Buying a house in the Basque Country (Spain) as an American
Everything you need to know about buying a house in the Basque Country, an extremely popular destination for Americans.
Your Personal Real Estate Shopper
We are here to help you
Find and choose a property in the Basque Country with us!
How to buy a house in the Basque Country
BUDGET PLANNING AND NIE
The costs of buying a house are mainly paid by the buyer. Taxes and others include: Property transfer tax, Notary costs and Legal fees. Also, geting a NIE is necessary to do any transaction in Spain.
TRUST YOUR AGENT
Things to look for when looking for a property are: Qualifications of the real estate agents, Planning approval, No obligations attached to the property and
Sound property structure.
RESERVATION AGREEMENT
Once reservation fees have been put down, the buyer reserves the right to acquire the property within a period of time, and this is known as a reservation agreement.
Finding and choosing property in the Basque Country
Live-in versus investment property
Top three ways to make it: Retirement, Investment and Remote Work. Spain is one of the most attractive countries for property investments in Europe. The location, safety, rich history and developed infrastructure, create a favorable investment environment for any immigrant in the real estate market.
Types and conditions of the properties
If you wish to make a property investment, you could consider buying a property in need of renovations. You could perform refurbishment works on the property and sell it for a capital gain. Equally, you may require a property as a vacation home or permanent home.
FAQ´s
There are no restrictions on property investments for Americans. In fact, the Spanish government is known for encouraging foreigners to invest in the country, so you shouldn’t encounter any issues when making your purchase.
Americans are moving to Spain in ever-increasing numbers, and 2024 looks to be a record year. Spain’s wonderful lifestyle, affordable healthcare, and low cost of living make living in Spain as an American a compelling package.
It depends on what the investor is looking for. The costs of homes in larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona are pretty high, while prime seaside locations can also be costly.
The notary has an extremely important role in house sales in Spain, including entering the property transfer onto the land register (Registro de las Propiedades).
However, you’ll also need your own property lawyer to help with other aspects of the sale, including due diligence checks to make sure the seller is actually the legal owner of the property, and that there are no existing debts listed against the property.
This is especially important in Spain, as debts are attached to the property and transfer with the ownership. If there’s an outstanding mortgage on the place in the previous owner’s name, you could find yourself liable for it.
On average, the cost of living in Spain is 32% cheaper than in the USA. This means you can have a similar lifestyle for significantly less in Spain.
Moving to Spain from America involves one-off relocation costs like visa fees, moving personal items, and travel expenses. Long-term financial planning includes managing cross-border investments and understanding tax liabilities in both countries.
Most Americans opt for private health insurance in Spain due to visa requirements, quicker access to specialists, and the availability of English-speaking medical professionals. The low cost of private healthcare in Spain also makes it attractive to
American Expats in Spain.
The most basic tax that expats must pay in Spain is the income tax. The income tax is calculated upon the expat’s worldwide income. However, if you are a Spanish non-resident, the income tax is calculated just upon the income generated in Spain.
