禁漫天堂

It shouldn't be much difference to buying in your home country as you have the same rights.

@KATA08163100

As an EU citizen you enjoy Freedom of Movement in the EU and can relocate and purchase property with minimal aggravation. I doubt that buying an apartment in Spain is much more problematic than buying one in Romania (or elsewhere in the EU). Spain, like many (most? all?) EU countries uses a notary system for property transfers, so you don't strictly need an attorney. You can have one, if you wish, to double-check the paperwork (and perhaps do some due diligence on the property/owner), but it's an extra cost.

We have an apartment in Spain, and it was pretty easy to buy, and no significant hassles post-purchase. We love Spain and enjoy the food, culture, language, weather, and lovely Mediterranean beaches. The only downside we've noticed is that it's significantly more expensive than Bulgaria (or Romania). But if you're working, you'll be earning more too, so it's a wash.

We didn't get the property inspected (but again it's possible, if you want to pay someone to give you a survey report), and we didn't deal with banks/mortgages (we just bought cheap and paid cash).

As to location, there are lots of great cities in Spain. I reckon Barcelona is my favourite, but it's also extremely expensive. Personally, I'd try to get a good job first, and then buy wherever the job is (rather than choosing the city first, buying a property, and finally job hunting). I think other possibles include Malaga, Seville, Granada, Bilboa, Tarragona, Zaragoza. I too think Valencia is a nice city, so if you like that area you could also consider Alicante and Murcia.聽 We surprisingly ended up near Alicante in Elche. This is a very traditional Spanish city (similar size to Granada) with a historic centre, UNESCO-listed palms groves, and easy access to downtown Alicante, Alicante-Elche airport, and several nice beaches. Property cost was substantially lower than a tourist-popular beach city, which was a big plus.

Good luck with your potential move!

@Paramount Homes

Thank you very much!

@gwynj

Thank you very much!

@Paramount Homes

I don't know why but your post was deleted. Your post was very useful. If you can, post it again or send me a PM. Thanks.

@Paramount Homes
I don't know why but your post was deleted. Your post was very useful. If you can, post it again or send me a PM. Thanks. - @KATA08163100

It probably broke the rules of the forum. I will check for you.

@SimCityAT

Yes Paramount Homes, advertising his own website by inserting external links to his website.

He is most welcome to post information without advertising.

Regards

Bhavna

@Bhavna

Hi Bhavna, thank you for your comment.

Just to clarify, the links we shared were not to promote services but to our blog articles, where we had already addressed the exact questions raised by other members. Since many of these topics are complex and require long explanations, linking to the blog seemed the most practical way to provide complete answers.

That said, if this is not considered an acceptable practice here, we will of course respect the rules and keep our contributions strictly within the forum.

Best regards,

Paramount Homes

@KATA08163100

Hi, thank you for your kind words 馃檹 I鈥檓 glad you found the information useful. It seems the post was removed because it included external links to our blog. We only added those links because many of the questions raised here are quite complex, and the articles allowed us to give a full and accurate answer without leaving important details out. I鈥檒l re-share the main points directly here so the information stays accessible in the forum

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Hi there! Just sharing a few tips based on what we often see in real cases:

Buying process

It鈥檚 doable, just slower than many expect. Get the nota simple early to spot debts/embargos and confirm who actually owns the place.

Always read the community statutes before you fall in love: some buildings ban short-term rentals, limit renovations, or have higher-than-expected community fees.

Lawyer (independent!)

Biggest win we see: hire an independent lawyer (not the agent鈥檚 buddy). They can also sort your NIE and coordinate with the notary.

Inspector / technical check

Not as standard in Spain, but worth it. Clients who bring a technical architect often catch damp, roofing, plumbing or electrical issues early. Ballpark: a few hundred euros, and it can save thousands.

Real costs

Budget +10鈥�13% on top of the price (transfer tax or VAT, notary, registry, lawyer).

Ongoing: IBI (council tax), rubbish, insurance, and community fees (hugely variable鈥攁sk for last year鈥檚 minutes & budget).

Banks

Paperwork-heavy and slow, but workable鈥攅specially for EU citizens. Having income docs in order and a local account speeds things up.

Bureaucracy

Expect some 鈥渃ome back tomorrow鈥� moments. A good lawyer/gestor keeps things moving and translates the admin-speak.

Building rules

Ask for: statutes, house rules, last AGM minutes, and any extraordinary assessments planned (facade, lifts, solar, etc.). That鈥檚 where 鈥渟urprises鈥� hide.

Healthcare

Public system is solid. As EU, you鈥檙e covered for necessary care during temporary stays (EHIC). If you become resident, you can access full public care; many clients add private insurance to skip queues.

Cities

Madrid: amazing but pricey in the center.

Valencia: great value/quality of life, strong transport.

