Selling property in Spain: Complete guide

Disclaimer: The contents of this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. You are solely responsible for any tax or other legal liabilities arising from the purchase/sale of foreign property. Decisions to purchase foreign property and their procedure should be made after thorough research, consultation and verification from a qualified financial and legal advisor.

Own a property in Spain, but are thinking of selling up and moving back to the UK? Perhaps you want to free up some cash from an underused holiday home, or want to strike at just the right time to sell an investment property.

Whichever is the case, this guide is for you. Below, we’ll run through everything you need to know about selling property in Spain. This includes details of the selling process, fees, taxes, timescales, legal requirements and much more.

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Table of contents

How to sell property in Spain as a foreigner - a step-by-step guide 1. Find an estate agent 2. Advertise the property 3. Appoint a solicitor 4. Appoint a notary 5. Get your documentation ready 6. Sign the deposit contract 7. The deposit is paid 8. A meeting is held to close the transaction Is now a good time to sell in Spain? How long does it take to sell property in Spain? Do you need a lawyer or a solicitor to sell property? Do you need a Spanish bank account to sell property in Spain? Taxes and costs when selling property in Spain as a non-resident Real estate agent fees Legal fees Energy performance certificate Fit-for-occupancy certificate (if needed) Capital gains tax (on profit) Does owning property in Spain make you a tax resident? Save money on your Spanish property sale with Wise

How to sell property in Spain as a foreigner - a step-by-step guide

If it’s your first time selling a property in Spain, you’ll need to get to grips with how the process works. You may have some experience of it from buying property in Spain, but it can be different from the seller’s perspective.

Let’s run through the main steps, so you know exactly what to expect.

1. Find an estate agent

It’s not mandatory to use an estate agent to sell your property in Spain. You can list it on an online property site and handle the sale yourself, and save yourself money on commission fees.

But an estate agent could be a smart investment, for a few persuasive reasons. Agents have the local knowledge and expertise to sell your property at a good price, and they can also handle time-consuming tasks like showing buyers around the property.

To choose an estate agent, it’s a good idea to look for English-speaking agents with experience of working with UK sellers and expats. Ideally, get a personal recommendation from someone you know who has successfully sold a Spanish property.

Otherwise, you should look for a licensed, accredited agent who is registered with a professional body such as the Official School of Estate Agents (Colegio de Agentes de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria or COAPI).¹ Other trustworthy associations include AIM, MLS and ACI.

2. Advertise the property

Now it’s time to put your property on the market and advertise it to potential buyers. You should look to spruce up the property, before taking some photos to show off its best features.

Your estate agent will play a central role in advertising the property, but you can also list it on popular property sites such as:

• Fotocasa.es
• Idealista.com
• Enalquiler.com
• Pisos.com
• Tucasa.com
• Habitaclia.com.

3. Appoint a solicitor

It’s a very good idea to appoint a solicitor to give you advice on your Spanish property sale, and to oversee the legal and administrative aspects of the sale.

A personal recommendation is a good way to find a solicitor, but there’s also a list of English-speaking property solicitors on the UK Government website.

4. Appoint a notary

In property transactions in Spain, the notary (el notario) plays an important role. They’re responsible for managing the paperwork, taxes and registering the sale with the Land Registry, as well as making sure everything is done in accordance with the law.

Once you’ve accepted an offer, you’ll need to agree on a notary with the buyer. Notary offices are available in all major cities, and your solicitor may be able to help you find one. You can also find more information here on the Spanish Notary Public website.

5. Get your documentation ready

As you might expect, you’ll need to have certain documentation ready in order to legally sell your home in Spain.

Here’s what you (or your solicitor) should prepare:²

• The property’s title deeds
• Copies of utility bills and other documents which prove that you’re up to date with bills and other payments
• Receipts for local municipal tax (IBI) paid for the property
• Your identity documents, including your NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) tax number and residency card (if applicable)
• An inventory of furniture and other fixtures which will be included in the sale
• Details of any relevant community statutes
• Energy performance certificates - known as Certificado de eficiencia energética
• Building inspection reports - Certificado de Inspección Técnica del Edificio (ITE)
• Occupancy certificates - Cédula de habitabilidad.

You might not need the last three (or they may not be relevant) but it’s good to have them ready, just in case.

6. Sign the deposit contract

Once the buyer’s solicitor has completed all the necessary due diligence checks, it’s time to sign the deposit contract. This preliminary contract will be prepared by the buyer’s solicitor, and both parties will sign. A date is specified for the completion of the purchase.

7. The deposit is paid

At the same time the preliminary contract is signed, the buyer will pay the deposit. This is usually around 10%.³ The deposit is used as a firm sign of commitment to the transaction.

8. A meeting is held to close the transaction

To finalise the sale, a meeting will be held between the buyer, seller and their respective legal representatives. The notary will also be present. This is where the contract of sale (escritura de compraventa) will be signed.

The notary then informs the Land Registry of the sale and sends over copies of the title deeds. The final balance is transferred to you, and the buyer gets the keys to the property.

Is now a good time to sell in Spain?

Whether or not it’s the right time to sell your Spanish property will depend on your circumstances. This includes how much you originally paid for the property and how much prices have risen in the region.

But generally speaking, now could be a very good time to sell property in Spain. This is because property prices have soared in 2025, rising 8% across the country and even higher in large cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga and Valencia, and in some of the most popular coastal areas.⁴

At present, demand is outstripping supply,⁴ so you could potentially have a queue of buyers lining up to buy your home.

