Buying property in Marbella: what it costs and what to check

The valor de referencia is a figure the Catastro assigns to every property based on what has actually sold nearby. It has been the minimum tax base since January 2022, and it is public.

Suppose you negotiate a €500,000 asking price down by €40,000 to €460,000 and expect to pay €32,200 in tax. If the valor de referencia is €495,000, tax is calculated on that amount instead: €34,650. Your tax bill is therefore €2,450 higher than expected.

Check it before making an offer. It is free at sedecatastro.gob.es and takes two minutes. For any property you are seriously considering, I'll check the figure before you decide how much to offer.

Every reduced ITP rate requires the home to be your habitual residence, and each cap is the maximum value of the whole property: above it, the full 7% applies. Disability means 33% or more, and large-family status must be officially recognised. For a new build, the relief applies to stamp duty: AJD falls from 1.2% to 0.3% for buyers under 35 up to €150,000, and to 0.1% for large families or buyers with a disability up to €250,000. IVA remains at 10%. Ask your lawyer or gestoría to confirm whether your circumstances meet the requirements.

A straightforward cash purchase usually takes 8–12 weeks from an accepted offer to receiving the keys. Allow 3–5 months if you need a Spanish mortgage, as the mortgage process determines the timetable.

Before buying, arrange the following:

• An NIE, your identification number as a foreign national, used for tax purposes. You need it to buy. Apply early, as securing an appointment takes time.
• A Spanish bank account, for completion and afterwards for utilities, community fees and IBI.
• An independent lawyer, chosen separately from the seller or developer. They will protect your interests throughout the purchase. This matters more than any other choice you make.
• A power of attorney, only if you cannot be in Spain to sign.

Then, in order:

1. Reservation

   Days

   A small sum, typically a few thousand euros, takes the property off the market while the checks are done. Get in writing what happens to that money if the checks find a problem.

2. Arras contract

   2–4 weeks in

   The private purchase contract usually involves a 10% deposit. If it expressly includes arras penitenciales (article 1454 of the Civil Code), a buyer who withdraws loses the deposit and a seller who withdraws repays double. These terms must be written into the contract; they do not apply automatically.

3. Deed at the notary

   8–12 weeks

   You pay the balance, receive the keys and become liable for the purchase taxes.

4. Filing and registration

   +2 months

   Modelo 600 within two months, then the Land Registry, usually handled by the gestoría.

Much of this information is public, so the checks can begin independently of the seller or their agent, before you become committed to the property.

The asking price does not reveal a derrama, a levy for communal works. If the community has approved work on the roof, lift or façade, you may inherit the bill as the new owner. I ask for the meeting minutes early to check for these costs.

You still pay Spanish tax on the property's income and declare it using Modelo 210. The applicable rate depends on whether you are tax resident in the EU or EEA, or elsewhere.

For the same flat and rent, an owner living outside the EU or EEA pays more than twice as much. If you live in Romania or anywhere else in the EU or EEA, that is a real advantage over a buyer living in the UK, Switzerland or the US, for as long as you stay resident there. Include that difference when assessing the property's value to you.

A property you never let is also taxed. Spain taxes a notional income of 1.1% of its cadastral value, or 2% if that value has not been revised in the last ten years. You must file an annual tax return even for an empty holiday home.

There are three separate permissions for short-term holiday lets, and the order matters.

1. 1The community must approve it, in advance. Since 3 April 2025, when Ley Orgánica 1/2025 rewrote article 17.12 of the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal, tourist letting in a community building needs prior approval by three fifths of the owners, who must also represent three fifths of the quotas. Silence is now a no. Lets already running lawfully before that date continue.
2. 2The VUT registration with the Registro de Turismo de Andalucía (vivienda de uso turístico, the legal name since Decreto 31/2024). Check whether a property already holds one, free, on the Junta's Open RTA search, before you buy.
3. 3The national NRUA registration number has been required since 1 July 2025 to advertise a short-term let on any platform. It costs around €27. It does not expire, but each February the owner must file a return of the previous year's lets, or the number is revoked.

Letting without registration is fined under article 78 of the Andalusian tourism law: up to €2,000 for minor infringements, €2,001–18,000 for serious ones, and €18,001–150,000 for very serious ones.

These costs depend on the property and building. Ask for the actual figures rather than relying on an average:

• IBI, the council property tax: ask for the latest receipt.
• Community fees: these depend on the facilities and services maintained. Get the current figure in writing and check the minutes for increases.
• Rubbish collection: billed separately from IBI in most municipalities.
• Insurance: buildings cover is usually the community's; contents and liability are yours.
• Electricity: a fixed standing charge applies whether or not anyone is there.

Three questions tell you more about what a property really costs than the listing does: what is the community fee, is a derrama agreed or pending, and what do the statutes say about tourist letting?

Spain's golden visa, which granted residency for a €500,000 property investment, was abolished by Ley Orgánica 1/2025. No new applications have been accepted since 3 April 2025. Claims that a qualifying property purchase still grants residency are out of date.

EU citizens were never affected: freedom of movement means you may live here regardless, once registered as a resident.

A Spanish notary is a neutral public official who verifies identity and ensures the deed is properly executed. The notary does not check whether the deal is right for you or act for you: your independent lawyer represents your interests and advises you on the purchase.