How long does it take to buy a house in Spain?

On average 6 to 12 weeks from accepted offer to the notary appointment. With a non-resident mortgage, expect 10 to 14 weeks.

Is the arras contract binding?

Yes. If you as the buyer pull out, you lose your deposit (usually 10%). If the seller pulls out, they must repay double. Never sign an arras contract before the legal checks are complete.

Do I need my own lawyer in Spain?

It is not legally required, but strongly recommended. A Spanish notary checks far less than buyers from northern Europe expect; an independent lawyer carries out the due diligence on your behalf.

Guide › The buying process

Buying a house in Spain: the buying process step by step

The Spanish buying process looks familiar enough, but the differences sit exactly where the money is. This is the full route from offer to keys — including the moments where you need to pay attention.

1. The offer and the reservation

Offers in Spain are made far more informally than you may be used to: often verbally or by email through the agent. Once your offer is accepted, a reservation contract (documento de reserva) usually follows, with a deposit of €3,000–€6,000. That takes the property off the market. Be careful: you often forfeit this amount if you withdraw without legal grounds — so sign nothing until you know you can carry out the checks in step 2.

2. Due diligence: the stage that decides everything

This is the big difference. The Spanish notary checks much less at completion than you would expect: they verify identity and execute the deed, but do not investigate whether that extension was ever authorised or whether there are community debts. That work is done by an independent lawyer (abogado) acting for you:

Nota simple from the land registry: who owns the property, and which mortgages and charges sit on it.
Permits at the town hall: building licence, habitation certificate (cédula de habitabilidad / licencia de ocupación), and the legality of any extensions.
Debts that travel with the property: IBI (council property tax), community fees (comunidad), sometimes even utilities.

Allow 2–4 weeks and €1,000–€1,500 in legal fees. Every euro of that pays for itself — see our guide to the 7 biggest pitfalls.

3. The arras contract: the real purchase contract

Once the checks come back clean, you sign the contrato de arras — the preliminary contract that is not remotely preliminary. You typically pay 10% down and the terms are binding: if you pull out, you lose the deposit; if the seller pulls out, they repay double. The arras sets out the price, the completion date and every condition (financing, for example). Anything you want to be able to enforce has to be written in here.

4. The notary and the keys

Completion takes place at the notary with the escritura de compraventa (title deed). You pay the balance (almost always by banker's draft or transfer from a Spanish account), sign, and receive the keys. Then comes the administrative tail: paying the taxes (within 30 days), registration at the Registro de la Propiedad, and transferring the utilities and IBI into your name.

What you can arrange in advance

NIE number — without this Spanish identification number you cannot buy. Start early; it can take weeks.
A Spanish bank account — needed for the banker's draft and the running costs.
Financing — see our guide to mortgages for non-residents.
A budget including costs — allow 10–13% on top of the asking price; work out the exact figure.

The timeline in brief

Stage	Duration
Offer + reservation	1–2 weeks
Due diligence	2–4 weeks
Arras → notary	4–8 weeks
Total	6–12 weeks (with a mortgage: 10–14)

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