Buying property in Andalucía,
alongside what you already know.

The Spanish property transaction follows its own rules: different parties, different documents, different costs. We set them side by side with what you know from Nederland, so no step catches you off guard.

View the differencesJump to the calculator
Your home country
  • •Makelaar & notaris regelen het meeste
  • •~5–6% kosten koper bovenop de prijs
  • •6–8 weken tot passeren
Your region
  • Own lawyer essential in practice
  • 10 to 13% extra costs on top of the price
  • 6 to 12 weeks + time for NIE
Additional costs
🇳🇱 Nederland
~5–6%
→
🇪🇸 Andalucía
10 to 13%

Resale property, incl. ITP, notary, lawyer, gestoría.

Until completion
🇳🇱 Nederland
6–8 wk
→
🇪🇸 Andalucía
6 to 12 wk

Delay mainly due to NIE + mortgage approval.

Parties at the table
🇳🇱 Nederland
3–4
→
🇪🇸 Andalucía
5 to 7

Own lawyer, gestoría & notary are separate roles.

Choose your view
Difference #1 · Parties

Who does what?

In the Netherlands, the notary handles virtually everything legally and administratively. In Spain this is divided across several parties, and the notary is explicitly not your advocate.

VS
🇳🇱
Nederland

Notaris doet het meeste

  • Makelaar
    Vindt woning, onderhandelt namens jou
  • Verkopend makelaar
    Werkt voor verkoper, vaak via NVM
  • Notaris
    Stelt akte op, regelt eigendomsoverdracht, voert checks
  • Hypotheekadviseur
    Optioneel, vaak gebundeld via je bank
🇪🇸
Andalucía

Own lawyer essential in practice

  • Estate agent(agente inmobiliario)
    Works in practice for the seller, not for you
  • Your lawyer(abogado)
    Essential: checks nota simple, contracts, charges
  • Notary(notario)
    Impartial: executes the deed, represents no one
  • Gestoría
    Administrative office: tax payment, registration
  • Mortgage bank(banco)
    Own valuation, own approval process (4 to 8 weeks)
Key differenceHire your own lawyer. The estate agent works in practice for the seller, and the Spanish notary is (unlike in the Netherlands) strictly impartial. Without your own lawyer, no one is explicitly protecting your interests. Cost: ~1% of the purchase price, almost always recovered.
Difference #2 · Documents

The documents you need.

In the Netherlands, your BSN, a passport and a mortgage commitment are practically enough. In Spain you need to start your NIE application much earlier, and every sale has its own stack of documents the notary wants to see beforehand.

VS
🇳🇱
Nederland

Wat de notaris bij je opvraagt

  • Paspoort + BSN
    Voor identificatie en registratie
  • Hypotheektoezegging
    Van je geldverstrekker
  • WOZ-beschikking
    Vaak via gemeente of online
  • Bewijs van eigen middelen
    Vaak alleen voor het deel boven hypotheek
🇪🇸
Andalucía

Stack required for the deed

  • NIE(Número de Identificación de Extranjero)
    Spanish tax number, apply as soon as you are serious
  • Spanish bank account
    For ITP, charges and any mortgage payments
  • Nota simple
    Extract from the Registro: owner + charges, approx. € 9
  • Referencia catastral
    Tax identification of the property
  • IBI receipt
    Latest property tax payment
  • Certificado energético
    Energy certificate, mandatory for sale
  • Cédula de habitabilidad
    Habitability certificate, region-dependent
Start earlyYour NIE application via a Spanish consulate in the Netherlands can take 2 to 6 weeks. Apply as soon as you are seriously looking, not when you make an offer.
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Difference #3 · Timeline

How long it takes.

A Spanish transaction is not much longer than a Dutch one, provided you start the NIE and mortgage early. These are realistic timelines per phase.

