversal from the pre-2021 landscape when variable rates dominated at 60-65%.

This shift tells a compelling story: When inflation exploded from near-zero to 11% in 2022, investors rushed to lock in fixed rates, pushing fixed-rate adoption to 75% at its peak. Now, even as inflation has cooled to 2.30%, the majority remains cautious – maintaining their preference for fixed-rate protection.

The key takeaway: Spanish property investors have learned from the recent inflation shock. Despite rates declining from their peaks, 64% still choose the certainty of fixed rates over potential savings from variable options. This persistent preference for stability suggests the market anticipates future inflation risks – a view we share, as we believe current inflation levels represent the lower end of the range.

Why would you take a fixed-rate mortgage?

A fixed-rate mortgage has the advantage that, regardless of future market conditions, it will remain the same. To get that advantage, you will, on average, pay a higher rate than with a variable-rate mortgage. For instance, as of September 2024, mortgages with variable rates were issued at rates of 2.92%, while those with fixed rates were issued at 3.30% for an average length of 24 years.

Why would you take a mortgage with a variable rate?

It could be because it is less expensive than a mortgage with fixed rates (monthly instalments) because you don’t see inflation or rates going higher or because you are comfortable financially and can face higher rates in the future. Another reason variable rates cost less than fixed rates is that for the banks issuing them, it matches their sources of funds, such as savings accounts, and they take less risk by issuing them rather than fixed-rate mortgages.
To sum up, if you want safety, take a fixed-rate mortgage. If you see inflation spiking or interest rates going higher (in general due to a strong economy) you could as well go for a fixed-rate mortgage. Of course, the longer your mortgage is, the higher your risk will be.
Don’t hesitate to ask your Spanish mortgage broker for pricing with both and compare both offers.

Inflation update since the start of 2023

After the big inflation spike of 2022 around the world and in Spain, inflation in Spain is finally moderating to +2.2% as of August 2024. We note that since 2022, the trend has changed clearly, and the majority of mortgages are issued with fixed rates. We kept telling you in 2022 to lock in those crazy long-term rate levels… remember our chart:

As we enter 2025, with inflation now at what we view as the lower end of its range, we see a higher risk of inflation rising from here. Some people see a real risk of inflation staying high, which in turn should lead to higher variable rates. Since June 2023, we have still seen fixed-rate mortgage initiations dominate, and we believe this trend should continue. While rates have declined through late 2024 and early 2025, we strongly recommend locking in fixed rates now while they remain historically attractive. As of early 2025, with both short-term and long-term rates converging around 2.3-2.4%, this presents an excellent opportunity to secure predictable financing costs before potential inflation pressures push rates higher again. Check our interactive chart on that.

We wrote an article on that subject: “Fixed or Variable Mortgage for My Spanish Home?“

How do you secure the best mortgage rates in Spain?

You are about to buy a lovely second home in Spain. Do you want to know how to get the best mortgage rates on your Spanish property? Even as a foreigner?
Check our detailed paper on this subject and follow the link or listen to our 2-minute video on how to apply for your mortgage up to the end and get all our tips to get the best rates:

You have to ask yourself: What is the ideal mortgage customer for a bank? The bank will take a risk, the risk of not being repaid. In this case, the bank will need to take legal action to control your property and sell it on the market afterwards. We saw what happened after the 2008 financial crisis: thousands of properties were handed over to banks as owners couldn’t pay their mortgages.

The ideal mortgage customer for a Spanish bank
- has a good professional profile: he is employed and has a stable, nice income stream,
- has a good credit report, he does not have too much debt vs. his income,
- can afford to have debts: his debt-to-income ratio is under 35%, which means that his monthly net income is three times bigger than his monthly debt repayments.
- The property has a good resale value:
  1. The property price is correct vs. the market
  2. There is demand in the market for such a property
- is coming from OECD countries. As you know, with anti-money laundering laws that have gone into effect across Europe, it is challenging for banks to lend to residents of certain countries. Of course, if you are a resident of the European Union, it will be the easiest.
How to get the best rates as a non-resident?

Get a free mortgage quote

At howtobuyinSpain.com, you’re in good hands. We work with a mortgage broker who gets the best mortgage prices from all Spanish banks. Depending on your profile, some banks will be more aggressive, while others won’t. Our mortgage partner knows that, and they will go to the best bank or will ask for quotes from many Spanish banks to get you the best quote. They work with all the biggest Spanish banks, including BBVA, Bankia, and Santander. Get a free mortgage quote from our partner.

Spanish Mortgage Rates: Market Insights and Trends

423,761 mortgages issued in Spain in 2024

2022 was a record year for mortgage rates in Spain, with 464,000 credits issued. Even stronger than 2021, which was already strong. So, in 2024, with the rise of interest rates, the number of mortgages is back to a strong level and growing 11% vs previous year (which was itself a weak year with a decrease of 18%), while at the same time, the number of transactions increased by 7% to 636,909.

A healthy market: Only 67% of properties are bought with a mortgage (vs 64% in 2023). In our opinion, the market is not over-leveraged. Have a quick look at the table for statistics since 2015. Yes, we are far from the high-leverage situation we had in 2007.

Last but not least, it is always interesting to know the long-term rates and the Euribor, as those are the rates at which Spanish banks get financed.

Spanish Bank Financing Costs: 10-Year Bond Yields vs. Euribor Rates (2020-2025)

The chart reveals a fascinating story of European monetary policy and interest rate evolution:

The Ultra-Low Rate Era (2020-2022)

From 2020 through early 2022, all rates remained historically low. The 10-year Spanish bond yield hovered between 0% and 0.5%, while both 1-month and 12-month Euribor rates were actually negative – a remarkable period where banks essentially paid to borrow money.

The Great Rate Surge (2022-2024)

Starting in early 2022, we witnessed a dramatic shift. All three rates exploded upward in response to the ECB’s aggressive monetary tightening to combat inflation:
- 10-year bonds peaked around 3.7% in late 2023
- 12-month Euribor reached above 4%
- 1-month Euribor climbed to nearly 4%
The Turning Point (Late 2024-2025)

The most encouraging development for investors is the clear reversal beginning in late 2024. As of early 2025, all rates have begun declining:
- 1-month Euribor: 2.4% (down from ~4%)
- 12-month Euribor: 2.3% (down from >4%)
- 10-year bond: 2.8% (down from ~3.7%)
Implications for Property Investors – Our View

While the current rate decline is encouraging, we believe investors are seeing a critical inflection point. With inflation now at what we view as the lower end of its range, we see asymmetric risks tilted toward higher inflation from here. In this environment, we strongly recommend property investors lock in long-term fixed rates now. The convergence of short and long-term rates around 2.3-2.4% presents an excellent opportunity to secure predictable financing costs before potential inflation pressures push rates higher again.

The strong 11% year-over-year growth in Spanish mortgage issuance suggests the market agrees – now is the time to act on financing while rates remain historically attractive.

Historical evolution of Spanish mortgage rates and other & useful information
- The average mortgage duration is 25 years
- Only 9% of issued mortgages in Spain are more significant than 80% of the property value.
- 33% have variable interest rates (vs 37% in December 2024)
- 67% have fixed interest rates (vs 63% in December 2024)
- The average amount issued per mortgage is €156,700.
Check the evolution of the average amount issued per mortgage over the last year in Spain in our interactive chart
- How much leverage is given by banks? What is the average Loan-to-Value in Spain? (If your property value is 100%, how big will your mortgage be?) The quick answer is 64%.
- 42,831 mortgages were issued +48% vs last year.
- € 6.7 billion of mortgages issued for housing in March 2025, +65% compared to 2024.
Resources on Spanish mortgage rates

Discover the best new build projects in Spain.

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Check out our latest articles on Spanish mortgage rates
All our interactive charts in this article are available in a downloadable format

The average Spanish mortgage loan-to-value ratio is 64% in 2025, recovering from recent dips but still below 2019 peaks. Data shows banks’ willingness to finance property purchases has stabilised after pandemic-era fluctuations.

Spanish banks show remarkable lending restraint in 2025, with just 8.6% of mortgages financing above 80% of property value, down sharply from 15% in 2020. This conservative approach protects the banking sector and homebuyers from overleveraging in Spain’s robust but carefully regulated property market.

Spanish Bank Financing Costs_ 10-Year Bond Yields vs. Euribor Rates (2020-2025)

Line graph showing the average size of a mortgage in Spain from 01/2019 to 05/2023, peaking sharply in early 2020 and ending at €152,000—an essential trend for those tracking Spanish mortgage rates for non-residents.

Spanish mortgage activity showed robust 11% growth in 2024, with 423,741 new loans issued against 636,909 property sales. While still below the 2022 peak, the upward trend and 67% mortgage utilization rate suggest renewed confidence in Spain’s real estate financing market after the 2023 contraction.

Line graph compares percentages of fixed and variable rate mortgages in Spain, highlighting a shift toward fixed rates around 2022. Annotations indicate inflation, interest rates, and trends in Spanish mortgage rates 2025.

Line chart showing mortgage in Spain and inflation for April 2025: Fixed rate at 3.17%, variable at 2.94%, average at 3.08%, and inflation rate at 2.30%.

Spanish mortgage durations have steadily lengthened since 2020, reaching an average of 25 years in 2025. While shorter than the 30-year standard in some countries, this represents a gradual extension of loan terms in Spain’s property market, potentially helping buyers manage monthly payments despite rising property values.

FAQ Spanish mortgage rates

How much deposit do I need for a Spanish mortgage?

For your second residence and as a non-fiscal resident, a bank will finance no more than 70 % of the value of your property. This means that you would need to invest at least 45% of the property value from your assets.

What is the interest rate in Spain?

As of March 2025, the average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.97%. The lowest rate ever was 2.44%, very close to the current level! The average mortgage duration is 25 years 33% have variable interest rates 67% have fixed interest rates. The average rate for variable-rate mortgages is 2.82%, and The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.05%. Read our dedicated article on that subject for more recent data.

Can foreigners get a mortgage in Spain?

Yes, foreigners can get a mortgage up to 70% of the Value of a property.

Can I get a Spanish mortgage?

It is very easy to get a mortgage in Spain. What are the documents requested? Your Passport / ID for all the applicants Your NIE: “Número de identificación fiscal para extranjeros” or Foreign Resident’s Tax Number. How do you get your NIE in Spain? What do you need to get it? Why do you need it? Last 3 paychecks with the contract of employment Proof of income/Contract A view of your assets and debts If it’s a new building: the “Deed for the new building” The private sale-purchase contract If you have a mortgage at home, land registry information on the property and the mortgage If pensioners: Official proof of annual income.

Here are the statistics for earlier years:
1. 1. - - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for December 2021
        
        Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.53%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2020!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        32% have variable interest rates
        
        68% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.08%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.8%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €145,500: an increase of 1.9% vs last year.
        
        32,905 mortgages were issued +23% vs last year.
        
        4,8 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in December 2021, +32% vs last year.
        
        The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):
        
        Aragon, +33% to 1.159 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, +29% to 683 mortgages
        
        The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)
        
        Balears, 211m€, +116%
        
        La Rioja, 19m€, +77%
        
        Aragon, 169m€, +70%
The Spanish mortgage rates situation for October 2021
1. 1. - - Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.48%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2020!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        33% have variable interest rates
        
        67% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.11%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.7%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €137,900: an increase of 1.9% vs last year.
        
        33,105 mortgages were issued +67% vs last year.
        
        4,6 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in August 2021, +70% vs last year.
The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):
1. 1. - - Navarra, +77% to 510 mortgages
        
        Murcia, +7% to 1,099 mortgages
        
        Andalusia, +2% to 6,589 mortgages
The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)
1. - - - Madrid, 1.2bn€, +89%
        
        Andalusia, 793m€, +89%
        
        Catalonia, 863m€, +87%
    - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for February 2021
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.49%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2020!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        47.3% have variable interest rates
        
        52.7% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.16%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.88%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €131,380: an decrease of 13.8% vs last year.
        
        31,647 mortgages were issued -23.1% vs last year.
        
        4,1 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in February 2021, -29.9% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):
      1. Murcia, +45% to 1007 mortgages
        
        La Rioja, +40% to 215 mortgages
        
        Valencian Community, +24% to 3600 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)
      1. Navarra, 54m€, +19%
        
        La Rioja, 18m€, +16%
        
        Gallicia, 116m€, +13%
    - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for January 2021
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.47%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2020!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        48.8% have variable interest rates
        
        51.2% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.17%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.81%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €129,003: an increase of 13.5% vs last year.
        
        27,518 mortgages were issued -31.6% vs last year.
        
        3,5 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in January 2021, -22.4% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):
      1. Navarra, +63% to 458 mortgages
        
        Balears, +27% to 643 mortgages
        
        La Rioja, +24.4% to 153 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)
      1. Cantabria, 40m€, +0%
        
        Catalonia, 758m€, -7%
        
        Castilla y Leon, 126m€, -9%
    - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for December 2020
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.53%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2020!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        51.6% have variable interest rates
        
        48.4% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.20%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.97%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €135,658: an increase of 9.2% vs last year.
        
        26,128 mortgages were issued -14.8% vs last year.
        
        3,5 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in December 2020, -7% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):
      1. Cantabria, +9.3% to 354 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, +4.8% to 551 mortgages
        
        Aragon, +0.2% to 862 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)
      1. Aragon, 111m€, +62%
        
        Castilla y Leon, 118m€, + 38%
        
        Galicia, 123m€, +34%
    - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for November 2020
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.45%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2020!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        52.6% have variable interest rates
        
        47.4% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.05%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.86%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €136,676: an increase of 5.5% vs last year.
        
        28,756 mortgages were issued +2.4% vs last year.
        
        3,9 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing inNovember 2020, +3% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):
      1. Pais Vasco, +19% to 1729 mortgages
        
        Cantabria, +16% to 324 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +15% to 4711 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)
      1. Castilla – La Mancha, 115m€, +32%
        
        Aragon, 97m€, +31%
        
        Galicia, 104m€, +21%
    - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for October 2020
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.47%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2020!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 25 years
        
        51.1% have variable interest rates
        
        48.9% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.19%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.85%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €134,900: an increase of 4.6% vs last year.
        
        28,248 mortgages were issued -5.9% vs last year.
        
        3,8 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in October 2020, -1.6% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):
      1. Castilla y Leon, +28% to 1226 mortgages
        
        La Rioja, +26% to 179 mortgages
        
        Navarra, +21% to 332 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)
      1. Extremadura, 40m€, +29%
        
        Aragon, 93m€, +23%
        
        Asturias, 46m€, +19%
    - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for September 2020
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.44%
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.44% reached in Nov 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        51.5% have variable interest rates
        
        48.5% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.12%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.84%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €135,035: a decrease of 1% vs last year.
        
        26,878 mortgages were issued 18.4% vs last year.
        
        3,6 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in September 2020, +17.2% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued:
      1. Madrid, +66% to 5,077 mortgages
        
        Balearic Islands, +63% to 823 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +42.4% to 3,968 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued
      1. Extremadura, 51m€, +220%
        
        La Rioja, 13m€, +106%
        
        Cantabria, 39m€, +106%
        
        Asturias, 55m€, +105%
    - The Spanish mortgage rates situation for August 2020
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.49% (vs 2.54% last month)
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.47% reached in Nov 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        50.6% have variable interest rates
        
        49.4% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.18%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.87%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €134,700: an increase of 4% vs last year.
        
