By Daniel Herranz — Conveyancing Solicitor Based in Costa Blanca North, Spain
If you’re thinking of buying a property on the Costa Blanca, please be aware of one thing.
The top complaint foreign residents have about buying property in Costa Blanca has nothing to do with the region. They love it. But it’s the bureaucracy, administrative matters and legal issues that pose the biggest threat to your new life here.
This is not to scare you. As a conveyancing solicitor, it is my job to make sure you do not go through a long legal battle by conducting thorough checks.
Below is my 5-step guide to buying property in Costa Blanca. It is designed to help you understand the entire process and avoid any potential legal pitfalls. If you already have a property you are looking to buy in Costa Blanca North, you can also contact me directly to ask about my conveyancing services.
Click the button and leave your contact details. We’ll be in touch as soon as we can.
Now let’s look at the 5 key steps to buying a Costa Blanca property.
Step 1: Research Where You Want to Buy Property in Costa Blanca
The Costa Blanca is home to the second-largest population of British expats in Spain. Many foreign homeowners prefer the Costa Blanca to the Costa del Sol for the stunning views, rugged coastline, historical sites, culture and fantastic food.
We cover the following towns specifically in the Costa Blanca North.
See a brief overview of the most popular areas in this region below:
Javea
Javea is located on the coast and is the closest point on the Spanish mainland to Ibiza. You see the Balearic Islands on a clear day. Javea is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region thanks to its dramatic cliffs, secluded coves and beautiful beaches.
You’ll find all kinds of properties in Javea, from apartments to fincas and villas with their own land and swimming pools. Javea is now one of the 10 most expensive towns to buy property in Spain, and its natural beauty attracts foreign homeowners from all over the world.
Denia
Denia is just across the Montgo mountain from Javea. It’s the largest city in the Costa Blanca North with a population over 40,000 people. Denia is one of the culinary capitals of Spain. It’s most famous for its delicious ‘red prawn’ fished from its own coast and is home to a triple Michelin star restaurant from one of Spain’s most famous chefs, Quique Dacosta.
There are lots of property styles to choose from in Denia. It is also a popular tourist destination thanks to its long, white sandy beaches.
Moraira
While Javea has the most expensive properties in Spain, Moraira has the most expensive average land price. Teulada-Moraira is home to many luxury villas with stunning sea views. It is also home to the beautiful, secluded El Portet beach which is one of the most desirable places to buy property in Costa Blanca.
You won’t find any high-rise buildings in Moraira. Despite its relative popularity as a tourist destination, this makes it a popular choice for international buyers seeking a second home.
Benissa
Benissa is the town where my office is located. It has a beautiful old town with the most famous church in the Costa Blanca North region.
But foreign buyers also choose Benissa for its beautiful coastal area, which offers several tiny bays and lovely chiringuitos to eat at. The area offers a selection of well-appointed villas, many with sea views.
Calpe
Calpe is much more built up with high rises than any other town in the Costa Blanca North region. It has stunning sandy beaches and numerous beachside restaurants. There are many apartments on the seafront and many more villas and finca-style properties further inland.
Despite the high rises, Calpe has an authentic old town plus a permanent flock of flamingos in one of its brackish lagoons.
Inland Villages
If you’d prefer to buy an inland property on the Costa Blanca you’ll find many charming villages a short drive from the coast. I have many happy clients living in Jalón, Alcalalí, Orba, Murla, Benitachell, Parcent and many other Costa Blanca villages in the interior region.
The Jalon Valley in particular is a beautiful area famous for its cluster of wellness retreats and moscatel vineyards.
Step 2: Budgeting to Buy Property in Costa Blanca
Before you start looking at properties, it’s wise to consider your budget.
Planning your Budget
Before you start your search for a Costa Blanca property you should decide on your budget. This will depend on if you have to sell your home in the UK, if you are a cash buyer or if you need a Spanish mortgage.
Let’s cover some of the costs involved in buying property in Costa Blanca below.
›Taxes
The taxes you pay when buying a resale Costa Blanca property average 10% of the purchase price.
›Legal Fees
The services of a property lawyer or conveyancing solicitor in Costa Blanca average 2-3% of the purchase price. This 2-3% also covers the notary’s fee which you will need to pay separately.
If you are buying a property on the Costa Blanca North and would like a quote for conveyancing services, you can get in touch with me below.
› Additional Costs
You may need to budget for additional costs when buying property in Costa Blanca. This can include:
- Removal costs
- Furnishing your new home
- Renovating or reforming your new home
- Health certificates, vaccinations and authorisations to bring a pet
Step 3: House-Hunting on the Costa Blanca
The Costa Blanca is split into two parts: Costa Blanca North and Costa Blanca South.
Our conveyancing solicitors office is located in Benissa in the Costa Blanca North. I work with clients buying property in the region between Denia and Calpe and the inland villages of this area. Locally this region is known as the ‘Marina Alta’.
Both the Costa Blanca North and Costa Blanca North are located in the province of Alicante. So the process for house hunting here is largely the same.
Finding a Certified Estate Agent on the Costa Blanca
A new regulation in October 2023 required estate agents to become certified. The certifying body is known as the API (Agentes de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria) and I happen to be the director of one of the courses estate agents must take to receive this certification.
Some of the new requirements to get certified include:
- Having a physical office address in the region
- Completing an exam proving you have the required knowledge and competence
- Have civil liability insurance
- Have an insurance/ bank guarantee that covers down payments
- Have no prior criminal convictions
Unfortunately, there are still many unqualified estate agents in Costa Blanca North. I advise you to deal with estate agents who are API certified.