Another reason that now could be a good time to sell is a potential new Spanish property tax in the works. In 2025, the Spanish government announced that it wants to introduce a new 100% property tax in Spain for non-EU buyers.

This could limit the pool of potential buyers for your property (especially UK expats who may be deterred by the tax) if you leave it on the market for too long.

How long does it take to sell property in Spain?

According to the property website Idealista, around 13% of properties listed on its site sold in less than 7 days (in the first few months of 2024). However, a further 13% took around a year or more to sell.⁵

The fastest sales were in cities like Granada, as well as Tarragona, Barcelona, Valencia, Avila, Huesca and Madrid. The slowest were in Lugo, Ceuta, Palencia and Teruel.⁵

So, it really does depend on where you’re selling and the local demand for property in that area.

As for the time the property sales process takes, it’s usually only around 4 to 6 weeks for standard sales.⁶

Do you need a lawyer or a solicitor to sell property?

It’s strongly recommended to appoint a solicitor specialising in real estate or conveyancing work in Spain. They can draw up and translate documents, check over conditions of contracts, give you advice about the selling process and so much more.

This could make your property sale go more smoothly and crucially, help you avoid a costly mistake.

Do you need a Spanish bank account to sell property in Spain?

It’s not a legal or mandatory requirement to have a Spanish bank account to sell property in the country - although you may find it easier with one.

You’ll need to get in touch with banks in Spain to find out what the requirements are and if you’re eligible for an account.

You may be able to use an international account for your property sale, or even your current account with a UK bank.

Another thing to note is that international transfers could get expensive, especially if the provider adds a margin to the exchange rate to convert your euros to British pounds.

Consider checking out Wise to handle your international large transfers with mid-market exchange rates and low, transparent fees*. Ask for a call back and speak to a dedicated expert to guide you through the process.

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Taxes and costs when selling property in Spain as a non-resident

Now we come to the crucial question - how much will it cost you to sell a property in Spain? Let’s run through the main fees and taxes you need to know about:

Tax/fee name	Rate/fee
Real estate agent fees	Around 3-6% of the sale price2
Legal fees	Varies, usually around 1-2%2
Energy performance certificate	Between €60 and €130 EUR7
Fit-for-occupancy certificate (if needed)	Between €60 and €160 EUR7
Capital gains tax (on profit)	19% to 28%7

Real estate agent fees

The good news for sellers is that in Spain, the buyer will pay many of the fees associated with the sale. But you will still have some costs to pay.

The main one to know about is the estate agent’s fee. If you use an agent to sell your home, you can expect to pay a percentage of the sale price in commission. This is generally around 3-6%.²

Legal fees

While it can vary, you can expect conveyancing or other legal fees to come in at around 1-2% of the total sale price.²

You may also need to pay notary fees of between 0.1% to 0.5%.²

Energy performance certificate

If your property doesn’t already have one (or it’s not up to date), you’ll need to pay around €60 to €130 EUR to get an energy performance certificate.⁷ It’s a mandatory requirement to sell a property in Spain, and involves an on-site assessment by a qualified technician.

Fit-for-occupancy certificate (if needed)

If authorities in the autonomous community where your property is located require it, you may also have to get a document certifying the safety and habitability of the property. Fit-for-occupancy certificates generally cost between €60 and €160 EUR.⁷

Capital gains tax (on profit)

Also known as IRPF income tax, capital gains tax is paid on any profit you make from the sale. So, it’s only due on properties which sell for a higher price than they were originally bought for, and you only pay it on the amount of profit - not the total amount the property sells for.

The rate of tax you’ll pay varies depending on how much profit you earn on the sale:⁷

Profit from sale	IRPF tax rate
First €6,000	19%
€6,000 to €50,000	21%
€50,000 to €200,000	23%
€200,000 to €300,00	27%
€300,000+	28%

The tax rate may vary depending on your residency status, where there are different tax rates for non-residents. This will be something to ask your solicitor about.

There are also exceptions to the IRPF tax rules, such as:⁷

• If you’re over 65 and have sold your main residence
• If you’re reinvesting the money from the sale into the purchase of a new property that will be your main home
• If you’re a dependent person.

You may also need to pay municipal capital gains tax or plusvalía. This works in the same way, but it’s charged by the local authority. As such, rates and how the tax is calculated vary between areas.

Does owning property in Spain make you a tax resident?

For anyone considering moving to Spain (or staying there if you’re a temporary resident), it’s useful to know about tax residency and how it relates to property ownership.

Buying, renovating or even building a Spanish property doesn’t automatically make you a tax resident in the country. But how much time you spend living in the property does.

Like many countries, Spain has something called the 183-day rule to determine tax residency status. You’re considered a tax resident for the year if you spend 183 days or more in Spain within that year, or if you’re a permanent resident in your Spanish home.⁸

Save money on your Spanish property sale with Wise

Once the deal is done, you’ll need to work out the best way to transfer the proceeds from your Spanish property sale.

If you don’t live in Spain, you’ll need to send the money back home to the UK. Use your bank to do this, and you could lose out to high transfer fees and poor exchange rates.

Luckily though, there’s an alternative solution available. Use Wise to send money between the UK and Spain and you’ll get mid-market exchange rates and low, transparent fees*.

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