Also consider M谩laga (big expat scene + international airport) and Alicante (more relaxed, still well connected).

Biggest tip from the trenches

Don鈥檛 let anyone rush you. Sellers/agents sometimes change terms late or drag feet. Keep everything in writing, tie timelines to the arras (deposit) contract, and be ready to walk away if red flags pop up.

Hope this helps and good luck with the search!

@Paramount Homes

Thank you very much again!

I know that in Southern Spain the summers are quite hot with heatwaves and I'd like to know if there are some certain southern cities or areas where the weather is more breezy to cool down that summer heat ?

Also I'd take in consideration some northen cities like Santander and Gijon.聽 What is to know about the apartments in those northen cities? They are better insulated? What type of central heating do they have ?

Thank you!

@KATA08163100

Hi Kat, as you call yourself on your email.

My name is Michael & I am from the States, coming to Spain for the past 40 years & now residing in Andaluc铆a.

Just got my non lucrative vise and I know the process was complex, not to mention the complexities in buying real state here in Spain.

Please let me know what your plans are & I will be glad to advise/help with any questions you may have.

Regards, good luck,

Michael

@KATA08163100

Most of Spain is hot, you'll probably need some good AC units. It's cooler up in the mountains (e.g. Pyrenees) or on the Bilbao/Atlantic coast.

@KATA08163100

Happy to help! You鈥檙e absolutely right 鈥� summers in Southern Spain can be quite hot, especially inland. However, there are some coastal areas that benefit from more breezes. For example:

1. M谩laga (Costa del Sol): Average summer highs are around 30鈥�32掳C, with refreshing sea breezes, especially in the evenings.
2. Estepona (Costa del Sol, western side): Slightly cooler than M谩laga, with highs of 28鈥�30掳C, and more Atlantic influence.

1. C谩diz (Costa de la Luz): Typically 28鈥�30掳C in summer, but with strong Atlantic breezes that keep it more comfortable than most southern inland cities.

By contrast, in Sevilla or C贸rdoba (inland Andalusia), summer highs can easily reach 38鈥�42掳C, which is why coastal living makes such a difference if you want to avoid extreme heat.

For Northern Spain, the climate is much milder:

Santander (Cantabria): Summer highs average 23鈥�25掳C, with mild nights around 16鈥�17掳C.

Gij贸n (Asturias): Similar to Santander, highs around 22鈥�24掳C, nights around 15鈥�16掳C.

Apartments in the north are generally built with better insulation to retain warmth in winter, and most come with central heating (gas radiators are very common, sometimes oil-based). In the south, instead, properties often rely on air-conditioning units that serve for both cooling and heating.

I hope this gives you a clear picture

@KATA08163100

From our work with international clients who decided to buy property in Spain, we鈥檝e seen that the legal process can be more complex than expected.

Many were surprised by hidden community fees, discrepancies between the Land Registry and the real condition of the apartment, or unexpected 鈥渄erramas鈥� (special building costs) approved just after purchase. Banks and notary procedures can also feel overwhelming if you鈥檙e not used to the system.

What helped our clients most was carrying out a thorough legal due diligence before paying any deposit, reviewing community records, tax situation, and checking for urban planning issues. Having a lawyer who can explain all of this clearly in English gave them real peace of mind and often prevented expensive mistakes.

And beyond the legal side, we are often asked which cities combine lifestyle and good value. Apart from Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, many clients have been very happy in M谩laga, Alicante, Tarragona, Girona, or Zaragoza, all well connected, more affordable, and offering a high quality of life.

@Paramount Homes

Thank you!

@Forcam Lawyers

Thank you as well!

@Paramount Homes

Sorry to bother you but I forgot a few very important things to ask you.

1- What checks should I do to find a good-professional lawyer? What would be the process? Email him after I find a few apartments that I like to do the checks? Would I sign a contract with that lawyer and how he would charge me for the preliminary checks of those properties? I assume there would be some issues/reluctancy with the agents or the owners. Maybe they'd try to hide from me some problems. There are lots of crooks out there.

2- How is in general the structural resistance of the buildings in Spain? I mean the quality of constructions like the structure? What to avoid? Maybe there are some areas/ cities that the buildings are more solid or not, maybe there are some specific years where the buildings in Spain were built more poorly? In my country we have some seismic activity and also we had a big tragedy in 1977. I didn't hear about earthquakes in Spain but you never know what could go wrong under the waters.

3- The okupas problem. What would be checks to see if they are in an apartment and in what areas/cities are more okupas ? Also Is there any possibility to check the utility expenses debt for an apartment, like electricity, water, sewage, gas , trash collection, etc ? In my country in almost every building with apartments there's a public list with the utility debt per each apartment(excepting the electricity and the internet bills) and you can look at it even if you're a stranger.

Thank you!