The order matters more than you think
In many countries you agree a price, your lawyer checks everything and only then do you commit money. In Spain the agency usually asks for a holding deposit the day you say you like the property, and the private purchase contract with arras — where real money and real penalties come in — is often signed within days. If the checks have not been done by then, you are negotiating blind.
That is why the steps below are in this order. Skipping or swapping one is where most expensive problems start.
The nine steps of a purchase in Valencia
Your NIE
The foreigner identification number you need to sign before the notary and pay the taxes of the purchase. Without it, nothing moves. My team handles the application for my clients.
A Spanish bank account
To pay the price, the taxes and, later, the community fees and utilities. Banks ask non-residents for more paperwork, so it is worth starting early.
Reservation agreement with the agency
The agency’s own form, with a holding deposit to take the property off the market. It is not the purchase contract. There is rarely time to review much before reserving, but a few well-chosen clauses can protect you later if the checks reveal a problem.
Due diligence
Registry, cadastre, planning, debts with the community of owners, local tax, tenants. This is where you find out what you are really buying. See the nine due diligence checks.
Purchase contract with arras
Signed once the checks are done. The type of arras decides what happens if either side pulls out, and the conditions written into it are your protection until completion.
Mortgage, if you need one
Spanish banks lend to non-residents, usually for a smaller share of the price. The binding offer must be reviewed before you sign it, and the notary will meet you beforehand to confirm you understand it.
Signing the deed before the notary
The sale becomes public. The notary checks identities and registered charges on the day — not planning, community debts or the arras conditions.
Taxes and Land Registry
The purchase taxes are paid within a deadline, and the deed is registered. Registration is what protects your ownership against third parties.
After the purchase
Utilities, the community of owners, local property tax and, as a non-resident, a yearly tax return even if you do not rent the property out.
Who does what (and for whom)
| Who | What they do | Who they work for |
|---|---|---|
| Estate agency | Shows the property, drafts the reservation, coordinates the parties | Usually paid by the seller; their goal is to close the sale |
| Notary | Authorises the deed, checks identities and registered charges on the day | Impartial: neither buyer nor seller |
| Bank | Values the property and lends the money | Itself: the valuation protects the loan, not you |
| Your lawyer | Checks the property, negotiates and drafts the contracts, attends the signing | You — and only you |
Buying without travelling to Spain
It is up to you. With a power of attorney I can take every step for you, including signing the deed, while we work by video call and email. You can grant it before a Spanish notary or before a notary in your own country; one signed abroad has to meet certain formal requirements to be valid here. If you prefer to be there yourself, I go with you through the whole process.
Five common mistakes
- Signing the agency’s reservation with no safeguards. It is often signed the same day you see the property, with no time for a full review — but the right clauses can save you if the checks later reveal a problem.
- Signing the arras contract before the checks. From that point, walking away usually costs money.
- Assuming the notary checks everything. They do not review planning, community debts or the conditions you agreed in the arras.
- Not budgeting taxes and costs. They are paid on top of the price, and the tax base can be higher than what you paid. See costs and taxes of buying in Valencia.
- Writing the deed without thinking about your matrimonial regime or your heirs. How you buy — alone, as a couple, in what shares — has consequences years later.
This is the map, not the route
Every purchase has its own risks: the building, the seller, the contract, your residence and your family situation. Knowing the steps tells you what to ask; it does not replace someone checking your property and your contracts before you commit money.
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