2026 Guide to Buying Property on the Costa Blanca as a Foreigner: Estate Agent, Technical Inspection and Home Insurance

Torrevieja (Alicante), November 2026.

A practical guide for British, German, Polish, American, Dutch and other international buyers who want to purchase a home on the Costa Blanca and the Murcia coast. Step by step, and based on the tax rules in force in 2026, the guide covers the whole journey: from the first trip to view properties to the day the new owner receives the keys and sleeps soundly, knowing the home has been inspected, insured and secured.

The aim is simple: to make sure the dream of living by the Mediterranean — with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, wonderful food and a quality of life that is hard to match anywhere in Europe — does not turn into a headache because of a badly handled procedure, a hidden defect or an insurance policy that does not cover what it should.

1. Why the Costa Blanca remains Europe’s favourite destination

For years, the province of Alicante has been the main gateway for international buyers in Spain. More than four in ten homes sold in the province are bought by foreign nationals, the highest share of any coastal province in the country. British, German and Dutch buyers make up the top three; in fact, in 2025 Dutch citizens became the non-residents who bought the most homes in Spain, ahead of Germans and Britons.

The reasons come up in every conversation with clients:

• Climate: mild winters and long summers, ideal for retirees and remote workers.
• Connections: Alicante-Elche airport and Región de Murcia airport offer direct flights to most cities in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Scandinavia.
• An established international community: international schools, services in several languages, clubs, associations and high-quality healthcare.
• Price: value for money that remains competitive compared with other European coastlines.

2. The most sought-after areas: from Dénia to the Murcia coast

Northern Costa Blanca

Dénia, Xàbia (Jávea), Moraira, Calp, Altea, l’Alfàs del Pi, Benidorm and Finestrat. Greener, more mountainous scenery, hidden coves, villas with sea views and buyers from northern and central Europe with strong purchasing power. Benidorm combines seafront skyscrapers with year-round services.

Southern Costa Blanca

Alicante city, Santa Pola, Guardamar del Segura, Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa (La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig, Campoamor) and Pilar de la Horadada. This is the province’s main hub for foreign investment: fine sandy beaches, salt lakes, golf courses and the widest choice of apartments, bungalows and villas at affordable prices. Inland, towns such as San Miguel de Salinas, Rojales (Ciudad Quesada) and Algorfa have a very high proportion of international buyers.

Costa Cálida (Region of Murcia)

San Pedro del Pinatar, San Javier, Los Alcázares and La Manga del Mar Menor. Calm waters, a family atmosphere and slightly lower purchase taxes than in the Valencian Community.

3. Before travelling: documents and legal updates for 2026

• NIE (Foreigner Identification Number). Essential for signing before a notary, paying taxes and setting up utilities. It can be requested at a Spanish consulate in the buyer’s home country or in Spain.
• Spanish bank account. Makes it easier to pay the price, the taxes and direct-debit bills (IBI property tax, community fees, electricity, water, insurance).
• EU citizens (Germans, Dutch, Belgians…): can live in Spain freely; if they stay longer than three months they must register with the Central Register of Foreign Nationals.
• British and other non-EU citizens: owning a property does not grant the right to reside. Without a visa or residence card (TIE), the 90-days-in-any-180-days rule applies. Since October 2025 the new Entry/Exit System (EES) records every border crossing with biometric data, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is scheduled for the last quarter of 2026, with a transition period before it becomes fully mandatory.
• Golden Visa: residence through property investment was abolished in 2025. Today the usual routes are the non-lucrative residence visa, the digital nomad visa or a work-based residence permit.
• The «100% tax» on non-EU buyers: this is a bill tabled in 2025 that is not in force and remains stalled in the Spanish Parliament. Today a British or American buyer pays the same purchase taxes as a Spanish buyer.

