Resale property in Torrevieja

How resale differs from new build

Timing. You move in after completion, not in eighteen months to two years.

A different tax. Instead of VAT you pay transfer tax: 9% of the value in the Valencian Community, or 11% for homes over €1 million. These rates apply to deeds signed from 1 June 2026.

One detail about that tax. It is not always charged on the price in the deed. If the cadastral reference value of the home is higher than the price paid, the tax is charged on that instead. Check the figure before you commit — it can move the sum by thousands.

No bank guarantee. With a new build, the law requires the developer to secure your payments. Buying from a private seller there is no such protection; careful checks replace it.

What to check before you pay a deposit

The land registry extract (nota simple). It shows the real owner, the surface area and any charges: mortgages, seizures, easements.

A certificate that community fees are paid up. Issued by the building's administrator, and more important than it looks.

Under Spanish law the property you buy answers for the previous owner's debts to the community — for the current year and the three years before it. Your personal assets are not at risk, but the property itself is. You can formally waive the certificate, but then any debt arrives with the keys.

The IBI property tax. A similar rule applies: unpaid bills can be recovered against the property itself. Ask to see recent receipts.

Approved special levies. If the community has already voted to repair the facade or the roof, the new owner pays. That may not appear on the debt certificate — ask separately.

Prices by district

The town average is €2,553 per square metre (idealista, August 2026), up 9.9% over the year. That covers all housing, resale and new build together.

The centre is the most affordable at €2,149. La Siesta, El Salado and Torreta are at €2,355; Playa del Cura €2,374; El Acequión and Los Náufragos €2,404. Nueva Torrevieja and Aguas Nuevas reach €2,757; Playa de los Locos €2,886; Los Balcones €2,911; La Mata €2,929. The most expensive is Punta Prima at €3,214.

Running costs

Community fees usually run €40–120 a month, depending on what the maintenance covers, plus the IBI property tax, refuse collection, utilities and insurance.

Buying as a UK citizen after Brexit

Since Brexit, UK citizens are non-EU buyers. You can buy property in Spain; what changed is how long you can stay — up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.

Owning a home does not give you the right to live here: Spain abolished the investor "golden visa" on 3 April 2025. To stay longer without working, the route is the non-lucrative residence visa.

You will need an NIE, issued to anyone with economic interests in Spain — at a Spanish consulate in the UK, or in Spain through a representative with a power of attorney. Viewings are done by video and the deed can be signed under power of attorney. Spanish banks typically lend non-residents up to 70% of the valuation.
A Spanish bank account is not a legal requirement, but for a resale property you will need one in practice. At the notary the seller is paid with a banker's draft, which only a Spanish bank can issue and which the notary checks. You can transfer the money to the seller from abroad instead, but it has to leave your account several days before completion — a risk for you as the buyer. So it is worth opening an account early, and we can help with that too.