Do you know your basura from your IBI? Get a step ahead in your property search by learning the words you may see in property listings and the key terms used during the purchase process.
What do Spanish property listing terms mean?
Casa – house
Piso – apartment or flat
Ático – attic or penthouse
Viviendas – housing
Finca – farmstead
Planta baja – ground-floor flat
Urbanización – residential development or apartment complex
Piscina – swimming pool
Dormitorio – bedroom
Cocina – kitchen
La habitación – room
Balcón – balcony
Campo – countryside
Con/sin ascensor – with/without a lift
Para reformar – requires renovation
Tejado – roof
Solárium – open-air roof terrace or deck on a property
El jardín – garden
En venta – for sale
La oferta – offer
Muebles – furniture
Precio – price
Venta – sale. Se vende means for sale
Casa vendida – sold house
Impuesto – tax
Basura – rubbish tax
Comunidad – community fees
El depósito / la entrada – deposit on a property
Factura – bill or invoice
Ayuntamiento – town hall
Padrón – municipal register/census listing local residents
What are the key legal terms when buying property in Spain?
NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero): A unique foreign identification number required for financial or legal dealings. You keep the same one forever.
Nota Simple: A short official report from the Land Registry showing who owns the property and any debts or charges registered against it.
Contrato de Arras: A binding deposit contract where you typically pay around 10% of the price to reserve the property and remove it from the market.
Escritura Pública: The final public deed of sale, signed in front of a notary, which formalises the transfer of ownership.
Catastro: The official government registry used to record property and land information and help calculate local property taxes. The cadastral value is the official value assigned to a property.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PURCHASE PROCESS IN SPAIN
What Spanish property taxes do buyers need to know?
ITP (Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales): Transfer tax paid on resale properties. The rate varies according to the region.
IVA (Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido): VAT paid at 10% on brand-new residential properties bought from a developer.
AJD (Actos Jurídicos Documentados): Stamp duty that applies to certain legal documents and new-build property purchases.
IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles): Annual local property tax, broadly comparable to council tax in the UK.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SPANISH PROPERTY PURCHASE COSTS
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TAXES IN SPAIN
Thinking about buying a property in Spain?
Knowing some of the terminology is a great start. Our property search and buying guides can help you with the next steps.
🔍 Search for properties in Spain