4. The buying process, step by step

1. Set the budget and the purpose. A home for year-round living is not the same as a holiday home or a buy-to-let investment. Buyers should add between 10% and 13% to the price for taxes and costs.
2. Choose a local estate agent with a proven reputation. It is worth checking Google reviews from real clients, making sure the agency has a physical office and that it accompanies the buyer all the way to the notary.
3. View and shortlist. Visit the area at different times of day and ask about the owners’ community, the fees and any planned special levies (derramas).
4. Commission an independent technical inspection before committing any money (see section 6).
5. Legal checks. Land Registry extract (nota simple) showing ownership, mortgages and charges; certificate of no debts with the owners’ community; latest IBI receipt; energy performance certificate; habitation certificate or first-occupancy licence; and confirmation that extensions, terrace enclosures or pools are legal.
6. Reservation and deposit contract (contrato de arras). A deposit of around 10% of the price is usually paid. Under a penalty deposit agreement (arras penitenciales), if the buyer withdraws they lose that amount, and if the seller backs out they must return double.
7. Financing. Spanish banks grant mortgages to non-residents, usually up to 60–70% of the valuation.
8. Take out home insurance so the property is protected from the very day of signing (see section 7).
9. Signing before the notary. The notary reads the deed and checks identities and payments; the deed can be signed under a power of attorney if the buyer cannot travel. If the seller is a non-resident, the buyer must withhold 3% of the price and pay it to the Spanish Tax Agency (form 211).
10. Taxes and registration. Payment of transfer tax (ITP) or VAT plus stamp duty (AJD), and registration of the property in the new owner’s name at the Land Registry.
11. Transfer of utilities and change of locks on the same day the keys are handed over (see section 8).

5. Salindra: a young, approachable estate agency rooted in Torrevieja

Salindra is an estate agency with an office in Torrevieja (C/ Fotógrafos Darblade, 6), specialising in the purchase, sale, development and construction of urban and rural properties on the southern Costa Blanca. Its young, dynamic team knows every development, every street and every owners’ community in the area, and supports international buyers throughout the process: tailored property searches, viewings in person or by video call, price negotiation, coordination with lawyers, notaries and banks, and after-sales support.

Client reviews on Google highlight its transparency, quick response and personal service — especially valuable for anyone buying from thousands of kilometres away. Salindra insists on one simple idea: a good purchase starts with knowing exactly what is being bought. That is why the agency recommends an independent technical inspection before signing the deposit contract, and a suitable home insurance policy from day one.

👉 View properties available at Salindra

6. Inspecting the property before (or after) buying: Verify Home Inspector

In the UK, Germany or the Netherlands it is common practice to commission a survey or Gutachten before buying. In Spain it is not compulsory — and that is where the risk lies: many buyers discover damp, cracks or non-compliant installations only after they have signed.

Verify Home Inspector, based in Torrevieja, carries out pre-purchase technical inspections throughout the Costa Blanca and the Murcia coast. Its technicians are court-appointed experts specialising in renovation work and poorly executed works, fire and miscellaneous risks, and real estate. They are members of the Spanish Association of Court Experts (AEPEJU) and are backed by €450,000 professional liability insurance.

What a pre-purchase inspection on the coast checks

• Rising damp, leaks and condensation, very common in areas close to the sea.
• Cracks and fissures, and the condition of floor slabs, terraces and roofs.
• Corrosion of reinforcement caused by salt air in balconies, overhangs and concrete elements.
• Electrical installation: consumer unit, protections, earthing and compliance with regulations.
• Plumbing, drainage, water heater or heat pump, and air conditioning.
• Doors, windows, enclosures and window sealing.
• Swimming pool, filtration system and outdoor areas.
• Signs of unauthorised building work that could cause problems at the notary or in a future sale.

The result is a detailed report with photographs that allows the buyer to decide based on facts: go ahead, renegotiate the price according to the repairs needed, or walk away.

What if the property has already been bought?

An inspection also makes sense after signing. If hidden defects appear, the Spanish Civil Code gives the buyer six months from handover to claim against the seller for latent defects. An expert report drawn up by a court-appointed expert, such as those signed by Verify Home Inspector, is the tool that gives that claim real weight, whether in an amicable negotiation or before a court.