        19,825 mortgages were issued -3% vs last year.
        
        3,7 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in August 2020, +0.5% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued:
      1. Navarra, +32% to 286 mortgages
        
        Castilla – La Mancha, +15% to 981 mortgages
        
        Cantabria, +12% to 279 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued
      1. La Rioja, 15m€, +145%
        
        Canarias, 126m€, +91%
        
        Castilla – La Mancha, 94m€, +49%
        
        Extremadura, 33m€, +34%
      1. The Spanish mortgage rates situation for July 2020
        
        Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.54% (vs 2.49% last month)
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.47% reached in Nov 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        47.5% have variable interest rates
        
        52.5% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.27%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.86%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €132,346: an increase of 8.9% vs last year.
        
        26,014 mortgages were issued -23% vs last year.
        
        3,4 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in July 2020, -16% vs last year.
        
        The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued:
        
        La Rioja, +51% to 202 mortgages
        
        Canarias, +45% to 1,221 mortgages
        
        Valencian community, +31% to 3,341 mortgages
        
        The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued
        
        Basque Country, 282m€, +33%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation for June 2020
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.5% (vs 2.49% last month)
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.47% reached in Nov 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        54% have variable interest rates
        
        46% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.11%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.96%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €131,670: an increase of 7.5% vs last year.
        
        26,748 mortgages were issued -13% vs last year.
        
        3,5 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in June 2020, -6% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Basque Country, +129% to 2,811 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, +79% to 562 mortgages
        
        Murcia, +59% to 798 mortgages
      The top regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Basque Country, 366m€, +95%
        
        Extremadura, 45m€, +85%
        
        Murcia, 68m€, +57%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in May 2020
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.49% (vs 2.48% last month)
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.47% reached in Nov 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        50.5% have variable interest rates
        
        49.5% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.11%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €127,145: an increase of 3.2% vs last year.
        
        25,538 mortgages were issued -27% vs last year.
        
        3.2 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in May 2020, -29% vs last year.
      The top regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Andalusia, +6.8% to 5,580 mortgages
        
        Basque Country, +6.5% to 1,221 mortgages
        
        Galicia, +6.4% to 820 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Murcia, 56.8 M€, +22%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in April 2020
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.48% (vs 2.56% last month)
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.47% reached in Nov 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        48.4% have variable interest rates
        
        51.6% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.13%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.86%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €125,300: an decrease of 1.2% vs last year.
        
        23,840 mortgages were issued -18% vs last year.
        
        3 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in April 2020, -19% vs last year.
      The 3 regions with the biggest decreases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Andalusia, +6.8% to 5,580 mortgages
        
        Basque Country, +6.5% to 1,221 mortgages
        
        Galicia, +6.4% to 820 mortgages
      The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Murcia, 56.8 M€, +22%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in March 2020
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.56%
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.47% reached in November 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        47% have variable interest rates
        
        53% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.21%,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.92%,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €127,888: an increase of 1.6% vs last year.
        
        26,382 mortgages were issued -15% vs last year.
        
        3.4 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in March 2020, -13% vs last year.
      The top region with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. La Rioja, +44% to 254 mortgages
      The top 3 regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Aragon, 93 M€, +48%
        
        Asturias, 57 M€, +24%
        
        Cantabria, 34M€, +8%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in February 2020
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.64% (vs 2.55% last month)
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.47% reached in November 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        62% have variable interest rates
        
        37% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.47%
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.02%
      The 3 regions with the biggest decreases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Navarre, -45% to 373 mortgages
        
        Asturias, -38% to 694 mortgages
        
        Canary Islands, -31% to 1.035 mortgages
      The top 3 regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Catalonia, 2.378 M€, +200%
        
        Andalusia, 1.109 M€, +57%
        
        Aragon, +30%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in January 2020
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.55% (vs 2.53% last month)
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.47% reached in November 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 22 years
        
        58% have variable interest rates
        
        42% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.22%
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.05%
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Balearic Islands, +144% to 1.494 mortgages
        
        Asturias, +134% to 1.120 mortgages
        
        Castilla y Leon, +111% to 1.884 mortgages
      The top 3 regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. La Roja, 20 M€, +84%
        
        Navarre, 71 M€, +75%
        
        Balearic Islands, +74%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in December 2019
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.53% (vs 2.47% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 5% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.47% reached in November 2019!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        56% have variable interest rates
        
        44% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.2%, 9.1% less than 1 year ago
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.06%, 2.6% more than 1 year ago
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Castilla – La Mancha, +97% to 1.952 mortgages
        
        Canary Islands, +55% to 1.824 mortgages
        
        Madrid, +23% to 6.787 mortgages
      The top 3 regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Castilla – La Mancha, 143 M€, +137%
        
        Madrid, 1.114 M€, +57%
        
        Canary Islands, +54%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in November 2019
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.47% (vs 2.5% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 6.1% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is the current rate 2.47%!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        57.3% have variable interest rates
        
        42.7% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.15%, 12.1% less than 1 year ago
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.01%, 0.3% more than 1 year ago
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €129,800: a decrease of 2.1% vs last year.
        
        29,416 mortgages were issued -0.5% vs last year.
        
        3.8 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in October 2019, -0.9% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      
      All the regions noticed a month on month decrease
      
      Here are the most noticeable regions:
      1. Extremadura, +26.4% to 526 mortgages
        
        Cantabria, +13.6% to 376 mortgages
        
        Valencia Community, +12.8% to 3614 mortgages
      The top 3 regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Extremadura, 48 M€, +72%
        
        Balearic Islands, 200 M€, +37%
        
        Cantabria, 43 M€, +36%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in October 2019
      
      Best mortgage conditions in Spain?
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.50% (vs 2.51% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 5% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is the current rate 2.50%!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        54.7% have variable interest rates
        
        45.3% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.09%, 11.2% less than 1 year ago
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.02%, 1.4% less than 1 year ago
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €129,000: a decrease of 2.1% vs last year.
        
        29,691 mortgages were issued -1.1% vs last year.
        
        3.8 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in September 2019, -1.1% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      
      All the regions noticed a month on month decrease
      
      Here are the most noticeable regions:
      1. La Rioja, +127% to 186 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, +92% to 416 mortgages
        
        Cantabria, +80% to 331 mortgages
      The top 5 regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Madrid, 936 M€, -12%
        
        Catalonia, 788 M€, -12%
        
        Andalusia, 660 M€, +8%
        
        Valencia Community, 327 M€, +20%
        
        Basque Country, 235 M€, +20%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in September 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.51% (vs 2.55% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is the current rate 2.51%!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        63.4% have variable interest rates
        
        36.6% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.13%, 9.3% less than 1 year ago
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.16%, 2.5% less than 1 year ago
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €135,452: a increase of 5.3% vs last year.
        
        22,488 mortgages were issued -29.9% vs last year.
        
        3 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in August 2019, -29.9% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Navarre, +50% to 328 mortgages
        
        Madrid, +47% to 4,708 mortgages
        
        Castilla La Mancha, +26% to 897 mortgages
      The top 5 regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):
      1. Madrid, 936 M€, -27%
        
        Catalonia, 545 M€, -28%
        
        Andalusia, 463 M€, -29%
        
        Valencian Community, 255 M€, -29%
        
        Basque Country, 203 M€, -21%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in August 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.55% (vs 2.56% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is the current rate 2.55!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        60.7% have variable interest rates
        
        39.3% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.21%, 3.2% less than 1 year ago
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.18%, 1.5% more than 1 year ago
        
        20,385 mortgages were issued -29.9% vs last year.
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €128,501: a increase of 5% vs last year.
        
        2,6 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in August 2019, -29.9% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest decreases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. La Rioja, -72% to 74 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, -57% to 279 mortgages
        
        Castilla La Mancha, -53% to 714 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest decreases in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. La Rioja, -65% to 6m issued
        
        Extremadura, -56% to 23m issued
        
        Canariasa, -45% to 66m issued
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in July 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.56% (vs 2.57% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 1.2% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is the current rate 2.56!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        58.1% have variable interest rates
        
        41.9% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.14%, 7.3% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.16%, 2.8% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €121,414: a decrease of 2,5% vs last year.
        
        33,344 mortgages were issued +13.1% vs last year.
        
        6,3 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in July 2019, +15.2% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      
      For a first time since long, all the regions suffer a month on month negative growth. The one with the smallest decreases are
      1. La Rioja, +79.3% to 269 mortgages
        
        Castilla La Mancha, +44% to 1,508 mortgages
        
        Asturias, +37% to 671 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. Extremadura, +45.9% to 652 mortgages
        
        Castilla La Mancha, +38% to 1,508 mortgages
        
        Castilla y Leon, +33.9% to 1,430 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in June 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.57% (vs 2.62% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.57!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        55.5% have variable interest rates
        
        44.5% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.29%, 6.1% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.01%, 1.3% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €119,964: a increase of 3,7% vs last year.
        
        29,900 mortgages were issued -2.5% vs last year.
        
        3,6 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in May 2019, -6.1% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      
      For a first time since long, all the regions suffer a month on month negative growth. The one with the smallest decreases are
      1. Region of Murcia, -2.6% to 824 mortgages
        
        Community of Navarra, -4.5% to 383 mortgages
        
        Basque country, -5.2% to 1,703 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. Community of Valencia, +16.9% to 3,748 mortgages
        
        Region of Murcia, +12% to 824 mortgages
        
        Basque country, +9.3% to 1,703 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in May 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.59% (same as last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 2.9% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.57!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        56.8% have variable interest rates
        
        43.2% have fixed interest rates (+6.7% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.3%, 5.1% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.09%, 1.8% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €124,700: a increase of 3.9% vs last year.
        
        29,032 mortgages were issued -0.1% vs last year.
        
        3.6 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in April 2019, +0.6% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Community of Navarra, +45.3% to 510 mortgages
        
        Aragon, +19.7% to 814 mortgages
        
        Asturias, +11.9% to 556 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in March 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.62% (same as last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 2.3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.57!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        58.1% have variable interest rates
        
        41.9% have fixed interest rates (+24.5% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.34%, 2.7% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.11%, 1.6% more than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €125,341: a increase of 3.9% vs last year.
        
        30,716 mortgages were issued + 9.2% vs last year.
        
        3.8 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in March 2019, +20.3% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. The Balearic Islands, +47% to 1,159 mortgages
        
        Andalusia, +17% to 6,069 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, +14% to 503 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. The Balearic Islands, +49% to 1,159 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, +36% to 503 mortgages
        
        Murcia, +31% to 503 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in February 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.62% (vs 2.57% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 1.1% vs 1 year ago
        
        The current rate: 2.62% is close to the lowest rate ever of 2.57!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        58.2% have variable interest rates
        
        41.8% have fixed interest rates (+17.4% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.37%, 4% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.05%, 0.4% more than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €123,911: a increase of 2.9% vs last year.
        
        31.018 mortgages were issued + 9.2% vs last year.
        
        3.8 € Bn of mortgages issued for housing in February 2019, +12.3% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      
      After a seasonally slower December, January looks even stronger vs December:
      1. Asturias, +24.9% to 728 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +8.4% to 5.448 mortgages
        
        Pais Vasco, + 2.9% to 1.713 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. Asturias, +56% to 728 mortgages
        
        Castilla – La Mancha, +43% to 1.321 mortgages
        
        La Rioja, + 39% to 241 mortgages
      The 6 regions with the biggest growth on the full year 2018
      1. The Valencian Community, +15.7% to 38.004 mortgages
        
        The Community of Madrid, +14.9% to 65.503 mortgages
        
        Castilla – La Mancha, +14.8% to 12.501 mortgages
        
        La Rioja, +13.5% to 2.332 mortgages
        
        The Community of Navarre, +13.4% to 4.615 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +13% to 57.477 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, +12.3% to 5.550 mortgages
      The 4 most active regions in 2018
      
      No surprises, we keep the same regions as the most active ones in terms of transactions:
      1. The Community of Madrid, 65.503 mortgages with a growth of 14.9%
        
        The Andalusia, 65.431 mortgages with a growth of 8.6%
        
        Catalonia, 57.477 mortgages with a growth of 14.9%
        
        The Valencian Community, 38.004 mortgages with a growth of 15.7%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in January 2019
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.57% (vs 2.62% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 4.3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The current rate: 2.57% is the lowest rate ever!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 22 years
        
        62.8% have variable interest rates
        
        37.2% have fixed interest rates (+9.1% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.32%, 8% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.09%, 1.6% more than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €121,036: a decrease of -0.7% vs last year.
        
        36.832 mortgages were issued + 22.5% vs last year.
        
        4.4 € Bn of mortgages issued in January 2019, +21.6% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      
      After a seasonally slower December, January looks even stronger vs December:
      1. Madrid Community, +168% to 10.478 mortgages
        
        Castilla – La Mancha, +101% to 1.485 mortgages
        
        Extremadura, + 76% to 542 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. Madrid Community, +105% to 10.478 mortgages
        
        Castilla – La Mancha, +25% to 1.485 mortgages
        
        Aragón, + 17% to 910 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in December 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.62% (vs 2.61% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 3.9% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.57%!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        58.6% have variable interest rates
        
        41.4% have fixed interest rates (+9.1% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.42%, 4.7% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.98%, 4.8% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €126,394: an increased of 9.4% vs last year.
        
        20.933 mortgages were issued + 0.9% vs last year.
        
        2.6 € Bn of mortgages issued in December 2018, +10.4% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      
      All the regions had a negative growth. Of course December is well known for being less busy all over the world.
      
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. The Basque Country, +20.1% to 1.333 mortgages
        
        The Valencian Community, +17.3% to 2.456 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +12% to 3.390 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in November 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.61% (vs 2.57% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 5.7% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.57%!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        64% have variable interest rates
        
        36% have fixed interest rates (+25.9% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.42%, 0.7% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.07%, 14.1% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €130,651: an increased of 5.5% vs last year.
        
        28.835 mortgages were issued + 14.2% vs last year.
        
        5.6 € Bn of mortgages issued in November 2018, +13.7% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. The Canary Islands, +39.4% to 1.299 mortgages
        
        The Balearic Islands, +17.8% to 899 mortgages
        
        Asturies, +4.7% to 532 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. The Canary Islands, +28.6% to 1.299 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +25% to 5.363 mortgages
        
        The Valencian Community, +24.4% to 3.178 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in October 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.57% (vs 2.59% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 4.3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.57%! YES, the current rate!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        60.4% have variable interest rates
        
        39.6% have fixed interest rates (+25.9% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.43%, 2.9% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.99%, 3.7% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €126,926: an increased of 4.6% vs last year.
        
        30.356 mortgages were issued + 20.4% vs last year.
        
        5.8 € Bn of mortgages issued in October 2018, +13.9% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Navarra Community, +21.6% to 472 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +10.7% to 5.808 mortgages
        
        Castilla y Leon, +4.8% to 1.153 mortgages
      The top 3 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. Navarra Community, +53.7% to 472 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +40.7% to 5.808 mortgages
        
        Aragon, +36.8% to 729 mortgages
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in September 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.59% (vs 2.62% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 8.3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.59%!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        59.9% have variable interest rates
        
        40.1% have fixed interest rates (+16.7% vs last year)
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.36%, 10.8% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.02%, 5.9% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage is €127,732: an increased of 4.1% vs last year.
        
