RESOURCES

Articles

Plain-language explanations of the issues that most concern anyone buying, selling or inheriting a property in Spain.

New Build
Before selling in Spain: why your property must match the Catastro, the Registro and reality
If you are selling a property in Spain, the floor area recorded at the Registro de la Propiedad and the Catastro must match what actually exists. I explain what declaring a new build means, the difference between doing so with a licence or on the basis of prescription, and how to regularise everything before you put up the for-sale sign.
8 min readRead article →
Property Purchase
Start early: how administrative timelines can derail your property transaction
The most invisible risk of buying or selling in Spain is not a tax or a clause — it is time. A licence or certificate that takes longer than expected can bring an entire deal down. I explain which timelines we are talking about, why they matter, and how to protect the contract so that the clock works in your favour.
8 min readRead article →
Property Purchase
Your allies in a property purchase: condición suspensiva and condición resolutoria explained
They sound like lawyer jargon, but these are two of the best tools for not losing money in a property purchase. I explain, with simple examples, what a condición suspensiva (condition precedent) and a condición resolutoria (condition subsequent) are, how they differ from arras (deposit), and what you can request from the Registro de la Propiedad to give yourself peace of mind.
9 min readRead article →
Inheritance
Inheriting in Spain from abroad: the minimum documentation to start a European Certificate of Succession
If you have lost a family member who had assets in Spain and you live in another European country, the European Certificate of Succession (Certificado Sucesorio Europeo) is the document that establishes your status as heir throughout the EU. I explain what it is, what minimum documentation you need to get started, and how the most common cases are handled.
9 min readRead article →
Taxes
Plusvalía municipal and IRNR: how your property taxes are calculated in Spain as a non-resident
When you own or sell a property in Spain without living here, two taxes come into play that people often confuse: the plusvalía municipal and the IRNR. I explain, without impenetrable formulas, what each one covers and how they are calculated today — the plusvalía changed completely in 2021.
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Taxes
The Catastro's valor de referencia: why the tax authorities ignore your price, and how to challenge it
Since 2022, the tax you pay when you buy a second-hand property or inherit is not calculated on what you actually pay, but on the "valor de referencia" set by the Catastro (the land registry's reference value). If it is higher than the real value, you pay too much. I explain what it is and, above all, how to fight it.
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Inheritance
Inheriting as a non-resident: you file the Impuesto de Sucesiones with the State, but you apply the 99 % Valencian relief
The most expensive misunderstanding when inheriting from abroad: many non-residents believe they have to pay the Impuesto de Sucesiones (Inheritance Tax) "in full" because they live in another country. That is not the case. You file Modelo 650 with the AEAT, but you are entitled to the 99 % relief of the Comunitat Valenciana.
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Inheritance
Going to sell what you inherit? The value you declare in the inheritance decides your tax when you sell
Before accepting an inheritance there is a question almost no one asks, and it changes the outcome: are you planning to keep the house or sell it? Because the value you declare today in the inheritance will be your cost tomorrow, when you sell. And declaring carelessly can prove very expensive.
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Taxes
Plusvalía municipal: why the real percentage is decided by the Town Hall, not by national law
You search online for "how much is the plusvalía municipal" and you get national tables and percentages. Be careful: that is only the framework. The rate you actually pay and the coefficients are approved by each town hall in its fiscal ordinance. I explain what national law sets and what the municipality decides.
7 min readRead article →
Taxes
The 3 % the buyer withholds when you sell: what it is and how to recover the surplus
When a non-resident sells their home in Spain, the buyer is required to withhold 3 % of the price. Many people believe it is lost tax, and it is not: it is an advance payment, and often a good part of it is recovered. I explain what it is, why it exists and how to claim back what is yours.
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Taxes
Keep every invoice: how renovations and improvements reduce your tax when you sell
That renovation invoice sitting in a drawer can be worth a lot of money the day you sell. Investments and improvements increase your home's acquisition value and, with it, lower the gain you are taxed on. But there is one nuance that decides everything: an improvement is not the same as a repair.
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Taxes
If you are not from the EU: why you pay more tax and cannot deduct expenses
The same house, the same rent, but a different tax bill depending on where you live. If you reside in the European Union or the European Economic Area, you pay less and can deduct expenses. If you live outside — and that includes the British after Brexit — the rate goes up and the deductions disappear. I explain why.
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Inheritance
Your foreign inheritance documents are not valid in Spain as they are: apostille and sworn translation
The British probate, the German Erbschein, the French acte de notoriété… each country has its equivalent of our inheritance deed. But for them to work in Spain they must be apostilled and properly translated. I explain who issues the apostille, who may translate, and how to keep the notary or the Registry from rejecting them.
8 min readRead article →
Property Purchase
The complications that most often stall a non-resident's matter (and how to anticipate them)
Buying, selling or inheriting in Spain while living abroad is not difficult, but it is full of small snags that, together, can bring a transaction down. I share the ones I see every week at the firm and, above all, how to anticipate them so that time works in your favour.
8 min readRead article →

Articles

Before selling in Spain: why your property must match the Catastro, the Registro and reality

Start early: how administrative timelines can derail your property transaction

Your allies in a property purchase: condición suspensiva and condición resolutoria explained

Inheriting in Spain from abroad: the minimum documentation to start a European Certificate of Succession

Plusvalía municipal and IRNR: how your property taxes are calculated in Spain as a non-resident

The Catastro's valor de referencia: why the tax authorities ignore your price, and how to challenge it

Inheriting as a non-resident: you file the Impuesto de Sucesiones with the State, but you apply the 99 % Valencian relief

Going to sell what you inherit? The value you declare in the inheritance decides your tax when you sell

Plusvalía municipal: why the real percentage is decided by the Town Hall, not by national law

The 3 % the buyer withholds when you sell: what it is and how to recover the surplus

Keep every invoice: how renovations and improvements reduce your tax when you sell

If you are not from the EU: why you pay more tax and cannot deduct expenses

Your foreign inheritance documents are not valid in Spain as they are: apostille and sworn translation

The complications that most often stall a non-resident's matter (and how to anticipate them)