🇳🇱Bod tot voorlopig contract
~1 week
🇪🇸Bod tot contrato de reserva
1–2 wk
🇳🇱Bedenktijd + financiering
3 wk
🇪🇸NIE + hypotheek + due diligence
4–6 wk
🇳🇱Voorbereiding notaris
1–2 wk
🇪🇸Arras + voorbereiding notaris
2–3 wk
🇳🇱Passeren akte
1 dag
🇪🇸Ondertekening akte
1 dag
Total
🇳🇱 6–8 weken  →  🇪🇸 6–12 weeks
Calculate your own costs
Time savings are possibleThe biggest delays are the NIE application and mortgage approval. Both can be started before you make an offer. That often saves 3 to 4 weeks.
Difference #4 · Costs

What it really costs.

In the Netherlands you can roughly expect 5 to 6% buyer's costs (transfer tax, notary, mortgage advice, agent fee). In Andalucía that is on average double.

VS
🇳🇱
Nederland

Voor een resale van € 395.000

Overdrachtsbelasting (2%)€ 7.900
Verlaagd tarief eigen bewoning
Notaris & kadaster€ 2.500
Hypotheekakte + leveringsakte
Hypotheekadvies + taxatie€ 3.500
Makelaar koper€ 4.000
Optioneel · ~1–1,5% courtage
Total extra€ 17.900 · 4,5%
🇪🇸
Andalucía

For the same resale at € 395.000

ITP (transfer tax)€ 27.650
Rate varies per autonomous community
Notary & registro€ 4.580
Arancel rate, not a fixed price
Gestoría€ 950
Tax payment + registration
Lawyer (~1%)€ 3.950
Strongly recommended, in your interest
Total extra€ 37.130 · 9.4%
Budget at least 10% on topFor new-build it is higher: IVA 10% + AJD 1.2% instead of ITP. With a mortgage an additional ~1.5% AJD on the mortgage deed applies, sometimes covered by the bank. Below you can calculate your own scenario.
Calculate

What does your purchase in Costa del Sol cost?

Adjust the amounts and instantly see what you will pay until the deed. Rates 2026, indicative, not advice.

Costa del Sol
Andalucía
Hoogste vreemde-koperpercentage van Spanje
Avg. price / m²
~€ 3.500
€ 220k – € 15M
Typical duration
6–10 wk
until deed
€
€ 100k€ 1M€ 2M
Property type

Resale property in Andalusia: ITP 7% on the price.

Financing
Fiscal residence

Non-residents do not pay IRPF but do pay 3% retention on resale. No impact on purchase costs.

Lessons from practice

Five common mistakes.

What we see recurring among buyers purchasing in Spain for the first time.

01Assumption

Not hiring your own lawyer

"The agent's lawyer will handle it." That lawyer does not work for you. An independent lawyer costs ~1%, almost always recovered on the second day.

02Timing

No up-to-date nota simple

A nota simple from last quarter may already be outdated. Request a new one just before the deed. Charges can still change after the arras.

03Tax

Forgetting the plusvalía

Officially the seller's liability, but sometimes contractually shifted to the buyer. Read the arras carefully or have your lawyer explicitly amend the clause.

04Money

Promising cash on the table

Spanish banks have additional reporting obligations for cash above € 1.000. Use a bank transfer via a Spanish account. Ask your lawyer for a recommendation.

05Pressure

Signing arras too quickly

Under arras penitenciales you lose your deposit if you back out. Do not let anyone pressure you. Have your lawyer review it first, then sign.

06NIE

Applying for NIE too late

The NIE application via a Spanish consulate takes 2 to 6 weeks. Start as soon as you are seriously looking, not when you make an offer.

What is your next step?

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More from the knowledge base

Further reading

NIE

Applying for a NIE from the Netherlands

Via the consulate in The Hague, Amsterdam or via an authorised representative: steps, costs, timeline.

Read more Notary

The deed, line by line

What does the deed of ownership actually contain? A clear explanation of the Spanish boilerplate.

Read more Tax

Living in Spain, paying tax in the Netherlands?

Box 3, worldwide income, the 183-day rule. What changes fiscally when you move into your property?

Read more