        32.457 mortgages were issued + 9.5% vs last year.
        
        6.6 € Bn of mortgages issued in September 2018, +10% vs last year.
      The top 4 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):
      1. Valencian Community, +32.5% to 3.863 mortgages
        
        Madrid, +30.6% to 6.530 mortgages
        
        Murcia, +21.5% to 866 mortgages
        
        Catalonia, +18.4% to 5.246 mortgages
      The top 4 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (yearly change):
      1. La Rioja, +123%
        
        Extremadura, +54%
        
        The community of Navarre, +37%
        
        Madrid, +28%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in August 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.62% (vs 2.59% last month)
        
        The average mortgage rate decreased by 4.3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.59%!
        
        The average mortgage duration is 24 years
        
        59.8% have variable interest rates
        
        40.2% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.43%, 5.5% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 2.99%, 3.1% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage stands at €122,424, an increased of 9.8% vs last year.
        
        28.755 mortgages were issued + 6.8% vs last year.
        
        5.4 € Bn of mortgages issued in August 2018, +11% vs last year.
      The top 4 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued are:
      1. Extremadura, +31% to 604 mortgages
        
        The Canary Islands, +19,6% to 1.396 mortgages
        
        Cantabria, +16,4% to 326 mortgages
        
        Madrid, +13,9% to 5.000 mortgages
      The top 4 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are:
      1. Extremadura, +61%
        
        Madrid, +29%
        
        Andalusia, +28%
        
        Basque country, +24%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in July 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.59% (vs 2.63% last month)
        
        Average mortgage rate decreased by 6.3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.59%! YES, the current rate reached this month!
        
        Mortgage duration is 22 years
        
        62.3% have variable interest rates
        
        37.7% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.32%, 7.3% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.07%, 5.7% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage stands at €125,120, an increased of 2.1% vs last year.
        
        29.287 mortgages were issued + 14.6% vs last year.
        
        3.6 € Bn of mortgages issued in July 2018, +17% vs last year.
      The top 4 regions with the biggest growth for the number of mortgages issued:
      1. Extremadura, +38.9% to 457 mortgages.
        
        The Valencian Community, +28.1% to 3.276 mortgages
        
        La Rioja, +28.1% to 283 mortgages
        
        Madrid, +27,5% to 5.713 mortgages
      The top 4 regions with the biggest growth in terms of amounts of mortgages issued:
      1. La Rioja, +77.3%
        
        The region of Murcia, +43%
        
        Cantabria, +39.8%
        
        The Valencian Community, +39%
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in June 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.63%
        
        Average mortgage rate decreased by 6.8% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever is 2.62% reached in March 2018
        
        Mortgage duration is 23 years
        
        62.9% have variable interest rates
        
        37.1% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.19%, 11.3% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.25%, 0.5% more than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage stands at €123,896, an increased of 5.1% vs last year.
        
        30.600 mortgages were issued + 3.9% vs last year.
      The top 3 regions with the biggest mortgages growth:
      1. Madrid, +23,2% to 6.399 mortgages,
        
        Aragon, +10.6% to 957 mortgages,
        
        Extremadura, +18.4% to 616 mortgages.
      The Spanish mortgage rates situation in May 2018
      1. Average mortgage has an interest rate of 2.63%
        
        Average mortgage rate decreased by 4.3% vs 1 year ago
        
        The lowest rate ever was 2.62% in March 2018
        
        Mortgage duration is 22 years
        
        61.9% have variable interest rates
        
        38.1% have fixed interest rates
        
        The average rate for variable rate mortgages is 2.4%, 9.8% less than 1 year ago,
        
        The average rate for fixed-rate mortgages is 3.12%, 6.6% more than 1 year ago,
        
        The average amount issued per mortgage stands at €117,044, an increased of 2.8% vs last year.
        
        31.166 mortgages were issued + 7.3% vs last year.
      While the top 4 regions in terms of annual growth were:
      1. The Canary Islands, +70,9% to 1.984 mortgages,
        
        Extremadura, +18.5% to 570 mortgages,
        
        Pais Vasco, +18.4% to 1.783 mortgages,
        
        Navarra, +17.3% to 441 mortgages
      Check the Spanish report from the INE.
      
      Looking for a mortgage or a local expert in Alicante, Malaga, Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona,…? Ask us directly!
      
      Stéphane
      
      Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS
      
      Check the full HTBIS team here

The post What are the best Spanish mortgage rates? June 2025 update appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

How do I choose between fixed and variable rates for a mortgage on my Spanish property?

STEPHANE — Tue, 20 May 2025 04:01:47 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

How do I choose between fixed and variable rates for a mortgage?

Should I take a mortgage with fixed or variable rates?

Fixed-rate mortgages and variable-rate mortgages are the two main categories of mortgages you can pick. Of course, there are many other possibilities between the two.
Why would you take a fixed-rate mortgage?

A Fixed rate mortgage has the advantage that whatever the market conditions will do in the future, it will remain the same. To get that advantage, you will on average pay a higher rate than on a variable-rate mortgage, for instance, as of May 2025, mortgages with variable rates are issued at rates of 2.9% while those with fixed rates are issued with 3.0% for an average length of 24 years.

As we are writing, May 2025, Inflation rate has stabilized in Spain: the level as of May 2025 is 2.5%.
Why would you take a mortgage with a variable rate?

It could be because it is less expensive and because you don’t see inflation or rates going higher or because you are comfortable financially and can face higher rates. Another reason for variable rates to be lower is that for the banks issuing them, it matches their sources of funds (saving’s accounts).

So, to sum up, if you want safety, take a fixed-rate mortgage. If you see inflation spiking or interest rates going higher (in general due to a strong economy) you could as well go for a fixed-rate mortgages. Of course, the longer your mortgage is the higher your risk will be.
Don’t hesitate to ask to your Spanish mortgage broker a pricing with both and compare both offers.
May 2025 update

After the dramatic changes seen in recent years, the mortgage market has stabilized significantly. While in 2021-2022 we saw a sharp increase in fixed-rate mortgages due to inflation concerns, the trend has now moderated as of May 2025. Currently, 64% of mortgages are issued with fixed rates, a slight decrease from the 75% peak we saw in late 2021. This reflects increased confidence in economic stability and normalized inflation expectations.

Check the evolution of the percentage of mortgages with fixed and with variable rates
Are fixed mortgage rates less expensive than variable mortgage rates?

As of May 2025, the gap between fixed and variable mortgage rates has narrowed significantly. Fixed rates are currently averaging 3.0%, while variable rates average 2.9%, making the difference minimal at just under 0.4 percentage points. This is a dramatic change from the 0.5-0.7 percentage point gap we saw during the high inflation period of 2021-2022.

Check the evolution of the mortgage rates (average, fixed and variable )over the last year
Our other resources on “Spanish mortgage rates”
- Your definitive guide to your Spanish mortgage
- Our ultimate mortgage calculator

Looking for a mortgage or a local expert in Alicante, Malaga, Valencia, Madrid, Barcelona,…? Ask us directly!

Are you looking for a property lawyer in Spain? Follow the link and get one of our local lawyers. Looking for another real estate expert in Spain: Mortgage, Insurance, Survey of property, Property hunting, …? Contact one of our 100+ local partners!

Stéphane, Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Stéphane, with over 20 years of experience in real estate, finance, and entrepreneurship, is the co-founder of www.howtobuyinspain.com. With an extensive network of local partners in Spain, his deep commitment to the real estate sector, strong analytical skills, and a problem-solving mentality have fueled his success. Constantly eager to learn and passionate about teaching, Stéphane believes in the power of knowledge-sharing to master any subject.

Check the entire HTBIS team here

The post How do I choose between fixed and variable rates for a mortgage on my Spanish property? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

How to pay in £,$,¥ Pounds, Dollars, Francs, Yuan for my Spanish property?

STEPHANE — Tue, 06 May 2025 06:34:09 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

How to pay in Pounds £, Dollars $, Yen ¥, Swiss Francs, Yuan for my € Spanish property?

How can I transfer my cash efficiently to Spain?

Many foreigners, including British, Canadian, American, Swiss, Israeli, Moroccan, Chinese, and Russian, have a different currency at home than the Euro.

In the long term, it is a perfect diversification strategy to have some assets, like real estate, in another country and in another currency than in your home country.

Most of your assets are in your home country, but:

The economic cycle is different in Spain from your home country
Inflation is different in Spain from your home country
Monetary policies are different in Spain from those in your home country
The euro is used by more than 300 million people in Europe

To help you check the long-term evolution of the main currencies against the Euro, we have created a table with the latest Sterling, Ruble, Swedish Krona, Norwegian Krone, Dollar, Yuan, and Shekel long-term evolution against the Euro.

Check what happened to Sterling after the 2016 Brexit vote. The British who bought properties in Spain before the Brexit vote were pleased with that diversification.

If you buy a property in Spain in the short term, you will have to cover some currency volatility and costs if you invest outside the EU zone.

In 2024, about 15% of the properties bought by foreigners in Spain were purchased by the British.

After feeling the effect of the Brexit vote on June 23rd, 2016, the British were less active in the Spanish real estate market, and the pound lost 10% of its value vs. the Euro. Check any currency pair, for instance, get a chart on the Sterling evolution vs. the Euro here from Reuters. Of course, in 2020, activity was much lower due to COVID-19. But by the end of 2021, activity was back.

Foreigners buy their property in euros while having their home currency in their bank account.

Book your free appointment with the currency hedging specialist.

What solutions are available for foreigners buying real estate in euros with a different home currency?

Ask their bank to exchange their home currency into euros and transfer the funds to Spain.
Benefit from lower exchange rates thanks to online platforms like Currencytransfer.com to convert their home currency into euros and to transfer the funds to Spain

Foreign exchange services

If you need to send money overseas, you could save significantly with our currency partner TorFX.

Save time and money on your currency transfers.

When moving overseas, you often need to transfer money abroad as part of the process, whether it’s to purchase a property, cover expenses, or repatriate income.

However, some banks and currency providers offer uncompetitive exchange rates and charge transfer fees. Exchange rates are always moving, so finding the right time to transfer your money can be tricky.

Fortunately, our partner TorFX offers excellent exchange rates with no transfer fees, specialist services, and tailored support to help you get the best deal on your transfers.

HowtobuyinSpain negotiated with them so that customers get a preferred rate for their property purchases.

What are the most significant advantages of the latter?

No commission system, much lower final cost than with a bank taking a commission for converting your currency into Euro AND for wiring the funds to Spain
No hidden fees: the exchange rate includes a small margin from the mid-bank rate
Get the best price anytime on the market: Many well-known FCA-regulated currency providers compete for the flow.
Segregated account: Your money is on a transit account bearing your name of an FCA-regulated currency entity; it is never on the platform’s balance sheet.
Transfer the correct amount in the local currency.
As corporations do, a dedicated relationship manager will help you manage your hedging most efficiently.
You can instruct your Relationship Manager to wait for your precise exchange rate (to gain more or to lose less)
If your account is open, you can lock a rate once your account is open and transfer the money afterwards.

With Torfx you’ll benefit from:

TorFX is fully authorised by the FCA and registered with regulators worldwide.

Expert guidance

Your own dedicated Account Manager can provide personalised support and help you time your transfer, simplifying the process and making your money go further.

Rate improver guarantee

TorFX promise to match or beat any valid quote from a bank or another currency provider, so you know you’re getting the best exchange rate.

No transfer fees

It’s free to open an account with TorFX and there are no transfer fees or hidden charges – just send the money and they’ll transfer it at the agreed rate.

A secure service

TorFX is fully authorised by the FCA and registered with regulators worldwide. It transacts around £10bn in currency transfers a year.

A platform accessible on your Mobile

Request a free quote from TorFX today and determine how much you could save on your currency transfers.

For all foreigners looking to buy with non-Euro currencies such as Sterling, American Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Shekel, Yuan, Ruble, Swedish Krona, Norwegian Krone, and other Asian currencies,… when you are buying a property in Euros, you will need to exchange your currency into Euros and transfer the money to buy your property. This usually involves huge bank costs: up to 5% and mostly close to 3%.

Please have a look at our partner based in London: TorFX! We have negotiated with them the best service and the best rates for our customers. They take a very low commission rate and transfer the funds without cost. You can create your account for free and lock your exchange rate into Euros even before wiring funds with your local currency. Look at their website and don’t forget to mention “HTBIS” in the field “Where did you hear about us?” to get the best rates we negotiated with them for the members of our network.

How does it work in practice?

Open your free account on TorFX and mention HTBIS code in the field “Where did you hear about us” to get the best rates.
Lock an exchange rate between your local currency and the Euro (or instruct a threshold exchange rate to be traded later)
Wire the funds in your local currency to your segregated account in a top-tier bank.
Receive the funds in Euro on your account in Spain, on the account of your lawyer,…

Let’s have a look at an example of trade with TorFX

Let’s say you’re a British person looking to purchase your second home in Spain for €200,000.

- STEP 1: You book a deal on the CurrencyTransfer platform to buy €200,000 at an exchange rate of €/£ 0.8500, which will cost you £170,000.
- STEP 2 Behind the scenes, your selected FCA payment provider buys €200,000 from one of its market counterparties to ensure they have funds available to honour your deal.
- STEP 3 The next step is to pay your winning provider the £170,000. You pay this directly to their Segregated Client Account. These are all secure, separate client accounts with stable, tier-1 banks (such as Barclays or RBS). This ensures that your money is safe from any business liabilities the payment provider could be affected by.
- STEP 4 With your payment of £170,000 now safe in the payment provider’s Segregated Client Account, the broker will wire the €200,000 to your Spanish lawyer, notary or even your Spanish account on your chosen date.
- FINISH Once the payment has been delivered to the beneficiary, the transaction is complete

As of January 2025, here is the business update from TorFX

- Clients: thousands
- Currencies: > 30
- Value of the currencies TorFX exchanges yearly: It transacts around £10bn a year in currency transfers.
- *Average saving: £1,260
- Proud to have saved our clients millions in hidden currency fees.

Other uses? Transfer cash (minimum €10.000) to relatives everywhere around the world.

Looking for a lawyer, an architect, or a property hunter in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post How to pay in £,$,¥ Pounds, Dollars, Francs, Yuan for my Spanish property? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

The best search tips for buying your Spanish property

STEPHANE — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 06:02:23 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

How to find the ideal Spanish property?

Discover our comprehensive and exclusive steps to find the perfect property that matches your expectations.

Since we started investing in the Spanish real estate market in 2012, we have built a network of local real estate experts in Spain and become a one-stop shop solution for foreigners looking for help to buy a property in Spain. We launched this new series of four articles so you can get all your answers and all our tips before pursuing your dream property.

With our first article: How should you start your Spanish property search? We gave you answers on many specific issues related to the purchase of a property in Spain: Why would you buy a property in Spain? What are your objectives? What are the perfect criteria for your future dream home?

With our second article, we helped you to find the perfect location for your property in Spain: Sea view or countryside? When will you visit Spain? Is the cost of life essential? Will you relocate or retire to Spain? Will you look for a second home or an investment property? What are your ideal location criteria? We concluded the article with an overview of the different Spanish Costas.

Now that you know why you want to buy a property in Spain, how you should do it and in which part of Spain, it is time to move on and search for your Spanish dream property. Finding a cheap property in Spain is easy; finding one that matches your expectations is another step.