👉 Request an inspection from Verify Home Inspector

7. Insuring the property properly in Spain: Seguros Generales

Home insurance is the great forgotten item for many foreign buyers, and on the coast it is especially important: homes that stand empty for weeks, sudden heavy rainfall, pools, terraces and, often, holiday lets.

Seguros Generales (segurosgenerales.es) advises Spanish and foreign owners so that the policy matches how the property is actually used. The key points it recommends checking are:

• Buildings and contents insured at their real value, to avoid underinsurance and reduced payouts.
• Third-party liability: covers damage caused to neighbours or third parties, for example a water leak into the flat below.
• Second home or unoccupied property: not all policies cover theft or water damage if the house is empty for long periods.
• Holiday lets: require specific cover; a standard policy may reject a claim caused by a guest.
• Extraordinary risks: floods and storms are compensated by the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros (Spain’s public insurance compensation scheme), but only if the property has a policy in force.
• Mortgage: the bank requires buildings insurance, but the owner is free to take it out with any insurer they choose.
• Community insurance: only covers communal areas, never the inside of each home.

In addition, Seguros Generales provides customer service and claims handling from Spain — something foreign owners appreciate when a problem occurs and they are not at the property.

👉 Get a home insurance quote

8. Key handover day: change the lock

No one knows how many copies of the keys to a resale property have been in circulation among previous owners, tenants or maintenance companies. That is why the guide’s final tip is to change the lock cylinder on the very day of handover. In an area where many homes stand empty for months, Llave de Guardia, a locksmith in Torrevieja (llavedeguardia.com, +34 644 70 3000), installs high-security cylinders, security escutcheons and deadbolts, and reinforces shutters and windows against burglary and squatting.

9. How much does it cost to buy? Taxes and costs in 2026

Annual costs owners should plan for

• IBI (municipal property tax) and refuse collection charge.
• Owners’ community fees.
• Home insurance.
• Non-Resident Income Tax (IRNR): a non-resident who does not rent out the property pays an annual tax on deemed income (between 1.1% and 2% of the cadastral value) at 19% if resident in the EU or EEA, and at 24% in all other cases, such as the UK. If the property is rented out, tax is paid on the rental income.

10. The most common mistakes made by foreign buyers

1. Signing the deposit contract without a technical inspection of the property.
2. Not requesting the Land Registry extract or checking for debts with the owners’ community.
3. Buying a house with unauthorised enclosures or extensions.
4. Budgeting only for the price and forgetting the 10–13% in taxes and costs.
5. Leaving the property empty without suitable insurance or a security lock.
6. Trusting social media adverts instead of an agency with a physical office and verifiable reviews.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner buy a property in Spain?

Yes. Anyone, whether or not they live in the European Union, can buy a home in Spain with an NIE and under the same tax conditions as a Spanish citizen.

Is the 100% tax on non-EU buyers in force?

No. It is a 2025 bill that has not been approved. At the time this guide was published, British and other non-EU buyers pay the same purchase taxes as everyone else.

Is it possible to buy without travelling to Spain?

Yes, by granting a power of attorney to a lawyer or a trusted person. Viewings can be done by video call with the estate agent, and the technical inspection comes with a full photographic report.

When is the best time to carry out the technical inspection?

Ideally before signing the deposit contract. If the property has already been bought and defects appear, an expert report helps to claim for hidden defects within the legal deadline.

Is home insurance compulsory in Spain?

Not by law, unless there is a mortgage, in which case the bank requires buildings insurance. Even so, it is highly recommended, especially for homes that stand empty for long periods or are let to tourists.

About the companies

Salindra – Estate agency in Torrevieja. Purchase, sale, development and construction of homes on the Costa Blanca. C/ Fotógrafos Darblade, 6, Torrevieja. Website.

Verify Home Inspector – Technical home inspections and court expert reports on the Costa Blanca and in Murcia. Experts registered with AEPEJU. verifyhomeinspector.com.

Seguros Generales – Home, second-home and holiday-let insurance for Spanish and international owners. segurosgenerales.es.

The tax and legal information in this guide is up to date as of November 2026 and is for guidance only. It does not replace personalised advice from a lawyer or tax adviser.