Author name: Valérie Marette

Key facts French and Belgian nationals are free to buy property on the Costa del Sol without restriction: in 2025, […]

Key points The process of buying property in Spain involves 10 steps , from obtaining the NIE to registration with

Key points The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the identification number for any foreign national with financial interests

Key points Opening a bank account in Spain as a non-resident is not a legal requirement but a practical necessity:

Key points The ‘nota simple’ is an extract from the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) which reveals, for a

Key points The ‘contrato de arras’ is the Spanish preliminary sales agreement: a private contract that sets out the price,

Key points In Spain, the notary verifies ownership and any encumbrances recorded in the land register; nothing else: neither planning

Key points A poder notarial (notarised power of attorney) enables you to buy a property in Spain without having to

Key points Spanish notaries do not fulfil the same role as their French or Belgian counterparts: they authenticate the escritura

Key points Registration with the Registro de la Propiedad is not compulsory in Spain, but it is the only way