Our customers have different objectives when they buy a property in Spain: finding a holiday home, relocating, retiring or investing in real estate. All those objectives mean different expectations about an ideal property.

With our help, please make this property acquisition a success.

Here is how we will help you out with this property search:

The best searching tips for your Spanish property

As you learned in our previous articles, it is not difficult to buy a property in Spain. It’s even quite affordable compared to other European countries. How can you find your ideal Spanish property?

There are two main avenues: either you go on your own for your property search, or you enjoy the precious help of a Spanish-based property finder who knows the market and will negotiate the price for you. Worst case, he will tell you, “You should pay the requested price because this is a bargain and it won’t stay on the market for long.” Of course, as you will read, the main advantage of a local property hunter is that he is on the ground and you are abroad. So, he will speed up the process.

Whatever avenue you take, that’s why we recommend seeking legal advice and hiring a real estate lawyer. Why? It is well known that issues can arise from a property sale in Spain. Notaries’ duties are lighter than in other European countries. So, you can make it without a lawyer, but we think it’s a safety net that’s essential when discussing significant investments.

The best place for your future dream property is always the place that you will love. So, take time, visit properties, discover neighbourhoods and lovely villages and enjoy yourself first. All the steps we will describe here are the same with or without a property hunter, apart from the first two steps that explain why you should take a property hunter and how he works. If you want to search for your Spanish holiday home on your own, you can skip the first two points.

The six reasons why a local property hunter is a nice-to-have

He knows the market. He will save you money and make this property a savvy investment. He will save you time. He will protect your interests. He speaks Spanish and your language. He will find solutions after you make a purchase. So, of course, you can search the property by yourself but as you live abroad, it is not easy, it is time consuming and last but not least you don’t have a clue about the real property market price, that’s why usually he will save a lot of money by working for you. To summarise, working with a local property hunter who speaks your language will speed up the process, make it much smoother, and save you time and money, as you won’t need to travel to visit the 10 properties that don’t match your taste. Follow this link to read our detailed article on the subject.

Check out the completed missions of our property hunters across Spain.
- A countryside villa close to Barcelona and Tossa de Mar: Costa Brava property investment
- A mountain-view detached villa in Calonge: Costa Brava property investment
- Costa Brava property investment: A sea-view apartment with pool in Platja d’Aro
- Costa Blanca property investment: a holiday home in Calpe – Alicante
- Murcia property hunting: 3 case studies
- Barcelona property hunting: an apartment in Barcelona got a quick refresh for €15,000
- Costa Blanca property hunting: a property investment and a renovation in Altea
- Costa de la Luz property hunting: Our property finder in the Costa de la Luz last transaction
- Tarragona property hunting: a Case study of a property for sale in the Costa Dorada
- Tenerife property hunting: a Case study of property for sale in Tenerife
- Barcelona property hunting: a Case study
- Madrid property hunting: a Case study

How does a Spanish property finder work?

There are six main steps: 1. Interview with the customer, 2. The contract, 3.The property search and visits to properties, 4. Feedback and exchange of views with the customer, 5.Purchase of the property, 6. The real estate personal shopper will assist their customer with formalities. Follow this link if you want to read more about what a Spanish-based property finder will do for you. With the same link, you can have a look at some property searches realised by our property hunters in different Spanish Costas, and of course, you can search for your local property hunter in your favourite Spanish region.

A real estate lawyer is your must-have AND the first step to your Spanish home.

You can search for your property on your own, but in Spain, a Spanish property lawyer is a clear must. For many reasons:

Buying real estate in Spain is very easy: what is not, is knowing what you buy. As one of our legal partners summarises:

“ it is in this context that the role of the lawyer is essential, not only to collect the documents that will allow you to sign and obtain the registration of the property at your name in the property registry (management procedures) but especially to obtain the documents to which the law does not give you obligatorily access before the sale but whose study is essential to know the ins and outs of your purchase (audit procedures).”

Have a quick look at our two articles on the subject if you want to read more:
Why do you need a property lawyer for buying real estate in Spain?
What is the legal due diligence for your Spanish property?
If you want to find a good local Spanish property lawyer, follow the link and choose one from our network.

Each person involved with this project should list their objectives

Remember that, as you saw in our past articles from this series, your objectives will differ depending on the property’s function: a second home, a first home, a retirement home, or an investment property.
Here is a quick example of an objective: I want a second home where I can live for three months per year (during the summer months and three holiday weeks). I want it to be close to the airport, within walking distance of the beach, and large enough to accommodate all my family (4 bedrooms). As I am a golfer, I want it close to golf courses. My wife wants it close to shopping areas because she doesn’t drive.
Don’t hesitate to go into further details; the more you do, the easier it will be to know if you’ve found the perfect property.
Don’t worry if you can’t find many ideas; our criteria lists, available in this article, will help you find the main ones.

Looking for a Resale in Spain

The Spanish real estate market is exciting for both resale and new build properties. Of course, you can buy an existing property with its past, or you can go for the comfort of a new build property. Both are possible in Spain. Both are very competitive in terms of price. Of course, the cost of your property will be mainly driven by its location and size. It will be less dependent on whether it is a resale or a new build. Of course, resale could even be more expensive if you take into account the renovation works that will come with it, 90% of the time. Buying a resale in Spain could have a lot of charm, and with some renovation works, you can give it as much of a modern touch as you want. Even if renovation works are not expensive in Spain, they could come more costly than a new build property when you check it at the end of the project.

Looking for a new build property in Spain?

Buying a new build property in Spain has many advantages:
1. Impressive standards specifications: designed for modern living:
2. Personalise your property to your taste
3. New build prices in Spain are very competitive vs resale + renovation costs
4. Fewer uncertainties:
  - 3-year warranty on the building works
  - 10-year warranty on design faults by the architect
  - 10-year warranty on structural defects by the builder
Read more on that: What are the advantages of buying a new build property in Spain?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain, direct from our partners, with a €5,000 discount!

New build for sale in Spain € 320,000

2 beds 1 bath 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 313,000

2 beds 2 baths 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 3 baths 191 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 520,000

3 beds 2 baths 109 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 435,000

3 beds 2 baths 114 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 350,000

3 beds 2 baths 106 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 273,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 368,000

3 beds 2 baths 103 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 315,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 245,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 335,000

3 beds 2 baths 98 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 250,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 420,000

2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 475,000

3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 490,000

3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 530,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 370,000

2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 440,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 367,000

3 beds 3 baths 177 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 262,000

3 beds 2 baths 84 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 242,000

2 beds 2 baths 72 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 277,000

2 beds 2 baths 73 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 255,000

3 beds 2 baths 85 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 220,000

2 beds 2 baths 71 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 240,000

2 beds 2 baths 80 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 280,000

3 beds 2 baths 88 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 585,000

3 beds 3 baths 162 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 348,000

3 beds 2 baths 220 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 355,000

3 beds 2 baths 100 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 385,000

2 beds 2 baths 76 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 325,000

3 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 269,000

2 beds 2 baths 81 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 631,000

3 beds 2 baths 123 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 154 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 430,000

3 beds 2 baths 116 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 730,000

3 beds 2 baths 149 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 529,000

3 beds 2 baths 133 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 319,000

2 beds 2 baths 87 m²

List your location criteria.

Get back to our second article, ” Where are the best places for your Spanish property? ” and make sure all your location criteria are listed.

List your property criteria.

Of course, you will have the usual suspects: the size of the property, the number of bedrooms, a sea view, a pool, a terrace, or a garden?… Here are some other applicable property criteria: Position of the property vs its environment, Quality of the property, access to amenities, Layout of the property, Neighbours, Outdoor Spaces (Garden, Terrace, Pools,…), Natural light, Eco-friendly?, Community fees, Yearly maintenance costs, taxes

Use our ranking system for comparing your future Spanish homes

Ranking your property according to criteria will allow you to achieve three main objectives
1. remove emotions
2. help you to compare properties
3. allow you to discuss and compare properties with your partner
It is pretty valuable and easy to make.

In this chapter, you will learn how to do the ranking. We will explain the general method here. In contrast, in the following 4 chapters, you will get specific data related to each particular Spanish property purchase: a second home, a first home to relocate, a home to retire in Spain, an investment property.
Once you understand how our ranking system works, you can switch directly to the specific chapter that corresponds to your situation, which will also have quick guides. In those chapters, you will find a downloadable form with an example of how to rank your next property. You will need to adjust it according to your own criteria list and assign weights and ratings.

The idea is simple: to create a weighted matrix containing the physical characteristics (pragmatic, rational) of the house, we will call them the Criteria, and you will assign an importance level (personal, irrational) or weights to each of them. Each person involved with the project should do the same.

By listing those locations and property criteria in a table, you can compare the different properties and assign them a global score.

The CRITERIA are rational and shouldn’t take into account your personal feelings (unless for one – see the PDF for example). They are listed beforehand by all the parties involved in the form of an exhaustive list of each of their criteria.

For each of those criteria, you will give them.
- WEIGHTS, indicating the importance of the criteria for the persons involved in the property search. – ranging from 1 to 10 (best). They are specified on the worksheet before visiting the property and are the same for all your potential properties.
- RATINGS, which is your view on whether the criteria are fully met or not by this specific property, ranging from 1 to 10 (best). The ratings will be completed after visiting each property. The ratings are specific to each property.
By multiplying WEIGHTS (1) and RATINGS (2), CRITERIA will get a personal score. By adding all these values, we will get an overall score for the property. This score has two subscores: a location score and a property score.

To sum it up, here is the step-by-step guide to your ideal Spanish property:
1. List the criteria for the ideal Spanish holiday home with all the people involved
2. Give a WEIGHT for each criterion between 1 and 10. (10= important, 1= not important)
3. Visit the potential properties, and each person involved gives RATINGS between 1 and 10 for all the criteria. (10= criteria met perfectly, 1 = bad)
4. Compare the total scores for each property, rank them and compare with the results of other persons involved in the project.
This process will help you to rationalise your property purchase and will remove some of the emotions involved. This is important as buying a second home in Spain is a significant investment.
For further reading on this subject, read the fascinating article written by our B&B expert, Patrick: How to compare and select the perfect B&B in Spain?

Compare your Spanish holiday homes – download the PDF form.

Now that you know how to proceed, we did the work and created a downloadable PDF that’s easy to use, allowing you to compare different Spanish holiday homes. Once you have visited potential second homes, you can compare your ranking with the ranking of your partner. Start discussing your top three properties with your partner and make a choice. If you can’t, that’s because you’re not convinced yet, so keep searching.

The top 6 location criteria for your Spanish second home
1. Within 45 minutes of the Airport by car
2. Is the weather what you want when you go (in the winter months)? Check our monthly weather statistics for the top 20 Spanish cities.
3. Is the beach close to the property?
4. If you play golf, are there any golf courses within a 20-minute drive by car?
5. Discover the best new build projects located on a golf resort
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 350,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 106 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 273,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 83 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 368,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 103 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 315,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 90 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 245,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 83 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 335,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 98 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 250,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 90 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 420,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 475,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 490,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 540,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 530,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 370,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 440,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 585,000
  
  3 beds 3 baths 162 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 348,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 220 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 631,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 123 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 345,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 154 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 430,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 116 m²
6. Are restaurants close to the property?
7. Most of the time, you want to relax with your family, so it’s good to have recreational and family activities available in the region.
You will need to adjust this list with your location criteria for your ideal Spanish holiday home. Please take a look at the downloadable PDF at the end of this section for an exhaustive list of criteria and our ranking system for your future holiday homes.

The top 7 property criteria for your ideal Spanish second home
1. Your personal feeling
2. Is the number of sleeping rooms & bathrooms corresponding to your expectations? Make it big enough, as you’ll always have friends visiting.
3. Are the outdoor spaces corresponding to what you want? Garden, Terrace,… You will spend 90% of your time outside.
4. If you want a pool, yes, it’s essential for cooling off during hot summers.
5. Are the quality of construction and the layout of the property fine?
6. Is the size of the property as you want?
7. May I rent the property short term? Is it legal?
Please have a look at our detailed ranking form in pdf and start now the ranking of all your potential holiday homes.

Our downloadable PDF form for ranking your different Spanish holiday homes.How to compare two Spanish second homes?

Read our complete article on that subject: How to find the perfect holiday home in Spain?
1. Compare investment properties in Spain – download PDF form.
  
  Now that you know how to rank properties (see bullet 9), here are our top criteria for finding the perfect investment property in Spain. You will find the downloadable PDF easy to use, allowing you to compare your different Spanish investment properties. Once you have visited potential investment properties, you can compare the ranking of each property. To compare investment properties, we have added a series of criteria: “investment criteria”.
  
  The top 7 investment criteria for investing in real estate in Spain:
  1. Own funds needed to invest
  2. Rental Yield
  3. Potential for value-adding creation
  4. Renovation costs
  5. Ease of selling in the future
  6. The uniqueness of the property
  7. Property Management costs
  The top 7 location criteria for your Spanish investment property
  1. Close to economic activities: city centre, companies,…
  2. Good public transport network, surely within 10 minutes on foot
  3. Close to universities and research centres
  4. A lot of restaurants in the neighbourhood
  5. Shops in the neighbourhood
  6. Close to tourist places (important if tourist rental)
  7. Strong demand for short-term rentals (if legal)
  You will need to adjust this list with your location criteria for your ideal Spanish investment property. Please refer to the downloadable PDF at the end of this section for an exhaustive list of criteria and our ranking system for future Spanish investment properties.
  
  The top 7 property criteria for your Spanish investment property
  1. The property price is aggressive vs the market.
  2. The size of the property is standard (not too big), i.e., approximately 80 m², which means it will be easy to resell and rent.
  3. Outdoor Spaces: Garden, Terrace,… As the weather is nice 320 days a year in Spain, people often live outside.
  4. Quality of construction / Layout of the property
  5. Personal feeling
  6. Yearly maintenance costs and taxes
  7. May I rent out my property on a short-term basis? It is not always legal to rent a property for a short term in Spain.
  Please review our detailed ranking form in PDF and start ranking all your potential investment properties now.
  
  Read our complete article on that subject: How to find the perfect investment property in Spain?
  
  Our downloadable PDF form for ranking your different Spanish investment properties.How to compare two Spanish investment properties?
  1. Compare homes to relocate to Spain – download the PDF form
    
    Now that you know how to rank and compare properties (see bullet 9), here are our top criteria for finding the perfect home to relocate to Spain. You’ll find the downloadable PDF easy to use, allowing you to compare different homes. Once you have visited potential investment properties, you can compare the ranking of each property.
    
    The top 7 location criteria for your Spanish first home
    1. A lively neighbourhood 12 months per year. It should be active during the winter months.
    2. Commuting time to work and school is less than 40 minutes
    3. Plenty of shops within 10 minutes on foot
    4. Close to a good public transport network
    5. Does the cost of living in your Spanish city fit with your desires?
    6. Is the weather as you want 320 days per year? We all know why we want to live in Spain!
    7. A beach within 20 minutes reach by car. Let’s enjoy the weekends.
    You will need to adjust this list with your location criteria for your ideal first home. Please take a look at the downloadable PDF at the end of this section for an exhaustive list of criteria and our ranking system for your future Spanish home.
    