This is not just to get a better service. It’s also because a non-API certified estate agent needs to collaborate with an API-certified estate agent in order to complete the purchase. Therefore they must share commissions, and this can make an estate agent more pushy when it comes to showing you round a property.
Word of mouth is a great help here. Ask around in local Facebook groups and forums to find out which agents have good reviews.
Is House-Hunting Online a Good Idea?
You can search online, but just beware of agents who aren’t API certified. It is better to select an estate agent or two to work you on your house-hunting, rather than view properties with multiple different agencies.
This helps you build a relationship and incentivises the real estate agent to find the best property for you.
Step 4: Finding a Property and Conducting Legal Checks
So you’ve found your dream home on the Costa Blanca – congratulations!
Most of the time, buyers contact me for conveyancing services after they have already found the property they want to buy. So let me go over the conveyancing process quickly below.
You can read the full 5 stages of the conveyancing process in Spain with real-life examples here.
Step 1: The Reservation Contract
This is when you pay a deposit to reserve a property and remove it from the market. Unlike in the UK, another buyer cannot make a higher offer once you have signed the reservation contract.
One of the best pieces of advice I can give you when buying property on the Costa Blanca is to find a conveyancing lawyer before you sign the reservation contract. This will avoid any future delays and ensure the contract you are signing is valid.
However, I understand that most people will seek conveyancing services after the reservation contract is signed.
If you are buying a property in Costa Blanca North you can contact me to enquire about my conveyancing services and request a quote. Just click the button below and leave your details.
Step 2: The Legal Checks
After the deposit contract is signed, you can make legal checks on the property.
This is when your property lawyer or conveyancing solicitor will get involved.
I find a legal irregularity in 90-95% of the properties I work on for my clients. There are three places I go to look for these irregularities.
› The Town Hall
The town hall plays an important role in property purchase on the Costa Blanca. It is where you pay your property taxes, and it’s where you need to go to get licence and approval for any works you carry out on the property.
Many times a property will have a swimming pool, renovation work or fencing that has not been approved by the town hall. There will be charges to pay and potential backdating of property tax payments.
A conveyancing solicitor will locate these legal issues and request the buyer resolve them before the property is purchased.
› The Catastro
This is a register of every building in Spain. Its main function is to outline the details of each property and calculate the property tax you pay each year on the property (the equivalent of Council Tax in the UK).
Towns in the Costa Blanca North regularly conduct aerial inspections to look out for unauthorised swimming pools, outhouses, walls and extensions. An irregularity in the Catastro will need to be sorted out before purchasing a property.
Otherwise, full responsibility for the property’s outstanding issues falls to the new homeowner.
› Land Registry
The land registry records who is the legal owner of the property, as well as the property’s size and description. While the Town Hall, Catastro and Land Registry all cover similar aspects of a property in the Costa Blanca they each have different documentation which must be standardised.
It’s my role to check with all the above administrative bodies in detail and ensure there are no anomalies with the Costa Blanca property you wish to buy.
Since 90-95% of the time there are irregularities, it’s time to move to the Contract.
Step 3: The Contract
The Contract is the next step to buying a property in Costa Blanca
This contract is written by the buyer’s property lawyer. The contract sets out the full list of irregularities which must be sorted out by the purchase date. This contract also sets a date for the property purchase and obliges the buyer to transfer 10% of the property’s purchase price to the seller.
You can’t back out of the contract without forfeiting your 10% deposit.
This is why thorough completion of the legal checks by an experienced Conveyancing Solicitor is fundamental before arriving at this stage. If you are buying a property in Costa Blanca North and wish to inquire about my conveyancing services you can click the button below to apply and get started.
Step 4: Signing the Property Deed
The signing of the property deed takes place in the Notary’s office.
The Notary will check the paperwork they are given and arrange the transfer of the funds, so the property becomes yours. The deed is known as the Escritura de Compraventa in Spain, and the buyer receives a copy, known as the Copia Simple.
It is important to note that the Notary will not conduct any legal checks themselves. They will only review the paperwork in front of them. This is why having your own property lawyer is so important to buying property in Costa Blanca.
Step 5: The Registration of Ownership
The notary will register the property in your name with the Land Registry by sending them the original Escritura.
This is usually where your relationship with a property lawyer ends. However, for our clients we offer an after-care service to transfer all relevant bills and direct debits into your name.
This includes:
- Council tax payments (the IBI property tax)
- Refuse collection payments
- Electricity, gas and water payments
› Making a Will When you Buy Spanish Property
When buying property on the Costa Blanca I strongly advise you to make a will. This is not compulsory, but it ensures your assets are distributed according to your wishes should you pass away.
I can review your existing will and create a new one, plus advise you on any inheritance issues that may arise.
If you are buying property in Costa Blanca North you can contact me concerning the conveyancing process and making a Spanish will. Just click below.
Step 5: Moving into Your New Property on the Costa Blanca
This is what you’ve been waiting for. Now’s the time to take the keys and enjoy your new home in Spain.
You will have your own considerations here. This might include a removal service to bring your belongings to Spain. You may wish to use your new property as a second home, in which case you may need to furnish the property yourself using shops and services in the local area.
You may also need to conduct renovations or reformations on your new property in Costa Blanca North.
It is my job to ensure you can complete these tasks and move in with full peace of mind. Having a letter from the town hall concerning a demolition order, charges or backdated property tax payments can make for many unhappy moments.
We do not want this for you.
If you are buying property in Costa Blanca North, we would be delighted to assist you in this process through thorough conveyancing services.
Click the button below to get started.