🇪🇸 "7 mistakes when buying a property in Spain"

Ewa Bochenko
5 hours ago
3 min read

For many people, buying a property on the Costa del Sol is a dream come true: sunshine, a better lifestyle, and a secure investment. However, emotions often cause buyers to make costly mistakes that later generate stress, additional expenses, and formalities.

Below, we present the 7 most common mistakes we see when buying property in Spain – and how to avoid them.

1. Buying real estate under the influence of emotions

A sea view, a beautiful terrace, and the Spanish sun can effectively overwhelm common sense. Many people book an apartment on their first trip, without carefully analyzing the location, maintenance costs, or investment potential.

What is worth remembering?

check out the area also out of season,
pay attention to noise, roads, construction,
assess the real distance from the beach, shops and the airport,
analyze the possibility of later renting or reselling.

Buying a property in Spain should be a combination of emotions and cool calculation.

2. Lack of thorough analysis of all costs

The price of a property isn't everything. Buyers often forget about the additional purchase costs, which can amount to as much as 10–13% of the property's value.

The most important costs include:

VAT or ITP,
notary,
entry in the land and mortgage register,
lawyer,
administrative fees,
community and local taxes.

Therefore, it is worth preparing a full investment budget before purchasing.

3. Resignation from an independent lawyer

This is one of the most serious mistakes. Some buyers assume that because a reputable developer or agency is selling the property, additional verification is unnecessary.

Professional lawyer:

will check the property documentation,
will verify the charges,
will analyze the reservation agreement,
will ensure the security of transactions.

Purchase security should always be a priority.

4. Choosing the wrong location

The Costa del Sol is very diverse. Investing in Marbella is different from investing in Estepona, Mijas, or Benalmadena.

Not every location will be suitable:

to year-round life,
for holiday rentals,
for families,
for investors looking for high ROI.

Therefore, before purchasing, it is worth defining your goal precisely:

✔ an apartment for yourself

✔ investment for rent

✔ retirement move

✔ second home

5. Buying only through "Instagram eyes"

Beautiful visualizations and fashionable interiors do not always mean a good investment.

In practice, the following are important:

workmanship,
building standard,
maintenance costs,
parking availability,
communication,
value growth potential.

The best investments are often not the most Instagrammable, but the most thoughtful.

6. Lack of financial plan

Many people do not analyze:

credit opportunities,
exchange rates,
living costs,
future expenses.

Meanwhile, a well-prepared financial plan allows you to avoid stress and make calm decisions.

In Spain, it is also possible to obtain mortgage financing for non-residents - but it is worth preparing for this in advance.

7. Choosing a random agency

Buying real estate abroad requires trust and experience.

A good agency not only shows properties, but above all:

helps you go through the entire process step by step,
cooperates with lawyers and notaries,
helps in obtaining a NIE number,
also supports after purchase.

This makes a huge difference, especially when the buyer is unfamiliar with local procedures or the language.

Summary

Buying property in Spain can be a fantastic decision—both for life and investment. However, the key is proper preparation and working with professionals.

The more knowledge you have before purchasing, the calmer and safer the entire process will be.

If you are thinking about buying a property in

Costa del Sol?

We will be happy to help you find the right property and go through the entire process safely and calmly – from the first conversation to the collection of the keys.