    The top 7 property criteria for your first Spanish home
    1. Your personal feeling
    2. Is the number of sleeping rooms & bathrooms corresponding to your expectations? Make it big enough, as you’ll always have friends visiting.
    3. If you want a pool, yes, it’s essential for refreshing during hot summers.
    4. Are the outdoor spaces corresponding to what you want? Garden, Terrace,… You will spend 90% of your time outside.
    5. Is the size of the property as you want?
    6. Are the quality of construction and the layout of the property fine?
    7. The property price is in line with the market.
    Please take a look at our detailed ranking form in PDF and start ranking all your potential first homes in Spain now.
    
    Our downloadable PDF form for ranking your new Spanish first home
    
    How to compare two Spanish First homes- relocate to Spain
    
    Read our complete articles on that subject: Why and how to relocate to Spain? How to find the perfect home to relocate to Spain?
    1. Compare homes to retire to Spain – download the PDF form
      
      Now that you know how to rank properties (see bullet 9), here are our top criteria for finding the perfect home to retire in Spain. You’ll find the downloadable PDF easy to use, allowing you to compare different Spanish homes. Once you have visited potential properties, you can compare the ranking of each property with other ones.
      
      The top 7 location criteria for your home to retire in Spain
      1. A secure Neighbourhood
      2. Close to family members
      3. A lively neighbourhood 12 months per year
      4. Shops are closed, and it’s less than 10 minutes on foot
      5. Proximity to excellent Hospital & care facilities
      6. Does the cost of living in the city fit with your desires?
      7. Recreational and social activities around?
      You will need to adjust this list to fit your location criteria for your ideal home in Spain. Please take a look at the downloadable PDF at the end of this section for an exhaustive list of criteria and our ranking system for your future Spanish home.
      
      The top 7 property criteria for your home to retire in Spain
      1. I think it’s time to think about yourself, no?
      2. Security: fence and/or entrance gate, advanced technologies, fire alarm
      3. Outdoor Spaces: Garden, Terrace,… You’re living at home more, so get it as you want it!
      4. Swimming pool (size,…) Sports, social life, and good eating habits are the best ways to maintain good health.
      5. The size of the property corresponds to your taste. You got it, not too small, not too big.
      6. Natural light
      7. Size of Sleeping rooms
      Please take a look at our detailed ranking form in PDF and start ranking all your potential homes for retirement in Spain now.
      
      Read our complete article on that subject: How to find the perfect home to retire in Spain?
      
      Our downloadable PDF form for ranking your home to retire to Spain
      
      How to compare two homes to retire to Spain
    2. Is it legal to rent your property on short-term leases?
      
      Most of the time, when you buy a Spanish holiday home, it’s for yourself. But yes, we have to admit it, there are costs associated with a second home. That’s why many of our customers, after a few years, decide to rent out their properties. The regulation varies in each region of Spain, which is why it is strongly recommended to consult with a local legal advisor. Don’t hesitate to check our network for real estate lawyers in Spain.
      Another point is that if you want to rent your property, you need a property management company to assist you. We will cover this subject in detail in our next article.
      Have a quick look at the different articles we wrote on that subject:
      Tourist rental in Spain: What is it? Is it legal?
      An update on the short-term rental regulation in Andalusia
    1. Visit properties at different times of day.
      
      Ideally, at different times of the year, too, but this one is more challenging. What we mean by that is that some villages are active only during the summer months and are dead in the winter months. That’s why, if you want to retire there, you should know in advance that you won’t find an open restaurant in November.
      The same idea is to visit your property at different times of the day and the week. We all know those calm pedestrian streets in the old city centres. In the morning, it’s quiet… From time to time, it’s peaceful, even in the afternoon and evening. But, for the same price, you get a lot of activity in the evening as bars open their doors for the evening.
      So, check it, it doesn’t cost a lot.
    1. A technical survey of your Spanish property could be a nice-to-have
      
      This is undoubtedly the case if you work on your own, without a real estate agent. You don’t have a technical background, and you know nothing about renovation. This could be a sage decision before pouring all your savings into that dream property. Our partner developed a network of Surveyors covering all of Spain. Don’t hesitate to ask for a survey.
    1. How do our partners help you with those first steps?
    We have a local mortgage broker dedicated to helping foreigners get mortgages. Ask for a free mortgage quote.
    
    Our property hunters are here to help you find the perfect property. More on that in the 3rd article: “How should you search for your dream property?”
    With our team of more than +100 local real estate partners, HowtobuyinSpain helps foreigners to buy real estate in Spain.The experts from our network are active in all the fields you need:
    Would you like to read further? Last year, we wrote detailed property buyers guides custom-made for any nationality. Here are our FREE PDF property buyers’ guides written for all the foreign nationalities looking to buy in Spain: Click on your country flag, and you will find your PDF report at the end of each article.
    
    This was the third article in our new series, “Our Complete Guide to Buying Your Property in Spain.“ In the final article, we will cover what you need to know as a real estate owner in Spain.

Stéphane, Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the entire HTBIS team here

The post The best search tips for buying your Spanish property appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Is Your Spanish Holiday Home Now Illegal to Rent?

STEPHANE — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:09:13 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google Translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

Spain’s New Tourist Rental Regulations: What Foreign Property Owners Need to Know

April 2025 marks a turning point for tourist rentals in Spain with sweeping regulatory changes that affect millions of foreign property owners.

Spain has implemented significant changes to its tourist rental regulations, creating a dual regulatory framework that significantly impacts how properties can be offered for short-term stays. With approximately 2.5 million properties owned by foreigners in Spain—representing about 10% of all properties in the country—understanding these new rules is essential for anyone with real estate interests in Spain. Foreign ownership is mainly concentrated in tourist-heavy regions like Valencia (where foreigners own nearly 30% of properties in some municipalities), the Balearic Islands (20-25% foreign ownership), the Canary Islands, Andalusia’s Costa del Sol, and parts of Catalonia.

New Community Authorization Requirement in Effect

As of April 3, 2025, property owners in Spain must obtain explicit authorization from their homeowners’ association (comunidades de vecinos) to legally offer tourist rentals in residential buildings. This modification to the Law of Horizontal Property (LPH) represents a fundamental power shift, giving local communities greater control over tourism in their buildings.

“This modification empowers residents and has been developed in collaboration with local municipalities and autonomous communities,” explained Isabel Rodríguez, Spain’s Minister of Housing and Urban Agenda. The law aims to provide residents with greater decision-making capacity regarding regulating these rentals, which have generated intense debate in major Spanish cities due to their impact on community living and housing access.

The approval process requires a three-fifths (60%) majority vote of the total number of property owners and the total ownership quotas in the community. This ensures that decisions have broad support and aren’t made unilaterally.

However, properties legally operating before April 3 with proper tourism licenses are grandfathered in and may continue renting without obtaining new community authorization, provided they don’t change their activity.

Barcelona City in Spain seems to rise from the air, showing the impressive architecture and block systems of the apartments and offices in the busy Spanish metropolis.

National Registry System Coming in July

Complementing the community authorization requirement, Spain established a unified national registry system for short-term rentals. This “Ventanilla Única Digital de Arrendamientos” (Digital Register for Rentals) creates a centralized platform fully operational in July 2025, though property owners can already begin the registration process.

The system was established by Royal Decree 1312/2024, which went into effect on January 2, 2025. Spain is the first EU country to implement the European regulation requiring member states to create an information system for short-term rentals.

The registration process requires property owners to:

Access the digital system through the College of Registrars
Complete a detailed form with property information
Submit required documentation, including:
- Property title
- Energy efficiency certificate
- Tourist license specific to the relevant autonomous community
- Details about maximum guests and rental type

As of March 2025, authorities reported more than 18,000 registration applications nationwide, of which 49% were approved, 41% were under evaluation, and 11% were rejected.

Beautiful Unique Architecture of Park Guell. Amazing Tourist Attraction. Sightseeing. Excursion. Traveling to Barcelona. Spain.

Tourist rental platform Responsibilities and Enforcement

Online booking platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Rentalia now face strict requirements to verify that listings include valid registration numbers. Platforms must ensure that advertisements published on their sites include the corresponding registration number.

Platforms must also periodically report rental activity data to authorities, and non-compliant listings must be removed. This collaborative approach between government and technology companies aims to create a more transparent marketplace for tourists and property owners.

Spanish Regional Variations and Specific Requirements

While the national framework establishes basic requirements, Spain’s autonomous communities maintain significant regulatory authority over tourist rentals, resulting in varying rules and penalties across regions.

Maximum Fines by Region

Non-compliance penalties vary dramatically by location:

País Vasco: up to €100,000
Andalucía: up to €150,000
Madrid and Canarias: up to €300,000
Baleares: up to €400,000
Cataluña and Comunidad Valenciana: up to €600,000

Specific Regional Requirements

Some regions have implemented detailed specifications for rental properties. For example, on the Costa del Sol, requirements include:

Maximum 4 people permitted per bedroom
Mattresses must be at least 18cm thick
Kitchens must have specific equipment, including two cooking plates, an oven, a microwave, a coffee machine, a blender, and toaster.
Properties accommodating more than five guests require at least two bathrooms.
Properties with more than eight guests require at least three bathrooms

These are part of the increasing regulation of tourist apartments across Spain.

Foreigners have been active in the Spanish real estate markets for many years. Here is one of our previous infographics on the subject (current statistics remain very close).

Impact on Foreign Property Owners in Spain

The changes significantly affect foreign property owners, many of whom purchase Spanish real estate as a personal vacation home and a rental investment. With foreigners owning approximately 2.5 million properties across Spain, the impact of these regulations is far-reaching, especially in coastal regions and tourist hotspots, where foreign ownership can reach up to 30% of all properties.

Market surveys indicate that approximately 40-50% of foreign owners rent their properties for part of the year, with most offering rentals for 6-8 weeks annually (17.8%) or 18-20 weeks (12.3%).

At HowtobuyinSpain.com, we think it is essential for our customers to know all the details of their real estate purchase. While many real estate agents and rental agencies tend to minimize the challenges of renting property in Spain to attract investors, we believe in full transparency. We want our clients to enter the Spanish property market with open eyes, understanding the opportunities and potential difficulties. In our view, foreign buyers should primarily invest in Spanish property for their enjoyment rather than solely for financial returns, and we’re committed to providing all the information needed to make an informed decision.

The regulatory changes are already influencing behavior, with recent surveys showing that approximately 14% of foreign owners are considering stopping their rental activities or switching to a different rental model not covered by the new regulations.

Short-term rentals regulation in Spain video

Would you like to watch this video in your language? Click at the bottom right of the video on “cc” to get subtitles in your language.

#ShortTermRentalsRegulationInSpain #MovingToSpain #AirbnbSpain #ShortTermRentals #ShortTermRentals #ConveyancingLawyerSpain #RealEstateLawyerSpain #LawsInSpain #Spain #LivingInSpain #HowToRentOutYourHouseInSpain #HowToBuyAHouseInSpain

Advice for Current and Future Property Owners in Spain

As Spain’s regulatory landscape evolves, market experts anticipate that three main profiles of foreign property buyers will emerge:

Advice for Current and Future Property Owners in Spain

As Spain’s regulatory landscape evolves, market experts anticipate that three main profiles of foreign property buyers will emerge:

1. Spanish Holiday Home Owners

The most sustainable option in the new regulatory environment is purchasing primarily for personal use.

Don’t count on rental income to cover your mortgage; with community authorization requirements, buying primarily for enjoyment provides the most certainty.

This approach avoids the complications of seeking community approval and navigating complex rental regulations altogether. For these buyers, location can be selected based entirely on personal preference rather than rental potential.

2. Long-Term Rental Investors in Spain

Investors focused on traditional long-term rentals (typically annual contracts) will face fewer hurdles, as these arrangements aren’t subject to the exact community authorization requirements as tourist rentals.

Long-term rentals offer more stability and less regulatory complexity. This investment approach aligns better with residential communities resistant to tourist rentals.

For this profile, urban locations and areas with year-round resident demand may offer better opportunities than seasonal tourist destinations.

3. Niche Temporary & Tourist Rental Owners

This smaller category will only be viable under specific conditions:

Standalone villas: Properties not subject to community voting requirements
Purpose-built tourist complexes: Where all owners share an interest in allowing rentals
Existing high-concentration tourist buildings: “Properties in buildings already dominated by tourist rentals will find it easier to obtain the necessary three-fifths majority,” advises Cocquyt.
Regions with favorable regulations: Consider locations like Calpe, Marbella, or Tenerife, which maintain tourism throughout the year

Industry observers expect other rental arrangements to become increasingly tricky as community associations exercise their new authority to restrict tourist rentals.

We believe communities with high percentages of permanent residents or retirees are unlikely to approve new tourist rental operations.

Regardless of which profile fits your objectives, staying informed about continuously evolving local regulations remains essential.

MADRID: The Gran Via in Madrid marked its 100 year history in 2010 and is the city’s main commercial streets with a length of 1,316 meters. Gran Via on July 12, 2012 in Madrid, Spain.

Why do we get those rental regulation changes in Spain today?

These regulatory changes reflect Spain’s efforts to address several challenges related to the growth of short-term rentals:

Rising housing costs for residents due to tourist rental pressure
Quality of life issues for permanent residents (noise, excessive tourist traffic)
Pressure from the hotel sector arguing against unfair competition
Recent protests against mass tourism in cities like Barcelona
Not enough supply of housing (fewer developers than in 2008, and banks are less aggressive to support the sector in general)

As Spain balances its vital tourism industry with the needs of local communities, these regulations represent a significant shift toward greater oversight and community control in the tourist rental market.

For the millions of foreign property owners who rent their Spanish properties, adapting to these changes will be essential for continued legal operation in Spain’s evolving real estate landscape.

With our team of more than +100 local real estate partners, HowtobuyinSpain helps foreigners to buy real estate in Spain.

The experts from our network are active in all the fields you need:

Stéphane, Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the entire HTBIS team here

The post Is Your Spanish Holiday Home Now Illegal to Rent? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Your Ultimate 2025 Guide to Obtaining a Spanish NIE Number – NIE Spain

STEPHANE — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 06:43:00 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

Your ultimate guide to your Spanish NIE number

1. What is the Spanish NIE?
  
  NIE is the abbreviation for “Número de Identificación de Extranjero”, it is a tax ID for foreigners in Spain. You shouldn’t compare it to the Spanish Golden Visa as the Golden Visa allows foreigners to get a residency if they invest in Spain.
  
  Check our one-minute videos on that:
  
  And here is our first Youtube video we did on the same content, you can watch both but the content is the same.
2. Why do I need the Spanish NIE number?
  - Open a bank account
  - Buy a property or insure it
  - Get a mortgage
  - Sign an internet or a phone contract
  - Open a utility contract
  - Buy a car or get a driving license
  - Sign a work contract and get Social security
  - Setup a company
  - … and pay taxes
3. What do I need to get my Spanish NIE number as a European citizen?
  
  Step 1: Fill in THREE forms in BLOCK CAPITALS “EX – 15 Solicitud de Numero de Identidad de Extranjero NIE y Cert“, per person requiring the NIE. You have to fill it in this Spanish version! But here is a very useful Version where you will find everything translated into English with precise instructions.
  
  Step 2: Fill in ONE Form 790 in BLOCK CAPITALS, here is the electronic version, and here is the Pdf version of the form 790 pre-filled, per person requiring the NIE. This is the document regarding payment instructions to get the NIE.
  
