Purchase costs & transfer tax: Total costs house Andalusia

For purchase costs and transfer tax (ITP) in Andalusia, you normally need to count with 11 to 12% extra costs (for existing houses without a mortgage). Always as your lawyer for a detailed offer and don´t leave the legal investigation or after-sales to the real estate agent to save costs. All costs are paid to/through the lawyer in a full-service house purchase.

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Purchase costs property Andalusia

Purchase costs & taxes: Determine you purchase budget before you start looking for houses

Transfer tax: 7% ITP transfer tax (the rule of 2021 stays permanent) over the house (and possibly 4% over the furniture)
Legal investigation: Legal fees of the lawyer for the legal investigation
Power of Attorney: PoA to the lawyer from a notary
NIE numbers: Application of the fiscal NIE numbers (Numero Identificacion Extranjeros) at the Police station
Notary: Fees of the notary for the Title Deeds
Bank account: Opening bank account through Power of Attorney
Registration: Registration after completion (Registry & Cadastre) and tax payment by the lawyer
Land Registry: Bill of the Registro de la Propiedad for the inscription
Service contracts: Transferring service contract (electricity, water, IBI council tax, basura/environmental tax, comunidad, etc.)
Spanish will: Signing last will at the notary to determine the inheritance of the Spanish properties (house, bank account, car, etc.)
Rental license: Potential application rental license RTA (urban) or VTAR (Vivienda Rural) in rustic area or towns with less than 20.000 inhabitants

For New Build properties you don´t pay transfer tax but 10% VAT (IVA) and 1,2% Actos Juridicos Documentados (AJD tax) or Stamp Duty (permanently lowered). For separately sold garages and land/terrain, you pay 21% VAT.

Reoccurring costs Spanish property

For almost all reoccurring costs an automatic direct debit can be set up through your Spanish bank account. This account the lawyer can open on your behalf by the Power of Attorney signed at the notary. Ask him which of the following contracts and reoccurring costs are included in his after-sales works.

IBI (yearly council tax for your property)
Basura (environmental tax)
Electricity / gas (not the butane bottles)
Water / Comunidad de Regantes (country side)
Comunidad de Propietarios (Community of Owners)
House insurance
TV, telephone, internet
Exit taxes (for parking garages with direct exit to the street)
Tax declaration IRNR (yearly income tax for non-fiscal residents with a house in Spain)
Potential mortgage payments
When renting out: ór IRNR income tax for non-fiscal residents (4x per year) ór IRPF income tax for fiscal residents, administration costs, commission rental agency, publicity costs, cleaning, maintenance, etc.

Unexpected costs

Normally costs for correct initial inscriptions in the Land Registry & Cadastre and costs for the DAFO-certificate are paid by the vendor. However, all is a matter of negotiation and all should be clear before completion due to the legal investigation of the lawyer.

Take into account that you buy the house in its current status. Hidden technical deficiencies you can´t bill to the vendor after-wards. It might be wise to have a structural survey by an architect if you have doubts. But keep in mind that also he of course can only see visual defects. Have your real estate agent check the condition of the house, the furniture and service contracts very shortly before completion at the notary.

In the countryside keep in memory that the Town Hall can always oblige you to get the DAFO certificate if you buy without. The tax office will send you an extra bill if the fiscal value is higher than the purchase price. And the electricity company (Endesa) can ask for a boletin (technical report) if the installation is too old. This might be a problem with the name change or raising the potency (kW) of your contract. Do you buy in an urban zone? Then to be sure ask if there won´t be any costs anymore from the Town Hall for the urbanization.

Always make sure you have good house insurance from day 1.

Referrals & references real estate agent & lawyer:

Need a referral for a good estate agent in Andalusia? Or like to receive an example offer for the legal investigation of a specialized and independent lawyer? Find out more through the link above.