Buying property sur la Costa Brava with a dedicated expert

The Costa Brava stretches along the Girona coastline from Blanes in the south to Portbou near the French border, encompassing a wide range of municipalities with distinct characters and purchase price levels. The following profiles are based on data from SpainHouses.net (April 2026) and Investropa (2025–2026).

• Cadaqués: The most prestigious and expensive address on the Costa Brava. This whitewashed fishing village on the Cap de Creus peninsula commands prices of approximately €6,700–€7,435/m². Supply is extremely limited and the village is accessible only by a winding mountain road, which preserves its exclusivity. Ideal for buyers seeking a trophy property in an iconic setting.
• Begur: A hilltop village with access to some of the coast's most beautiful coves (Aiguafreda, Sa Tuna, Aiguablava). Prices average approximately €5,980/m², with premium cove-side properties reaching significantly higher. Popular with French, Dutch, and Scandinavian buyers.
• Palamós: An active fishing port with a strong local community and good amenities. Prices average approximately €6,965/m² according to SpainHouses.net (April 2026), reflecting strong demand for its authentic character and beaches.
• Castell-Platja d'Aro: A well-established resort town with a wide range of property types from apartments to luxury villas. Average prices around €4,762/m². Popular with buyers seeking good infrastructure and proximity to the beach.
• Palafrugell / L'Escala / Tossa de Mar: Mid-range coastal towns offering good value relative to the premium villages. Prices range from approximately €3,700–€4,200/m², attracting buyers seeking a balance between lifestyle and budget.
• Roses / Lloret de Mar / Blanes: More accessible entry-level markets on the Costa Brava, with prices ranging from approximately €3,280–€3,440/m². These towns offer a wider choice of apartments and are popular with buyers seeking holiday properties at more accessible price points.
• Sant Pere Pescador / Torroella de Montgrí: Inland or less-developed coastal areas offering the most affordable purchase prices on the Costa Brava, from approximately €2,000–€2,800/m².

1. Obtain your NIE: Apply for your Spanish tax identification number at a police station in Spain or at a Spanish consulate in your home country. This step should be initiated as early as possible, as it can take several weeks (source: Residaro, 2024).
2. Open a Spanish bank account: Required for payment of the purchase price and ongoing costs such as IBI and utility bills.
3. Property search and viewings: Work with local estate agents or a buyer's agent to identify suitable properties across the Costa Brava's diverse municipalities.
4. Instruct a lawyer (abogado): Appoint an independent Spanish lawyer before making any offer. Your lawyer will conduct all legal due diligence on your behalf.
5. Legal due diligence: Your lawyer requests the Nota Simple from the Land Registry to verify ownership, boundaries, and any charges or mortgages on the property. They also check planning permissions, community debts, and IBI payments (source: Residaro, 2024).
6. Make an offer: Negotiate the purchase price with the seller or their agent. Once agreed, the terms are formalised in writing.
7. Sign the Contrato de Arras (deposit contract): A private preliminary contract between buyer and seller. The buyer typically pays a deposit of around 10% of the agreed purchase price. If the buyer withdraws, the deposit is forfeited; if the seller withdraws, they must return double the deposit (source: Understanding the Deposit Contract, 2024).
8. Arrange financing (if applicable): If purchasing with a mortgage, submit your application to a Spanish bank and obtain a formal mortgage offer. The bank will commission an independent valuation.
9. Sign the Escritura Pública (notarial deed): The final deed of sale is signed before a Spanish notary. The balance of the purchase price is paid, usually by bank cheque. The notary reads the deed aloud and both parties sign (source: Strong Abogados, 2024).
10. Pay taxes and register the property: Within 30 days of signing, the applicable tax (ITP or IVA+AJD) must be paid to the Catalan tax authority. Your lawyer or gestor then registers the deed at the Land Registry, formally transferring ownership to you.

Non-resident buyers — including French nationals purchasing a second home or investment property on the Costa Brava — can access Spanish mortgage financing, though on terms that differ from those available to Spanish residents.

• Eligibility: Spain welcomes foreign buyers, and non-residents are fully entitled to purchase property and apply for a Spanish mortgage. A non-resident is generally defined as someone who spends fewer than 183 days per year in Spain or whose primary tax residence is outside Spain (source: PTI Returns, 2024).
• Loan-to-Value (LTV): Spanish banks typically lend non-residents a maximum of 60% to 70% of the property's appraised value, compared to up to 80% for residents. A buyer purchasing at €500,000 EUR might therefore borrow up to €350,000 EUR and must provide the remaining €150,000 EUR plus all acquisition costs from their own funds (source: Spanish Mortgage Factsheet 2025).
• Interest rates (2024–2025): Non-residents can expect rates in the range of 3.5% to 5% depending on the lender and individual financial profile. Variable-rate mortgages are typically priced at Euribor plus a margin of approximately 1%–1.5%. Fixed-rate products offer payment certainty and are popular with international buyers (source: Spanish Mortgage Guide 2025).
• Mortgage term: Loan terms for non-residents are generally shorter than for residents, commonly up to 20–25 years, and subject to the borrower's age at the end of the term.
• Required documents for a mortgage application: Passport and NIE, last two to three years of tax returns, recent payslips or proof of income, bank statements, and details of the property (preliminary purchase agreement and valuation). All documents must be officially translated into Spanish (source: Mortgages in Spain for non-residents, 2024).
• Spanish bank account: Opening a Spanish bank account is a prerequisite for mortgage disbursement and ongoing payments.

Given the complexity of cross-border mortgage applications, many non-resident buyers engage a specialist mortgage broker with experience in the Spanish market to compare products across multiple lenders.

When buying property on the Costa Brava, buyers will typically engage several professionals whose fees form part of the total acquisition cost.

• Estate agent (inmobiliaria): In Spain, estate agent commissions are traditionally paid by the seller, not the buyer. Agency fees typically range from 3% to 6% of the sale price, depending on the agency and the property (source: How Much Are Estate Agent Fees in Spain, 2024). Buyers should confirm the commission arrangement with the agent at the outset.
• Buyer's agent / personal shopper: Some buyers choose to engage a dedicated buyer's agent to search, shortlist, and negotiate on their behalf. A buyer's agent typically charges the buyer up to 3% of the final purchase price (source: Real Estate Commissions in Spain, 2024). This service is particularly valued by non-resident buyers unfamiliar with the local market.
• Independent lawyer (abogado): Legal fees for a property purchase in Spain generally range from 1% to 2% of the purchase price, plus 21% VAT. The lawyer conducts due diligence, reviews contracts, liaises with the notary, and oversees tax payment and registration (source: Lawants, 2024).
• Notary: Notary fees are set by a regulated scale and typically amount to a minimum of €1,500 EUR for a standard residential purchase, rising with the transaction value (source: IMMO 365, 2024). The notary is chosen by the buyer in Spain.
• Land Registry: Registration fees are also scale-based and typically range from €800–€1,200 EUR for a standard transaction.
• Gestor (administrative manager): A gestor handles the administrative filing of taxes and registration documents. Fees are generally €300–€600 EUR.
• Mortgage broker (if applicable): Specialist brokers may charge a fee of approximately 1% of the loan amount, though some operate on a lender-paid commission basis.

Buyers should request a written fee schedule from each professional before engagement and ensure all fees are clearly stated in the relevant contracts.