  Step 3: Make a copy of all the pages of your Passport
  
  Step 4: Two recent Passport pictures
  
  Step 5: Document proving why you need a Spanish NIE number, which differs depending on your intentions. In most cases it is one of those:
  
  -going to buy a property in Spain
  
  -job contract from the Spanish company
  
  -self-employed: a company ownership certificate
  
  -students: an acceptance letter from the school
  
  Step 6: Your future address in Spain and proof of health insurance if you are going to live in Spain
  
  Step 7: NIE application fee, less than 15€ (you could need to pay it to the nearest bank in cash)
  
  All those documents must be brought to the nearest Spanish Embassy or Consulate after taking an appointment or the General police office in Spain, read further “How do I get my Spanish NIE number?”
  
  Step 8: For a non-European citizen, proof of legal entry into Spain, like a landing ticket.
4. How do I get my Spanish NIE number?
  
  There are two easy ways to get your Spanish NIE: either in your home country at the Spanish consulate or embassy, or in Spain. You can get it and do all the steps alone if you are not in a hurry or you can get it done by a third party if you are busy or in a hurry.
  
  At the Spanish consulate in your own country
  
  We found the most demanded Spanish embassies and consulates here below but if you don’t find your country, here is the main site to find any Spanish embassy or consulate in the world.
  
  Here are the addresses of some Spanish consulates and their Instructions for the NIE:
  - Spanish consulates in the United Kingdom and here are the instructions written by the consulate to get the Spanish NIE in the United Kingdom
  - Spanish consulates in France and here are the instructions written by the consulate to get the Spanish NIE in France.
  - Spanish consulates in Belgium and here are the instructions written by the consulate to get the Spanish NIE in Belgium.
  - Spanish consulates in the United States and here are the instructions written by the consulate to get the Spanish NIE in the United States
  - Spanish consulates in Canada and here are the instructions written by the consulate to get the Spanish NIE in Canada.
  In Spain, at the Directorate-General offices of the Police,
  - Check the list of the Directorate General offices of the Police in Spain to get your NIE number
  - make sure you don’t need to register online before showing up, it’s the case in Barcelona for instance. Here is the link to book your meeting online (Spanish).
  There are some conditions to get it:
  
  the foreigner’s identity number, NIE, must be granted by the Directorate General of the Police if those foreigners are not in Spain in an irregular situation.
  
  Foreign nationals who are related to Spain due to their economic, professional, or social interests may apply personally for the NIE from the Directorate General of the Police, either directly or through the Foreign Nationals’ Offices or Police Stations. In the event that the foreigner is not in Spanish territory at the time of the application, he/she will request the assignment of the NIE from the General Police Headquarters for Foreign Nationals and Borders, through the Spanish Consular Offices abroad. More on that in Spanish on the website of the Spanish police.
5. Who can get the NIE Spain number?
  1. Yourself
  2. A duly mandated representative
6. How long does it take to get my Spanish NIE number?
  
  Between one hour to up to 2 months depending on the way you do it. So plan accordingly!
7. How long is it valid?
  
  More than five years ago, the NIE was valid for only a few years but now, your NIE number remains valid forever. So, once you did the work, you can buy a property (if this was the reason why you needed one), even if it is in 5 years.
  
  Take our advice: get your NIE right away!

Download and print our infographics!

NIE Spain number, everything you need to know

Looking for a qualitative new build property? Check our listings from reliable developers.

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

New build for sale in Spain € 320,000

2 beds 1 bath 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 313,000

2 beds 2 baths 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 3 baths 191 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 520,000

3 beds 2 baths 109 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 435,000

3 beds 2 baths 114 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 350,000

3 beds 2 baths 106 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 273,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 368,000

3 beds 2 baths 103 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 315,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 245,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 335,000

3 beds 2 baths 98 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 250,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 420,000

2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 475,000

3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 490,000

3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 530,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 370,000

2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 440,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 367,000

3 beds 3 baths 177 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 262,000

3 beds 2 baths 84 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 242,000

2 beds 2 baths 72 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 277,000

2 beds 2 baths 73 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 255,000

3 beds 2 baths 85 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 220,000

2 beds 2 baths 71 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 240,000

2 beds 2 baths 80 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 280,000

3 beds 2 baths 88 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 585,000

3 beds 3 baths 162 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 348,000

3 beds 2 baths 220 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 355,000

3 beds 2 baths 100 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 385,000

2 beds 2 baths 76 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 325,000

3 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 269,000

2 beds 2 baths 81 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 631,000

3 beds 2 baths 123 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 154 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 430,000

3 beds 2 baths 116 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 730,000

3 beds 2 baths 149 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 529,000

3 beds 2 baths 133 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 319,000

2 beds 2 baths 87 m²

If you want to invest in the Spanish real estate market in Spain, don’t hesitate to read our special report with the 10+ reasons why you should have a look at the Spanish property market.

If you are about to buy in Spain, have a keep look at our useful article: The most loved Spanish regions for foreigners’ properties: British, French, German,…

FAQ on Spanish NIE number

How do I get an NIE number in Spain?

To get a NIE, it's easy, fill the forms and get a meeting at your Spanish consulate. If you are not available, someone else can go do it for you. Read our step by step guide for more.

How long does a Spanish NIE number last?

NIE numbers are valid forever. So, don't wait, ask it now as it could take between 1 and 2 months.

How much is an NIE number in Spain?

The actual cost is less than 15€. Pay attention, you need to pay this in Cash at some consulates.

What documents do I need for NIE in Spain?

We have listed all the documents you need in our article: you need to fill 2 forms (the first one 3 times), you need a copy of your passport, two recent pictures, and a document proving why you need it,... Check our full list on our site

Looking for a property lawyer in Spain? Follow the link and get one of our local lawyers.

Looking for another real estate expert in Spain: Mortgage, Insurance, Survey of property, Property hunting, …? Ask us directly one of our 100+ local partners!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post Your Ultimate 2025 Guide to Obtaining a Spanish NIE Number – NIE Spain appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

What is the real cost of buying a Property in Spain in 2025?

STEPHANE — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 08:16:15 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

Congratulations, you found your Spanish dream property!

What is the cost of buying a property in Spain?

First question is:

Is it a new-build property?
Is it a resale?

Depending on your answer the cost will be slightly different but a good rule of thumb is 14%.

The cost of buying a New-build property in Spain: +/- 14%
- VAT =10%
- Property registration fees = 1.5%
- Lawyer between 1 and 2%:
- Other costs: Notary, stamps,…
The cost of buying a new build property in Spain
The cost of buying a Resale property in Spain: will be between 10 and 14%
- Transfer Tax = 6 to 10% at the general tax rate (but you have reduced rates in certain cases). This amount depends on which Spanish region this property is located.
- Property registration fees = 1.5%
- Lawyer between 1 and 2%
- Other costs: Notary, stamps,…
The cost of buying a resale property in Spain

Don’t miss What is the legal due diligence for your Spanish property?

Do you need a property lawyer or a tax advisor to assist you in Spain? Find a Spanish property lawyer in our network.
Other costs to take into account
- Banking costs: Usually a percentage of the amount wired + cost of holding an account
  - This could be very important if you don’t have a Euro account and need to convert your currency like Pound, Dolar, Yuan, Shekel, Ruble,… up to 3%
  - Our Tip: You have companies specialized in wiring funds internationally working with segregated accounts at the major international banks:
1. You can lock a currency level

=> you will know the commission BEFORE wiring the money

=> you will know the level at which you will convert your currency in Euros BEFORE wiring the money

=> you will know the exact amount you need to wire in your local currency BEFORE wiring the funds

2. You wire the money in your currency

3. The company will wire the money in Euros in Spain on your Spanish account (Don’t forget your NIE, read our earlier paper on that) , your lawyer account,…
- Mortgage costs:
  - Bank valuation of the property = +/- 750€
  - Mortgage deed = +/- 750€

If you want to check the monthly cost of your mortgage, or what is your purchasing power for a Spanish property, check our ultimate mortgage calculator!

Do you want to find the best Spanish mortgage rates? Fill this quick form and ask our partner for a quote

Real Estate agent fee: Here is the good news you were waiting for: the seller is paying this one 😉 in general.

Before buying, you want to know what is the annual cost of owning a property in Spain? Read our paper on this subject.

All those information are from reliable sources. We advise you to check those with your fiscal and legal agent in order to get all those costs up to date and adjusted to your specific situation.

Is the cost of living in Spain higher than in your home country?

Have a look at our detailed article and study on the subject.

If you are living in UK, here is our dedicated article: Cost of living in Spain vs UK.

Have a look at our detailed property buyers guides custom made for any nationality

Here are our FREE pdf property buyers’ guides written for all the foreign nationalities looking to buy in Spain: Click on your country flag, you will find your pdf report at the end of each article. Get most of our tips there.

Do you want to start searching immediately?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

New build for sale in Spain € 320,000

2 beds 1 bath 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 313,000

2 beds 2 baths 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 3 baths 191 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 520,000

3 beds 2 baths 109 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 435,000

3 beds 2 baths 114 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 350,000

3 beds 2 baths 106 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 273,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 368,000

3 beds 2 baths 103 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 315,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 245,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 335,000

3 beds 2 baths 98 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 250,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 420,000

2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 475,000

3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 490,000

3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 530,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 370,000

2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 440,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 367,000

3 beds 3 baths 177 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 262,000

3 beds 2 baths 84 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 242,000

2 beds 2 baths 72 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 277,000

2 beds 2 baths 73 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 255,000

3 beds 2 baths 85 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 220,000

2 beds 2 baths 71 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 240,000

2 beds 2 baths 80 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 280,000

3 beds 2 baths 88 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 585,000

3 beds 3 baths 162 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 348,000

3 beds 2 baths 220 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 355,000

3 beds 2 baths 100 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 385,000

2 beds 2 baths 76 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 325,000

3 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 269,000

2 beds 2 baths 81 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 631,000

3 beds 2 baths 123 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 154 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 430,000

3 beds 2 baths 116 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 730,000

3 beds 2 baths 149 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 529,000

3 beds 2 baths 133 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 319,000

2 beds 2 baths 87 m²

Don’t know where to buy? Start with our general article: Everything you ever wanted to know about the top 20 Spanish real estate markets

1. Best Professionals 2. Follow up 3. Competitive pricing 4. Partners 5. Qualitative Check

Get your insights right to your mailbox? Register for our newsletter!

Our Tip: Don’t forget all our checklists before buying your property:

Finally, if you want more, check our very useful infographic: The 9 legal steps to your Spanish property

FAQ on the Cost of buying a property in Spain

Is buying property in Spain a good idea?

Spain is the number one country in Europe for holidays. It is 10% cheaper than Europe. Of course real estate is cheap as well and you have 320 days of sun. Read our article: 10+ reasons for buying a property in Spain.

How much is property purchase tax in Spain?

The cost of buying a property in Spain is between 10 and 15% depending on if it is a resale or a new build and where the property is located. Read our article for more on that.

Can I get residency in Spain if I buy a house?

In order to get residency in Spain, there are certain conditions attached to it (income, activity, nationality,...) So if you want to live in Spain and work in Spain, check with a lawyer. The Golden Visa could be the way to go as well. Read our article on that.

Do I need a Spanish bank account to buy a property in Spain?

The obvious answer is yes. You want to finance a property in Spain, you will have taxes, utilities, ... Get it right away. In order to open your bank account, you will need a NIE, see our news on that.

Looking for a property lawyer in Spain? Follow the link and get one of our local lawyer.

Looking for another real estate expert in Spain: Mortgage, Insurance, Survey of property, Property hunting, …? Ask us directly one of our 100+ local partner!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post What is the real cost of buying a Property in Spain in 2025? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Our ultimate 2025 guide to buying your property in Spain

STEPHANE — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 08:41:32 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google Translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

Our ultimate 2025 guide to buying your property in Spain

Since we started investing in the Spanish real estate market in 2012, we have built a network of local real estate experts and become the one-stop-shop solution for foreigners looking for help buying a property in Spain.

As foreigners, we built this network first to find the solution for ourselves… then to share our network and our experience with other foreigners.

In six years, our readership grew to more than 800,000 worldwide!

To assist you even better, we launched this new series of four articles so that you get all your answers and all our tips before going after your dream property. We will cover the subject with four main articles:

How should you start your Spanish property search?
Where are the best places to buy a property in Spain?
The best search tips for buying your Spanish property (if you are too busy, start here)
The 18 things to do as a new property owner in Spain (or anywhere)

Too busy? Here is our quick-read summary:

The ultimate guide to buying your Spanish property – Our key insights.

The article is the introduction guide for foreigners buying property in Spain, leveraging the authors’ expertise and network.
It outlines the process for starting a property search, including setting objectives, budget, and home criteria.
It lists the criteria you should use to compare the potential properties and avoid an emotional decision.
Criteria differ for a first home, a second home or an investment property.
Don’t miss our dedicated PDFs with our exhaustive lists of criteria for each case in our third article: The best search tips for buying your Spanish property
It recommends working with local experts, such as property hunters and technical advisors, and obtaining an NIE (local tax number).
To avoid pitfalls, the guide suggests hiring a real estate lawyer for legal aspects.

Our ultimate guide to buying your Spanish property, our 2 minutes video

Would you like to watch this video in your language? Click at the bottom right of the video on “cc” to get subtitles in your language.

But before going into more details about your property search in Spain, let’s answer some typical questions asked by our readers:

Is buying property in Spain a good idea?

Spain is one of the top destinations for property investment. It has 320 days of sun per year, a high quality of life, and low property prices compared to other European countries. Here are more than 10 reasons to buy a property in Spain.

Why should you buy a second home in Spain?

Is it a good time to buy property in Spain in 2023?

Property prices were very strong before the financial crisis in 2008. They fell from 2013 to 2014, and since 2014, we have seen a nice rebound in terms of prices and activity. Have a look at our Spanish real estate outlook for 2023, and don’t miss our quarterly report on Spanish real estate prices for more on that.

What do I need to know about buying a property in Spain?

You can buy a property with good experts without being physically in Spain. We strongly advise you to work with a property hunter; a technical survey of the property could also be interesting. You also need an NIE (local tax number) and a bank account to buy your Spanish property. Read more on the NIE here: Your ultimate guide to your Spanish NIE number.

What are the pitfalls of buying property in Spain?

Buying a property in Spain isn’t expensive and easy if you are assisted by local experts speaking your language. To avoid any legal or technical risks, we strongly advise you to hire a real estate lawyer to ensure that all the legal aspects of the property are as expected. If you have doubts about the structure or technical aspects of the property, you can ask for a technical survey of the property. Last, a property hunter will help you avoid pitfalls and make the process easier, quicker, and even less expensive.

If you want to read more on that subject, Why do you need independent legal and tax partners for your property acquisition in Spain? and The 7 pitfalls of buying a property in Spain.

Now that the introduction is done let’s start with our first article on your search for Spanish property.

Here is the content we will cover:

How should you start your Spanish property search?

1. Why would you buy a property in Spain?
  
  Buying a property abroad usually starts with one of two objectives: either enjoying a better quality of life (buying for yourself) or diversifying assets (investing). People looking to enjoy the Spanish lifestyle will either buy a second home, relocate, or retire in Spain. Don’t miss our article on working remotely from Spain.
  We will first assume that you purchased your property to enjoy a better quality of life. We will then review the pure investment case for diversifying assets.
2. What are your objectives?
  
