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A Spanish property seller must prepare title, planning, community and energy documents, calculate taxes and arrange cancellation of mortgages or embargoes. Non-resident sellers face a statutory three-per-cent buyer withholding.
Prepare the property and title
Registry ownership, cadastral data, planning status and physical property should be aligned before marketing to avoid late renegotiation.
Outstanding mortgages, inheritance registration, divorces, company authority or powers of attorney may need early resolution.
Contract, deposit and completion
The agency mandate and reservation or arras contract should define commission, authority, included items, deposit, completion date and default consequences.
Community debt certificates, IBI, energy certificate, occupancy and utility information are commonly required for completion.
Documents and checks
Acquisition deed, improvement invoices, taxes, fees, depreciation and sale expenses support the capital-gains calculation.
Title deed and Registry extract
Mortgage or charge information
Community and IBI certificates
Energy and occupancy documents
Acquisition and improvement cost evidence
Seller taxes and retentions
At completion the notary coordinates payment and documented cancellation arrangements, but Registry cancellation of a repaid mortgage is a separate step.
A buyer generally withholds three per cent when the seller is non-resident; the seller later files the actual gain or refund claim, and municipal plusvalía may also apply.
Risks and next steps
Agreeing a net price without modelling tax, withholding, agent commission and mortgage cancellation can create a completion shortfall.
Regional and municipal rules, contractual wording and the property's registry and planning history can change the result. We verify the current file before any payment, signature or enforcement step.
Useful official resources
Official requirements, fees and procedures can change. The competent authority and current rules are checked for each individual case.
Questions about Selling Property in Spain
Why is three per cent withheld?
Spanish law requires the buyer to retain it when the seller is non-resident, on account of the seller's tax.
Is plusvalía the same as capital-gains tax?
No. It is a separate municipal tax on qualifying urban land value increase.
Can I sell with a mortgage?
Yes, with coordinated repayment and Registry cancellation.
Do renovation costs reduce the gain?
Qualifying capital improvements may affect basis when properly evidenced; repairs follow different rules.
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Important: This page provides general information and does not replace individual legal, tax, labour, medical or technical advice. Authorities decide applications and disputes independently. Requirements and practice may change.