How to Buy a Home in Alicante: Step-by-Step Process for Foreign Buyers

For someone buying from the United Kingdom, a purchase in Alicante involves several independent professionals working in parallel: the selling agency, your own lawyer if you choose one, a notary, a gestoría, the Land Registry and, if you need one, a mortgage broker. Each has a defined role, and the order in which paperwork is completed largely decides how smoothly the whole process runs.

What follows is the practical route from a first viewing to the day you collect the keys, together with the documents and Spanish requirements that most often catch UK buyers by surprise.

Alicante province stretches along Spain's southeastern Costa Blanca, combining lively coastal towns like Benidorm and Torrevieja with quieter inland villages and traditional cities such as Alicante itself. It attracts a wide mix of foreign buyers, from retirees seeking year-round mild weather to families and investors drawn to beach access and established expat communities.

Alicante Airport provides strong international connections, making the area easy to reach for both permanent residents and holiday-home owners. Property types range from modern apartments and coastal villas to inland townhouses, with the region generally quieter outside the summer high season.

The transfer tax on a resale home is set by each Spanish region. In Alicante the general rate is 9 %, and on top of it come notary, land registry and gestoría (roughly one more percent). On a new build you pay 10 % VAT plus stamp duty instead of the transfer tax. This money is not lent by the bank.

Most purchases in Alicante begin with a viewing, either in person or by video call, followed by a written offer to the seller. Once the offer is accepted, a reservation contract takes the property off the market, and a deposit is paid — this is usually the first firm commitment in the whole process, and it triggers everything that follows.

At this stage Sókerim coordinates between the buyer, the selling agency and, where relevant, our wider network of collaborating agencies across Alicante, since a good number of properties reach us before they are formally advertised on any portal. Negotiation on price and terms, together with an initial check on the property's condition, planning status and paperwork, normally happens before any deposit changes hands, so that the buyer enters the reservation with a realistic picture of what they are agreeing to.

In parallel, UK buyers apply for a Spanish tax number, known as the NIE, and usually open a Spanish bank account; both are needed for the deed itself and for paying taxes later on. A lawyer is optional under Spanish law but is usual for foreign buyers, and will review the title, any outstanding debts and the planning status of the property before you commit any further funds.

If financing is part of the plan, our partner Colibrí Finances arranges Spanish mortgages for non-residents. Lenders will typically ask for proof of income such as a recent P60 and payslips, your last filed Self Assessment tax return, bank statements from the last three to six months, evidence of any existing loans or mortgage commitments, and a valid passport. Because the United Kingdom uses sterling rather than the euro, it is worth planning ahead for exchange-rate movements and conversion costs when transferring funds for the deposit and the final completion.

The deed of sale, or escritura, is signed before a Spanish notary, who verifies identities, confirms the title and checks for any outstanding charges before authorising the transfer of ownership. On the day, the agreed price is paid, keys are usually handed over, and the notary sends the deed for entry into the Land Registry, which formally records you as the new owner.

Buyers should budget for costs on top of the purchase price: transfer tax (ITP), set by each region, applies to resale homes in Alicante, while new builds carry VAT plus stamp duty instead; notary, land registry and gestoría fees are added on top of either. Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm exactly how these costs, and any future rental income or gains, must be reported to HMRC.

Once you have the keys, ownership brings a set of yearly obligations. Non-resident owners file an annual Modelo 210 tax return, and municipal property tax (IBI) together with community fees fall due every year regardless of whether the property is used or left empty. If you decide to rent it out, that income is taxed in Spain, and in most regions and buildings a tourist rental licence is required before you can advertise short-term stays.

Readers considering our managed investment route follow a slightly different path after completion: you buy the property in your own name, and our group's renovation team then refurbishes it before selling it on or renting it out on your behalf, always for agreed fees rather than any pooling of investors' money. Since 2022 that renovation team has bought, refurbished and resold 18 homes, with a median renovation budget equal to 22% of the purchase price — figures we share as past results only, never as a promise of what any future project will return.

Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.

Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.

Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.