  To be efficient in your property search, don’t hesitate to list your objectives: most of the time, you are not alone in sharing this new dream and listing your goals is essential to finding the property fitting most criteria of all persons involved in the project. Is it a second home? Is it a first home? Is it a house or an apartment? Do you want it close to the beach? Do you want a pool? Do you want a garden? Do you want a terrace?… Each person involved in this project should list his objectives so you can draw a list of all the people involved.
3. What is your budget?
  
  Of course, your budget will be the first thing to consider before searching for a property: how much can you spend? So, the first step before searching is valuing your assets. After that, you will check with your local banker to see if they can give you a mortgage for a property in Spain, and you will check if you can get a mortgage from a Spanish bank. Read our guide for more on this: Your ultimate guide to your Spanish mortgage. Most of the time, you don’t need a mortgage, but it could be wise for two reasons: better diversifying your assets, and it could diminish your taxes if you rent your property.
4. The perfect criteria for your future dream home
  
  Buying for yourself?
  
  Second home or First home?
  
  Foreigners looking to buy a property in Spain usually purchase a Spanish second home to enjoy the sun 320 days per year for the quality of life and the beaches. Spain has a lot to offer. Spain is, for instance, ranked as the healthiest country in the world, in front of Italy and Iceland. There are many reasons for this, to give a few: higher life expectancy at birth, better health care system, Mediterranean diet, and better work-life balance,…
  
  Property criteria
  
  Criteria important for second-home buyers could be split into two main categories: location criteria and property criteria.
  
  Location criteria
  - Beach proximity
  - Airport proximity
  - Golf proximity
  - Discover the best new build projects located on a golf resort
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 350,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 106 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 273,000
    
    2 beds 2 baths 83 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 368,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 103 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 315,000
    
    2 beds 2 baths 90 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 245,000
    
    2 beds 2 baths 83 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 335,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 98 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 250,000
    
    2 beds 2 baths 90 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 420,000
    
    2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 475,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 490,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 540,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 530,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 370,000
    
    2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 440,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 585,000
    
    3 beds 3 baths 162 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 348,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 220 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 631,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 123 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 345,000
    
    2 beds 2 baths 154 m²
    
    New build for sale in Spain € 430,000
    
    3 beds 2 baths 116 m²
  - …
  Property criteria
  - Number of sleeping rooms
  - Pool
  - Terrace
  - Specifics about the property
  - …
  First home Criteria
  
  If it is a first home, of course, your criteria will be different than if it is a second home.
  - Proximity to shopping is more important
  - Access to public transportation
  - An active neighbourhood 12 months per year and not only in the summer
  - School proximity could be important for families
  - Proximity to hospitals and other medical facilities could be important for people retiring
  Even if you buy your Spanish property as a second or first home and not as an investment property (to rent it), we would advise you to read the next section as a lot of foreigners forget that one day, they will need to sell their property. So, it is important to understand if the property would fit the local market or not.
  
  Buying as a real estate investment?
  
  Buy your property as an investment. Your criteria will be different than if you buy the property for yourself: your goal will be to secure a net return on your investment over your holding period.
  
  Investment criteria
  - Amount to invest: Make fair estimates of the cost to be invested in the property, including the property itself, renovation costs, furniture (if any), etc.
  - Mortgage costs. Read more on that in our detailed article: Find the best Spanish mortgage rates
  - Yearly costs related to the property: maintenance costs,
  - Costs associated with the management of your property: Many third parties are involved: access, cleaning, etc.
  - Fees related to the rental of your property: rental websites, local partners,…
  - Regulations: Rental regulations vary depending on the local regulations of local Spanish authorities. Short-term rentals are not always allowed. Read more on that: Tourist rental in Spain: What is it? Is it legal?
  - Taxes related to your property: most of the time you have to pay taxes locally and in your home country. Read more on that: What taxes must you pay on your Spanish property?
  - Don’t forget that you will need to sell your property later on: try to buy a property that is in demand on the market where you buy: Not too big, not too small, 2 bedrooms, with outside space like a garden or a terrace (even more since Corona), in a not too bad neighbourhood,…
  Have a look at one of our earlier articles on that subject: What return will you make on your Spanish property?
  
  The criteria for searching for your investment property in Spain will be different from those for your own property: if you buy a property for yourself, you will look for a property with specific characteristics: sea view, pool, etc. When you look for an investment property, other location and property criteria could come to mind.
  
  Location criteria
  
  As your goal will be either to rent your property to people living in the city or to tourists, some specific criteria will be important
  - Close to local transportation
  - Close to economic activities (Companies, universities, research centres, etc.)
  - Close to tourist activities in the case of tourist rental
  Property criteria
  - Go for a standard size
  - Try to buy a sound property
5. How much does it cost to buy a property in Spain?
  
  The cost will vary depending on whether you are buying a resale or a new build, but a good rule of thumb is 14%. Read more in our detailed article: The cost of buying a Spanish property.
6. How much does it cost to own a property in Spain?
  
  A good estimate is 0.7%, as we wrote in our detailed article: The cost of owning a Spanish property.
7. How do our partners help you with those first steps?
  - We have a local mortgage broker dedicated to getting mortgages for foreigners. Ask for a free mortgage quote.
  - Our property hunters are there to assist you in finding the perfect property. More on that in the third article, “How should you search for your dream property?”
  With our team of more than +100 local real estate partners, HowtobuyinSpain helps foreigners to buy real estate in Spain.
  
  The experts from our network are active in all the fields you need:

Stéphane Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Stéphane, with over 20 years of experience in real estate, finance, and entrepreneurship, is the co-founder of www.howtobuyinspain.com. With an extensive network of local partners in Spain, his deep commitment to the real estate sector, combined with strong analytical skills and a problem-solving mentality, has fueled his success. Constantly eager to learn and passionate about teaching, Stéphane believes in the power of knowledge sharing to master any subject.

Check the entire HTBIS team here

The post Our ultimate 2025 guide to buying your property in Spain appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Mortgage rates comparison in Europe

STEPHANE — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 15:59:06 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google Translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

European Mortgage comparison Guide 2025: Complete analysis of Rates

This mortgage comparison guide incorporates insights from our two latest video analyses: “European Mortgage Rates at Lowest Levels in January 2025” and “Spanish Mortgage Rates for Non-Residents.” For detailed video explanations, we recommend watching both comprehensive analyses.

Data Source: All mortgage rates and financial data in this mortgage comparison are sourced from the European Central Bank’s official statistics. The figures presented are the latest available data as of January 2025, representing November 2024 measurements.

European Mortgage Rate comparison

Comparing Mortgage Rates across Europe

Our mortgage comparison reveals significant variations across European markets in 2025. Current data shows a remarkable spread in rates, from lows of 3.04% in Spain to highs of 3.94% in Ireland. This mortgage rate comparison helps investors identify the most advantageous markets for property investment.

Quick Mortgage Rate comparison

Country	Current Rate	Compared to EU Average (3.44%)
Spain	3.04%	-0.40%
France	3.17%	-0.27%
Belgium	3.19%	-0.25%
Italy	3.23%	-0.21%
Portugal	3.29%	-0.15%
Finland	3.31%	-0.13%
Luxembourg	3.69%	+0.25%
Netherlands	3.71%	+0.27%
Ireland	3.94%	+0.50%

Key factors in Mortgage comparison

When comparing mortgages across European markets, consider these essential elements:

Interest Rate Types and Spreads
Down Payment Requirements
Lending Criteria for Non-Residents
Insurance Requirements
Tax Implications

Key European Property Investment markets

The mortgage markets across European countries show significant variation in rates and lending practices. The EU average currently stands at 3.44%, but individual countries demonstrate notable differences that reflect their local economic conditions, regulatory frameworks, and cultural approaches to property ownership.

Mortgage Rates in Germany: Market analysis and trends

The German mortgage market is characterized by its stability and conservative lending practices. With current rates at 3.59%, German lenders emphasize long-term security and robust risk assessment. The market is highly regulated, with a strong preference for fixed-rate mortgages that typically require down payments of 20-30%. A unique feature of the German market is the “Forward Darlehen” system, which allows borrowers to lock in rates up to five years in advance of their mortgage start date.

German mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, as of November 2024, Spanish mortgage rates are cheaper by 0.55% than German mortgage rates. This is very good news for real estate buyers in Spain. In November 2024, German mortgage rates were sold at 3.59%.

Mortgage Rates in France: current conditions and requirements

French mortgage lending, offering competitive rates at 3.17%, combines strong borrower protections with structured application processes. This rate, notably below the European average, makes French mortgages particularly attractive for international investors. The French system is notable for its mandatory life insurance requirements and maximum debt ratio restrictions of 35%. First-time buyers can benefit from the “Prêt à taux zéro” program, which provides zero-interest loans under specific conditions.

French mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, French mortgages are a little bit more expensive than Spanish mortgage rates in November 2024. They trade at 3.17%

Mortgage Rates in the Netherlands: system overview and benefits

The Dutch mortgage market, currently with rates at 3.71%, stands out for its innovative approach to lending and strong focus on sustainability. Despite rates being slightly above the European average, the system offers various mortgage types and relatively high mortgage-to-income ratios. A distinctive feature is the National Mortgage Guarantee scheme, which provides additional security for both lenders and borrowers.

Dutch mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, Spanish mortgage rates and Dutch mortgages are more expensive than Spanish mortgage rates by 0.67%. In November 2024, Dutch mortgage rates were sold at 3.71%.

Mortgage Rates in Belgium: market features and opportunities

Belgium’s mortgage market, with current rates at 3.19%, positions itself competitively within Europe. This rate, significantly below the EU average, combines with strong consumer protections and stable lending practices. The Belgian approach emphasizes income stability and typically requires a 20% down payment, while offering various tax advantages for property owners.

Belgian mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, Spanish mortgage rates and Belgian mortgage rates are close to each other in November 2024. As of November 2024, Belgian mortgage rates were issued at 3.19%, 0.15% higher than Spanish mortgages.

Mortgage Rates in Ireland: market conditions and lending practices

The Irish mortgage market currently shows rates of 3.94%, positioning it above the European average. Despite higher rates, Ireland offers robust first-time buyer programs and clear regulatory frameworks. Key features include strict Central Bank lending rules, comprehensive buyer protection measures, and increasing availability of long-term fixed rates.

Irish mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, Irish mortgages are much more expensive than Spanish mortgages. As you will surely know, the Irish real estate market rebounded strongly and is one of the hottest markets in Europe even with those higher rates. In November 2024, Irish mortgage rates were trading at 3.94%, 0.9% higher than Spanish mortgage rates.

Mortgage Rates in Italy: southern European perspective

Italy’s mortgage market presents competitive rates at 3.23%, making it an attractive option for property investors. The Italian system combines traditional lending practices with modern financial products, offering both fixed and variable rate options. The market is particularly appealing for vacation home buyers and those interested in historical property renovation.

Italian mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, Italian mortgages are much more expensive than Spanish mortgages. In November 2024, Italian mortgage rates were trading at 3.23%, 0.19% higher than Spanish mortgage rates.

Mortgage Rates in Luxembourg: financial center insights

Luxembourg’s mortgage market, with rates at 3.69%, reflects its position as a major financial center. Despite rates above the EU average, the market benefits from strong international banking presence and sophisticated financial products. The country’s high property values are offset by competitive lending terms and strong legal protections for buyers.

Luxembourg mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, Luxembourg mortgages are much more expensive than Spanish mortgages. In November 2024, Italian mortgage rates were trading at 3.69%, 0.65% higher than Spanish mortgage rates. As you know probably, the Luxembourg real estate market has a very high valuation and we could see this as banks being prudent or instructed by the European Central Bank to be prudent.

Mortgage Rates in Portugal: Mediterranean market analysis

Portugal offers attractive mortgage rates at 3.29%, positioning itself competitively within the southern European market. The Portuguese system provides particular advantages for non-resident buyers, with specific programs designed to attract international investment. The market combines affordable property prices with accessible financing options.

Portuguese mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, Portuguese mortgages are much more expensive than Spanish mortgages. In November 2024, Portuguese mortgage rates were trading at 3.29%, 0.25% higher than Spanish mortgage rates. The Portuguese real estate market had a nice run too and we could see some caution from Portuguese banks.

Mortgage Rates in Finland: Nordic market perspective

Finland’s mortgage market, with rates at 3.31%, demonstrates the stability characteristic of Nordic financial systems. The Finnish approach emphasizes transparency and efficiency in lending processes, with strong digital integration and streamlined application procedures. The market offers particular advantages for energy-efficient properties and new constructions.

Finnish mortgage rates vs. Spanish mortgage rates evolution over the last 20 years

As you can see on the chart, Spanish mortgage rates since March 2022 are cheaper than mortgages in Finland, as of November 2024, they are cheaper by 0.27%. This is very good news for real estate buyers in Spain. In November 2024, Finnish mortgage rates were sold at 3.31%.

Want to learn more about European Mortgage Rates?

Watch our comprehensive video analysis “European Mortgage Rates at Lowest Levels in January 2025” to discover:

Detailed monthly changes in rates across all European countries

Five-year historical trends and patterns
Impact of inflation on current rates

Financing conditions across different regions

Expert predictions for the coming months

Would you like to watch this video in your language? Click at the bottom right of the video on “cc” to get subtitles in your language.

#EuropeanMortgages #MortgageRates #PropertyInvestment #RealEstate #EuropeanProperty #MortgageComparison #InvestmentAdvice #PropertyBuying

Focus on Spanish Mortgages

Spain’s Competitive Position

Spain has emerged as a leader in mortgage affordability across Europe, with rates significantly below the continental average. As detailed in our dedicated video on Spanish mortgage rates for non-residents, current rates stand at an impressive 3.04%, compared to the EU average of 3.44%. This competitive position represents a significant shift from historical patterns, with our video analysis showing this trend began in 2022 when Spanish rates reversed their historically higher pattern.

Why Spanish Mortgages lead the other European markets?

As explored in detail in our Spanish mortgage rates video, Spain’s mortgage market leadership stems from six key factors that create ideal lending conditions. Our video analysis breaks down how the combination of economic strength, market stability, and regulatory prudence has positioned Spain as a market leader.
- Strong GDP growth leading European rankings
- Unemployment at lowest levels since 2007
- Controlled inflation under 3%
- Property prices under €2,000 per square meter
- Robust banking regulations
- Sustainable market growth
Getting a Spanish Mortgage as a Foreign Buyer

The Spanish mortgage system for foreign buyers balances accessibility with prudent lending practices. Success depends on meeting key requirements and following a structured application process:
- Debt-to-income ratio below 35%
- Maximum loan-to-value ratio of 70%
- Stable income and employment history
- NIE (Foreigner Identification Number)
- Spanish bank account
Want to learn more about Spanish Mortgage Rates?

Read our detailed article on the subject: Spanish mortgage rates, the European best kept secret.

Watch our detailed video guide “Spanish Mortgage Rates for Non-Residents” to discover:
- Strategic benefits of financing property in Spain
- Detailed evolution of Spanish rates over the last 20 years
- Step-by-step guide to getting the best rates as a non-resident
- Why Spanish rates are consistently lower than European averages
- Essential considerations for your Spanish mortgage application
Would you like to watch this video in your language? Click at the bottom right of the video on “cc” to get subtitles in your language.

