I’ve watched a lot of British buyers go through this process, and the checks that matter aren’t exotic. They’re the same handful every time, and sensible people skip them because the sun, the pace and the unfamiliar rules do something to us. So here are the five I make first, and what each one protects.
Check 1: your own lawyer, instructed before you sign anything
This is the check I put first. In Spain your lawyer, an abogado, is the person who looks at the things you cannot see. They check that the seller actually owns what they’re selling, that there are no debts or charges sitting on the property, that the licences are in order, and that the community of owners is sound. You want that person working for you and nobody else.
So use your own lawyer, not the seller’s. Not the one the selling agency helpfully “introduces” either, because their loyalty is not to you. A simple-looking deal deserves the same checks as any other. Instruct your own independent lawyer before you sign anything. If you’d like to see how the whole thing fits together, I’ve written it up in the Spanish buying process.
Check 2: the full cost, not the listing price
The price on the listing is not the price you pay. On a resale you should budget roughly 10–11% on top for taxes and fees. On a new build it’s closer to 12–14%. That’s transfer tax or VAT, notary, land registry, and your legal costs, and it belongs in the budget from day one. The new developments I can show you list the starting price for each, so you can do the sum before you travel.
Then there’s currency. You’re buying in euros and thinking in pounds, and the rate moves while you’re deciding. A swing between agreeing a price and completing can add thousands. Plan for it early. I’ve laid out the numbers properly in the cost of buying on the Costa del Sol so you can go in with clear eyes.
Check 3: the area in its quiet months
You come over in June, the sky is blue, the plaza is buzzing, and you fall for a town in seven days. I understand it completely. January tells you more. That same town can be shuttered and quiet, or the pretty street you loved sits above a bar that doesn’t close until four.
Ask the questions the sunshine hides. Start with how much of the year you can actually be here. For UK buyers that’s set by the 90/180-day rule, and it shapes which months you’d really be living in. What’s the year-round life like when the tourists go home? What’s the real journey to the airport, the school, the hospital? Is it noisy at night, or in high season? This is a large part of what I do. I visit and film places off-peak, in the quiet months and after dark, so you see the honest version and not just the postcard.
Check 4: what comes attached to the property
A property in Spain doesn’t come alone. It comes with obligations, and some of them can become yours whether you meant to take them on or not. Community fees, for a start. What are they, and what do they cover? Outstanding debts are the big one. Unpaid community charges or certain taxes can pass to the new owner, so you have those checked and cleared before you complete. Then the licences. Is everything built and used legally?
And if letting the place is part of your plan, check that first. Whether a property can legally be rented out short-term depends on the region, the community rules and the paperwork, and it is something to establish before you buy rather than after. I’ve set out where things stand in the tourist licence guide. Check it before, not after.
Check 5: the pace, and whether it’s a full yes
The decisions people revisit are the ones made in a hurry. This is the one, it’ll be gone tomorrow, act now. So people talk themselves into a property that’s a maybe. The last check is the pace. My rule is simple and I say it to everyone.
If it isn’t an enthusiastic yes, it’s a no. There’s always another property. There isn’t always another €30,000.
Something that’s almost right will nag at you for years, and waiting costs less than doing it twice. The market here is deep. Another home will come. Take the time, sleep on it, and only move when you genuinely can’t wait to own it.
Every one of these checks is straightforward with a bit of patience and the right people around you. That’s exactly what I’m here for. Buying here can be one of the best things you ever do. Have a look at how I help you buy, or book a call and we’ll talk it through, honestly, before you commit to anything.
General guidance (2026). Every purchase differs, so take independent legal and tax advice.
What this relates to
