No. You can open a non-resident bank account in Spain even if you don’t live there.

To open a resident account, banks usually ask for:

• Passport or national ID
• NIE (Spanish tax number)
• Proof of address in Spain
• Proof of income (like a work contract, a pension statement, or a tax return)

Yes. Most banks allow you to open a non-resident account before moving, which is useful for renting, buying property, or preparing your move.

Yes. Foreigners can open a non-resident bank account with just a passport and NIE.

It can take a day if the bank processes everything quickly. A few days if they need extra verification, or if you’re applying from abroad.

IBI is a yearly property tax set by the local town hall. It is calculated using the cadastral value, which is usually lower than the market value. Most properties pay 0.4% to 1.1% of the cadastral value per year. The exact rate depends on the town or city.

If you own a property in Spain but live abroad, you may pay the following taxes, which include:

• IBI (local property tax)
• Non-resident income tax
• Wealth tax, only if your Spanish assets exceed the regional threshold
• Capital gains tax when you sell the property

If you don’t rent the property, you still have to pay Non-Resident Income Tax (IRNR) as the government assumes your property could generate some rental income, so they tax you on a small percentage of the property’s value. Usually, this is 1.1% of the property’s assessed value, and you pay tax on that amount. However, if you rent it out, you pay tax on the rental income.

The taxes you pay depend on whether the home is new or resale: If resale:

• Property transfer tax (ITP) — varies by region, usually between 6 to 10%.

If new-build:

• VAT — normally 10%.
• Stamp Duty — usually 0.5%–1.5%.

Other costs may include notary fees, land registry fees, and legal fees.

There is no simple answer. It depends on:

• Where in Spain or the U.S. the property is located.
• Whether you live in the country or are a non-resident
• The type of tax (property tax, income tax, capital gains, etc.)

In general, Spain’s yearly property tax (IBI) is often lower because it uses cadastral value, not market value. However, Spain has more types of property-related taxes (like non-resident income tax and sometimes wealth tax). The U.S. usually has higher annual property taxes but fewer extra taxes for non-residents.

IBI is calculated by taking the cadastral value set by the government and applying the local tax rate decided by the town hall. Other taxes use different rules:

• Non-resident income tax: based on a percentage of the cadastral value of the property or actual rental income.
• Wealth tax: based on the net value of your assets.
• Capital gains tax: based on the profit when you sell the property.

Realista is a professional, independent home finder, specialising in the Costa del Sol, Spain. Realista will find the right property, in the right area, at the best possible price. We limit the number of people we help to ensure the highest level of personal attention to our clients. The company has an extensive network of agents, developers and private owners ensuring that clients save time and money in their property search.

It is a property search company. It finds the right property, in the right area, at the right price for those wishing to buy a home in the Costa del Sol area of Spain.

It saves people time – traditional agents sell property and only showcase what is on their books. To find the right property requires the use of more than one estate agent. Realista, however, provides a gateway to a network of agents and developers identifying the right fit to the customer requirements. It saves people money – it provides a single channel avoiding the need for costly viewing trips with more than one agent, and Realista’s expertise and knowledge of the market means that customers only pay a fair price for their chosen property. Realista is about working for people who want to buy a home in the sun. We find out exactly what people want and then use our network of contacts and expertise in the Spanish market to make the right match – often providing clients with essential pre-market information.

Realista has a substantial network of agents, developers and private owners. Those wishing to purchase a home contact us to outline and discuss the requirements. Realista then searches for suitable properties from its extensive network of contacts including searching pre-market sources. Properties are then short-listed and presented to the customer. A viewing trip is then arranged with Realista representatives accompanying the customer on every visit to provide advice and listen to feedback. If no suitable property is found, Realista will continue to search and provide update reports until the special combination of location, property and price is met.

Realista is free to the purchaser. It is the vendor who pays.

No, helping people find the property that matches their requirements exactly is just one of our services. We also assist with many other aspects involved with the purchase of Spanish property – see below for more details.

Buying a property in Spain can be a stressful process, particularly if you’re not in the country at the time. We take the stress out of buying for you by providing assistance throughout the process and coordinating the other professionals involved (for example, your lawyer, the surveyor, mortgage provider etc.). We monitor every stage of process and provide you with regular progress reports so you are always aware of how things stand. When a matter needs input on your part, we bring your attention to it and can offer advice on how to proceed. This attention to detail on our part and constant supervision ensure a smooth process with minimal inconvenience to you. If you’re unable to be present at the time of completion, Realista is available to collect the keys to the property on your behalf and hand them to you at a convenient time for you.

Once you own a property in Spain we are on hand to help out with multiple matters. These include:

• Transferring utility contracts into your name.
• Contracting utility services for a new property.
• Notifying the local council of your ownership.
• Registering the property for local council taxes in your name.

Most new owners of Spanish property carry out some sort of home improvements. Our services also encompass these and we can advise and/or assist with renovation and refurbishment work, all architectural-related services and interior design. Our dedicated team can also help with obtaining planning permission and building licences for those improvements that require them.

Realista can recommend reputable companies and advise on any aspects to do with removals. Please contact us for further information.

Owning a property in Spain involves several taxes, payable annually, including:

• Non-resident income tax based on fiscal value of your property.
• Non-resident wealth tax on properties with a fiscal value over €700,000.
• Local council taxes, known as IBI and based on the fiscal value of the property.
• Refuse taxes, levied by some councils on the Costa del Sol (e.g. Marbella) and usually a fixed rate.

Realista can give you figures for a specific property at the time of viewing.

It’s very difficult to provide an estimate of how much you will spend on utility costs as these obviously depend on how often you occupy the property, its size and energy-efficiency. Electricity bills are payable monthly or bi-monthly; water bills depend on the provider and may be monthly or quarterly; gas bills are usually monthly; and telephone/internet connections are monthly.

The best way to pay for utility costs and council taxes is via direct debit from your Spanish bank account. At Realista, we are happy to set this up on your behalf.

Community costs are payable on all properties in Spain that share communal services such as gardens, swimming pools, cleaners and security staff. The actual amount, levied monthly or quarterly, depends on the services provided. When you view a property Realista will provide all relevant information about community services and costs so that you know exactly what to expect.

Community management is based on common consensus among owners who meet at least once a year to decide how they wish to run the community. Decisions are made through majority vote. If you are not able to attend the meeting in person you can give power of representation to another owner.