#SpanishMortgage #PropertyInSpain #NonResidentMortgage #SpanishProperty #InvestInSpain #SpanishRealEstate #MortgageAdvice #ForeignBuyer
Professional support framework

Success in the Spanish mortgage market often depends on accessing professional support services. This includes legal assistance during the property purchase process, financial advisors for mortgage comparison and tax planning, and property services professionals for market analysis and valuation expertise.

Conclusion

The European mortgage market offers diverse opportunities for property investors, with Spain emerging as a particularly attractive option in 2025. Our video analyses demonstrate that while each country presents unique characteristics and requirements, Spain’s combination of competitive rates, stable banking sector, and strong property market fundamentals makes it especially appealing for foreign buyers.

For more detailed information and regular updates on European mortgage rates and Spanish property investment opportunities, we recommend subscribing to our video channel. Our comprehensive analyses are updated monthly with the latest market data and expert insights.

Stéphane
Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Stéphane, with over 20 years of experience in real estate, finance and entrepreneurship, is the co-founder of www.howtobuyinspain.com. With an extensive network of local partners in Spain, his deep commitment to the real estate sector combined with strong analytical skills and a problem-solving mentality have fueled his success. Constantly eager to learn and passionate about teaching, Stéphane believes in the power of knowledge sharing to master any subject.

Check the full HTBIS team here

Mortgage comparison in Europe FAQ

Are mortgage rates in Spain higher than in other European countries?

No, Spain currently offers some of the lowest mortgage rates in Europe. As of November 2024, Spanish mortgage rates stand at 3.04%, significantly below the European average of 3.44%. This makes Spain one of the most competitive markets for property financing in Europe, with rates lower than most major European economies.

What makes Spanish mortgage rates competitive compared to other European countries?

Spanish mortgage rates are competitive due to six key factors: 1) Strong GDP growth leading European rankings, 2) Unemployment at lowest levels since 2007, 3) Lower dependence on energy prices than other European countries, 4) Inflation rates below European average (under 3%), 5) Conservative real estate market without overleveraging, and 6) Strong banking regulations ensuring sector stability.

How do Spanish mortgage rates compare with specific European countries like France or Italy?

Spain's current mortgage rate of 3.04% is highly competitive compared to other major European markets: France (3.17%), Belgium (3.19%), Italy (3.23%), Portugal (3.29%), Finland (3.31%), Luxembourg (3.69%), Netherlands (3.71%), and Ireland (3.94%). This positions Spain as having the most attractive mortgage rates among major European economies.

Can foreign investors benefit from Spain's mortgage rates when buying property?

Yes, foreign investors can benefit from Spain's competitive mortgage rates, though they typically receive slightly higher rates than residents. Non-resident buyers can still secure favorable terms by meeting key requirements: maintaining a debt-to-income ratio below 35%, providing a larger down payment (30-40%), and choosing properties in high-demand areas with strong resale potential. The combination of low rates, stable economy, and average property prices under €2,000 per square meter makes Spain particularly attractive for international investors.

Easy downloadables charts on mortgage rates evolution in Europe

Bar chart comparing data for various mortgage rates for different European countries, with Ireland highest at 3.94. Includes Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, the EU logo “HTBIS,” and notably showcases Spanish mortgage rates alongside Spain’s performance.

The post Mortgage rates comparison in Europe appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Buying your holiday home in Spain? Our 40 tips

STEPHANE — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 14:44:30 +0000

Click on any flag to get an automatic translation from Google translate. Some news could have an original translation here: News Nouvelles Nieuws Noticias Nachrichten

How to find the perfect holiday home in Spain?

Our definitive guide to finding the perfect property matching your expectations

In this article, we give you the best tips on how to search for your ideal Spanish holiday home. If you want to read further on the subject, it came from our detailed series:

Our ultimate 2021 guide to buying your property in Spain and more specifically the third article The best searching tips for buying your Spanish property.

5 easy steps to start your Spanish holiday home search

Step 1 (optional) Hire a local property hunter from our network to save money and time and make the process smooth.

Step 2 Hire a local Spanish property lawyer speaking your language from our network.

Step 3 Define your budget: How much own funds available? Should be at least 45% of the property value, ideally 70%. If you need a mortgage, have a quick look at our paper: our ultimate guide to your Spanish mortgage.

Step 4 Define the property use: Second home, first home, home to retire in Spain or investment property. Here it is a second home, a holiday home but don’t forget it could change in the future. If it will change, your set of criteria for the ideal property will change as well.

Step 5 List your criteria for your ideal property: create a list of the best location criteria: Where should your property be in Spain? After that, create a list of your ideal property criteria. To assist you, we give you hints for those two lists in the next two sections.

In section 5, you will find our easy to use downloadable pdf allowing you to compare different holiday homes in Spain with a preset list of criteria that you will need to adjust with your own criteria to make it yours. When you will complete this easy to follow process, you will know for sure, which property is your ideal holiday home.

Holiday means more pleasure, time to enjoy your family and doing things for yourself. Chill out… Doing nothing… As you will notice, most of our top location criteria will have this meaning.

The top 13 location criteria for your Spanish second home
1. Within 45 minutes of the Airport by car. We all know it: we only need 3 hours to fly to Spain but yes, the quicker, the better. When leaving at the end of your stay, being close to the airport could be an asset and even more for early flights.
2. Is the weather as you want when you will spend time at your holiday home in Spain (winter months?)? If you love to spend time in Spain in January, for instance, and you love hot weather, there is only one place to go: Canary Islands. Check our monthly weather statistics for the top 20 Spanish cities and you will know in advance if you are searching in the proper Spanish region.
3. Is the beach close to the property? 90% of foreigners buying a property in Spain want to be close to the beach. The Spanish countryside is very nice as well and it real estate is much cheaper. If you are on a tight budget, don’t hesitate to check it. Read our famous article on that: Which are the top 10 Spanish cities where foreigners are buying properties?
4. If you play golf, are golf courses within 20 minutes by car?
5. Discover the best new build projects located on a golf resort
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 350,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 106 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 273,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 83 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 368,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 103 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 315,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 90 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 245,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 83 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 335,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 98 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 250,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 90 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 420,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 475,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 490,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 540,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 530,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 370,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 440,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 585,000
  
  3 beds 3 baths 162 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 348,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 220 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 631,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 123 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 345,000
  
  2 beds 2 baths 154 m²
  
  New build for sale in Spain € 430,000
  
  3 beds 2 baths 116 m²
6. Are restaurants close to the property?
7. Most of the time you want to relax with your family, so recreational and family activities for all ages should be available in the region.
8. Is the neighbourhood nice, do you like it? Neighbourhood in Spain could vary a lot (as anywhere in the world actually) so it is very useful to spend some time where you plan to buy your property at different time of the day and ideally of the year.
9. Is the cost of life of the city fitting with your desires and your wallet? Have a quick read at our detailed paper: Which are the cheapest places to live in Spain?
10. What about the transport network? Are you living in the middle of nowhere? Road network is the first transport of course, but what about busses, rail, biking network,…
11. Do you have many shops in the neighbourhood? Are most of those within walking distance? Are the supermarkets within 20 minutes by car?
12. It is your holiday home so, you will love a nice and peaceful neighbourhood filled with green areas.
13. On holiday, you will want to be active and practise some sport, make sure you have all the sports infrastructures close at no more than 20 minutes by car.
14. Most of the time we don’t need it but when you need it, you will be happy to enjoy the quality and the proximity of hospitals and medical infrastructure in Spain.
This is our top 13 criteria, make this list yours and adjust this list with your location criteria for your ideal Spanish holiday home. Have a look at our downloadable pdf available at section 5 for an exhaustive list of criteria and our ranking system for your future holiday homes.

If you don’t know where to start searching for your Spanish holiday home, don’t miss our detailed article on that: Where are the best places to buy a property in Spain?

The top 18 property criteria for your ideal Spanish second home
1. Your personal feeling
2. Is the number of sleeping rooms & bathrooms corresponding to your expectations? Take it big enough as you will always have friends visiting ;).
3. Are the outdoor spaces corresponding to what you want? Garden, Terrace,… You will be 90% of your time outside.
4. Buying within a community? Check how your spaces are fitted? Concierge, pool, garden, terrace, dog park, picnic area, children area, Fitness space, indoor workspace,…
5. If you want a pool, yes the pool is important to refresh during hot summers. Is the size as you want?
6. Is the quality of construction correct? How old is the property?
7. Is the layout of the property sound? Natural light correct?
8. Is the size of the property as you want? Build space and plot if a villa.
9. May I rent the property short term? Is it legal?
10. Is the property price aggressive vs the market? Real estate agents in Spain love foreigners… That’s why a property hunter will get you better prices.
11. Yearly maintenance costs, property average maintenance time /week.
12. Yearly taxes.
13. Yearly community costs.
14. Security: fence and/or entrance gate, alarm?
15. Any fire alarm?
16. Air conditioning? Could seem normal, but it is not always the case in Spain.
17. Eco friendly? Insulation, Solar panels, Water.
18. Garage or parking space large enough.
If you plan to buy a new build property, we wrote this specific list that will guide you to your ideal new build holiday home in Spain. Don’t forget to add those criteria to your list.

The top 9 property criteria for your ideal new build Spanish holiday home
1. The reputation of the builder. Have you checked other projects realized by the same builder?
2. Design & standard set of specifications
3. Possibility to personalize to my taste
4. Bank warranty
5. Advanced technologies, fire alarm, security
6. Delivery date
7. Payment schedule
8. Detailed plans for the property
9. Community spaces finishes
Read more on that subject: What are the advantages of buying a new build property in Spain?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain, direct from our partners with a €5,000 discount!

New build for sale in Spain € 320,000

2 beds 1 bath 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 313,000

2 beds 2 baths 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 3 baths 191 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 520,000

3 beds 2 baths 109 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 435,000

3 beds 2 baths 114 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 350,000

3 beds 2 baths 106 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 273,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 368,000

3 beds 2 baths 103 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 315,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 245,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 335,000

3 beds 2 baths 98 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 250,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 420,000

2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 475,000

3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 490,000

3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 530,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 370,000

2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 440,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 367,000

3 beds 3 baths 177 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 262,000

3 beds 2 baths 84 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 242,000

2 beds 2 baths 72 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 277,000

2 beds 2 baths 73 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 255,000

3 beds 2 baths 85 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 220,000

2 beds 2 baths 71 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 240,000

2 beds 2 baths 80 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 280,000

3 beds 2 baths 88 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 585,000

3 beds 3 baths 162 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 348,000

3 beds 2 baths 220 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 355,000

3 beds 2 baths 100 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 385,000

2 beds 2 baths 76 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 325,000

3 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 269,000

2 beds 2 baths 81 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 631,000

3 beds 2 baths 123 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 154 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 430,000

3 beds 2 baths 116 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 730,000

3 beds 2 baths 149 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 529,000

3 beds 2 baths 133 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 319,000

2 beds 2 baths 87 m²

Download our exclusive PDF form and compare your holiday homes

Now that you wrote your own list of location and property criteria, it is time to download our form so that you can rank and compare each property.

Print it as many times as needed: one per property, one per partner.

Fill the forms:

How to fill this table? How to compare different Spanish holiday homes?
1. List (location & property) criteria for the ideal Spanish holiday home with all the persons involved
2. Give a WEIGHT for each criterion between 1 and 10. (10= important, 1= not important)
3. Print a list for each person involved in the project
4. Visit the potential properties and each person involved give RATINGS between 1 and 10 for all the criteria. (10= criteria met perfectly, 1 = bad)
5. Compare the total scores for each property, rank them and compare them with the results of other persons involved in the project.
Criteria WEIGHTS (1) are the same for all the properties while Criteria RATINGS (2) are specific for each property.

If you want to read more on how to use this ranking system, please go to section 9 of our detailed article

Follow this link to get the downloadable pdf for ranking your different Spanish holiday homes.

How to compare two Spanish holiday homes?

How much does it cost to buy a property in Spain?

Depending on the fact that you are buying a resale or a new build, the cost will be different but a good rule of thumb is 14%. Read more on that in our detailed article: The cost of buying a Spanish property.

How much does it cost to own a property in Spain?

A good estimate is 0.7% as we wrote in our detailed article: The cost of owning a Spanish property.

How do our partners help you with those first steps?
- We have a local mortgage broker dedicated to getting mortgages for foreigners. Ask for a free mortgage quote.
- Our property hunters are there to assist you to find the perfect property more on that in the 3rd article: “How should you search for your dream property?”
With our team of more than +100 local real estate partners, HowtobuyinSpain helps foreigners to buy real estate in Spain.

The experts from our network are active in all the fields you need:

Would you like to read further?

Last year we wrote detailed property buyers guides custom made for any nationality. Here are our FREE pdf property buyers’ guides written for all the foreign nationalities looking to buy in Spain: Click on your country flag, you will find your pdf report at the end of each article.

Looking for an expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post Buying your holiday home in Spain? Our 40 tips appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Buy property in Spain Archives - How to buy in Spain

What are the best Spanish mortgage rates? June 2025 update

What are the best Spanish mortgage rates?

Here is our June 2025 update with the latest data available

Spanish mortgage rates: our 2-minute video

What are the current mortgage rates in Spain?

Current market conditions

What are the best mortgage rates for our customers?

Essential information on Spanish Mortgages for non-residents

Calculate the cost of your Spanish mortgage

What is the cost of a €100,000 mortgage over 10 years?

Summary table of your monthly reimbursements for a €100.000 Mortgage

Buy to let in Spain?

Should I take a mortgage with fixed or variable rates?

Why would you take a fixed-rate mortgage?

Why would you take a mortgage with a variable rate?

Inflation update since the start of 2023

How do you secure the best mortgage rates in Spain?

The ideal mortgage customer for a Spanish bank

Get a free mortgage quote

Spanish Mortgage Rates: Market Insights and Trends

423,761 mortgages issued in Spain in 2024

Spanish Bank Financing Costs: 10-Year Bond Yields vs. Euribor Rates (2020-2025)

The Ultra-Low Rate Era (2020-2022)

The Great Rate Surge (2022-2024)

The Turning Point (Late 2024-2025)

Implications for Property Investors – Our View

Historical evolution of Spanish mortgage rates and other & useful information

Resources on Spanish mortgage rates

Discover the best new build projects in Spain.

Check out our latest articles on Spanish mortgage rates

All our interactive charts in this article are available in a downloadable format

FAQ Spanish mortgage rates

How much deposit do I need for a Spanish mortgage?

What is the interest rate in Spain?

Can foreigners get a mortgage in Spain?

Can I get a Spanish mortgage?

Here are the statistics for earlier years:

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for December 2021

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for October 2021

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for February 2021

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for January 2021

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for December 2020

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for November 2020

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for October 2020

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued (Monthly):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued (Annual)

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for September 2020

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued:

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for August 2020

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued:

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for July 2020

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued:

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued

The Spanish mortgage rates situation for June 2020

The top 3 regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):

The top regions in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):

The Spanish mortgage rates situation in May 2020

Best mortgage conditions in Spain?

The top regions with the biggest increases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):

The Spanish mortgage rates situation in April 2020

Best mortgage conditions in Spain?

The 3 regions with the biggest decreases for the number of mortgages issued are (monthly changes):

The top region in terms of amounts of mortgages issued are (change vs 1 year ago):

The Spanish mortgage rates situation in March 2020