Buying Off-Plan in Girona: How Stage Payments Are Protected

New-build homes in Girona are sold subject to 10% VAT plus stamp duty, rather than the regional transfer tax applied to resale properties, and payments are usually staggered across the construction period rather than paid in one go. For a buyer still based in the United Kingdom, that staggered schedule raises an obvious question: what protects the money if the development is delayed, or the developer runs into difficulty before the keys are handed over?

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, remember too that visits to check on construction progress still count towards the 90 days in any 180-day period you can spend in Spain without a visa, and that every transfer you make will be affected by exchange-rate movements between sterling and the euro. None of that changes the legal protection described below, but it is worth planning around both when you set your payment schedule.

Girona province covers the Costa Brava coastline as well as inland countryside toward the Pyrenees, offering both beach towns and rural stone villages. Its proximity to France draws French, Belgian and Dutch buyers, alongside others wanting a quieter alternative to busier Spanish coasts.

Girona-Costa Brava airport serves the coast directly, with Barcelona airport also within reach for wider connections. Coastal areas see strong summer activity, while inland towns remain calmer, and property types range from apartments and townhouses near the sea to farmhouses further inland.

What follows are measured, dated figures for Girona (province) — who lives there, what homes are advertised for, how to get there and the climate — each one sourced. They help you form a realistic picture of Girona (province) before deciding whether to buy there, to live, for holidays or to let out.

According to the INE annual census, 830,429 people were registered as living in the whole of Girona province on 1 January 2025. The count takes in every town and village across the province, not only its capital. The province of Girona registers 181,899 residents of foreign nationality, about 22 out of every 100 people. That share is notable yet far from dominant, and it varies widely between towns within the province.

On 1 January 2025, the province of Girona had just 3,372 British nationals on its register, a modest figure. Because registration only counts year-round residents, it leaves out second-home owners who spend part of the year in the province. The following table shows the leading foreign nationalities registered in Girona (province) on 1 January 2025, according to the municipal-level data INE makes available.

For nationalities the census groups together rather than listing them individually, such as Germans, Italians, Dutch, Belgians or Scandinavians, we turn to the detailed INE register for Girona province. Unlike the table above, this count dates from 1 January 2022, the most recent detailed edition.

Of the 5,315 homes for sale across the province of Girona, the median asking price is €2,840/m² and the median ticket €290,000 in our data. That puts the province near the middle of the table, close to the €3,135/m² median across the 130 towns we track. Among current adverts, the central half cluster between €1,930 and €3,820 per square metre; some properties are listed well below this band, others well above it.

Girona (province)'s median asking price of €290,000 carries a transfer tax bill of about €29,000 at the regional 10 % rate, plus an estimated €3,500 for notary, registry and gestoría work. The resulting total of around €32,500 sits outside the mortgage and needs to be covered from the buyer's own funds. These are asking prices taken from adverts active on 2026-11-01, not confirmed sale prices. What a buyer actually pays is negotiated, and depends on the condition, exact location and orientation of each home.

The table below brings together the towns we track across Girona (province), listing inhabitants, foreign residents per 100 people and median asking price per square metre, to show how much these markets differ.

INE's experimental statistic, based on listings from the main holiday-rental platforms, counted 20,821 holiday-let homes in Girona (province) in 05/2026 (116,320 bed places), about 25 per 1,000 residents. That is a moderate presence, and tourist letting still requires a regional licence. Official data for Girona (province) show a median long-term rent of €550 a month for a flat in 2024, calculated by the Ministry of Housing from 43,826 tax-declared contracts. The figure looks backward at long-term lets only, not at holiday rentals, and should not be read as a prediction. The same source shows that the middle half of all flats for long-term rent are priced between €450 and €680 a month.

The only commercial airport within the province of Girona is Aeropuerto de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO), so it is worth checking in advance whether it operates in the season you plan to travel, since schedules can vary through the year. The climate figures below were recorded in or near Girona, the provincial capital, and conditions elsewhere in the province, inland, at altitude or on other islands, can differ noticeably. Winters are cold by Spanish standards: January averages 7.1 °C, with an overnight minimum around 1.1 °C, while August reaches a mean of 23.4 °C and a daily maximum near 29.8 °C. Heating and insulation become a real cost item rather than an afterthought. Annual rainfall reaches about 728 mm on roughly 66 days, well above many Spanish coastal or inland averages. Checking for damp is a sensible part of any viewing here. Climate data come from AEMET's 1981-2010 normals, recorded at its Girona Aeropuerto station around 9 km away; the actual spot may vary a little, particularly further inland or higher up.

In the twelve months to 07/2026, 15,239 homes changed hands in the province of Girona, INE figures show. Such activity tends to bring more reference prices and a larger selection for anyone searching. The figures above cover the whole province of Girona, but they vary widely from town to town and from property to property. Share what you are searching for and we can review the details with you.

The transfer tax on a resale home is set by each Spanish region. In Girona the general rate is 10 %, 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.

Spanish law requires that any amount a developer collects on account, before the property is finished and handed over, be guaranteed either by a bank guarantee (aval bancario) or by an insurance policy covering the full sum paid. If the building is not completed and delivered within the agreed term, you are entitled to recover those payments, together with the interest set out in the policy or guarantee, rather than losing the money or waiting indefinitely for a project that may never finish.

This protection applies from the first payment onwards, which is why the purchase contract should state clearly which bank or insurer is backing the stage payments, and the developer should hand you a copy of the relevant guarantee or policy for each amount paid. Established developers in Girona arrange this routinely as part of selling off-plan; the risk appears when a smaller or less experienced promoter skips the paperwork, or when a buyer signs a private contract and pays without asking to see the guarantee first.

Staged payments on an off-plan contract in Girona typically follow a schedule tied to construction milestones set out in the private contract: a reservation amount, a payment on signing, further instalments as the building progresses, and the balance on completion before the notary. Each instalment beyond the reservation should be covered by the guarantee from the moment it is paid, not only the final balance, so check the wording of the document rather than assuming it covers everything automatically.

A lawyer acting for you — optional under Spanish law, but usual for a buyer living outside Spain — can check the developer's registration, the building licence, the validity of the guarantee and that the bank or insurer named is genuine, before you commit any money. This is separate from our own role: we can help you find a property in Girona and coordinate with your lawyer, notary and bank, but verifying the guarantee is work for an independent lawyer, not for the agency marketing the property.

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.