Buying a home on the Costa del Sol from the UK.
The short version: you can still buy, you need a tax number and a lawyer, and you should budget about 10% on top of the price. The rest is below, in the order it comes up.
Pounds and euros
Every home is priced in euros, because that is what you pay. The pound figure on each page is a guide at 0.86 pounds to the euro, the rate on 2026-10-26. When you buy, your bank or a currency broker sets the real rate. A broker will usually beat the bank and can fix a rate ahead of completion, so you know what the home costs in pounds on the day you sign.
What you need
Three things. An NIE, the tax number Spain gives to foreigners. A Spanish bank account, which most banks will open for a non-resident with a passport, the NIE and proof of income. And your own lawyer, not one suggested by the seller or the agent. The lawyer checks the title, the debts on the home and the licences, and can hold your power of attorney so you do not have to fly out for every signature.
The costs on top
In Andalucía the transfer tax on a resale home is 7% of the price. Notary and land registry fees come to roughly 1 to 2%. A lawyer charges about 1% plus VAT. So a home at €300,000 needs about €330,000 all in. There is no stamp duty as in the UK, and no agency fee for you as the buyer. Each home's page shows the price in pounds and euros with the costs on top, and the converter on the right does it for any price.
How long you can stay
Since Brexit a UK passport gets you 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area, Spain included. Owning a home here does not change that. If you want to live here, the usual route is the non-lucrative visa, which needs a set income from outside Spain, applied for from the UK before you move.
Mortgages
Spanish banks lend to non-residents, usually up to about 60 or 70% of the valuation, over up to 20 or 25 years. They want UK payslips or company accounts, tax returns and bank statements. Rates are set in euros, so your monthly payment moves with the exchange rate. Get an agreement in principle before you make an offer.
How a purchase goes
You make an offer and we take it to the seller. When it is accepted you pay a reservation deposit, a few thousand euros, and the home comes off the market while your lawyer does the checks. Then you sign a private contract and pay 10% of the price. Completion is at the notary, where the rest is paid and you get the keys. Six to ten weeks from offer to keys is normal.
Running costs
IBI is the council tax, a few hundred euros a year for an apartment. Community fees cover the pool, gardens, lift and security in a shared complex. A non-resident owner also pays a small income tax each year on the home, even if it is never let. Where we know the IBI and community fees, they are on the home's page.
Getting here
Málaga airport has direct flights from most UK airports all year, about two and three-quarter hours. Gibraltar airport is closer for Sotogrande, Manilva and Casares. From Málaga the train runs to Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola, and the motorway reaches Marbella in about forty-five minutes and Estepona in under an hour. Every home's page says how far its town is from the airport.
Questions we get asked
Can I still buy a home in Spain after Brexit?
Yes. Anyone can buy property in Spain whatever their nationality. What changed is how long you can stay: 90 days in any 180 without a visa.
How much do I need on top of the price?
About 10%. In Andalucía the transfer tax on a resale home is 7%. Notary and land registry fees are roughly 1 to 2%, and an independent lawyer about 1% plus VAT.
What is an NIE and do I need one?
An NIE is the tax number Spain gives to foreigners. You need one to buy a home, open a bank account or pay a bill. Your lawyer can apply for it, or you can go through the Spanish consulate in the UK.
Can I get a Spanish mortgage from the UK?
Yes. Spanish banks lend to non-residents, usually up to about 60 or 70% of the valuation, over up to 20 or 25 years. They will want to see UK payslips or accounts and your tax returns.
How long does buying take?
Usually six to ten weeks from an accepted offer. A reservation deposit takes the home off the market, a private contract with a 10% deposit follows, and the sale completes at the notary.
What does a home cost to run each year?
Council tax (IBI), community fees if there is a shared pool or garden, utilities, and a small non-resident income tax each year. Where we know the IBI and community fees they are on the home's page.
Do I have to fly out to view?
No. We can walk round a home on a video call and send you more photos the same day. Most people fly out once, for a day or two of viewings, after they have narrowed it down from here.
Are the prices on this site in pounds or euros?
Both. Every home is priced in euros, because that is what you pay, with a pound figure beside it at the rate shown in the footer. Use the converter on any home's page to see the cost all in.
This is a plain guide from experience, not legal or tax advice. Your lawyer and a tax adviser confirm the figures for your own case. .