Specialist property lawyers in Seville — English spoken. Serving international buyers since 2010.
Real Estate Lawyer
in Seville, Spain
Peralta Rojas Abogados is a specialist real estate law firm in Seville with English-speaking lawyers. We guide foreign buyers through every step of purchasing property in Spain: from the NIE number and the initial title search through to the notary deed and land registry inscription.
We cover all types of property: residential homes and apartments, commercial premises, hotels and rural properties, tourist apartments (VUT) and building plots. We are based in Seville and have handled significant transactions in Cádiz and the Costa del Sol.
This page focuses exclusively on real estate services for international buyers. For our full range of services in English, visit English-speaking lawyers in Seville.
4.9★
Google Reviews
🏅 AI
Best Real Estate Firm 2022
+10
Years experience
EN
English spoken
Peralta Rojas Abogados
Seville · Cádiz · Costa del Sol · All Spain
🏆 Awards — Real Estate Law
2025
Premios Derecho — Finalist, Leading Civil Law Firm · Spain
2022
Acquisition Intl. — Best Real Estate Law Firm · Spain
2020
Acquisition Intl. — Best Civil Law Firm · Southern Spain
2019
Revista Emprendedores — Best Civil Law Firm · Andalucía
We handle:
- -Residential property: apartments, houses, villas
- -Hotels, rural homes and boutique properties
- -Tourist apartments (VUT licences)
- -Commercial premises and plots
- -NIE number and full due diligence
Request a Consultation With Our Lawyers
Tell us about your case and receive expert legal advice from our team.
- C/ Méndez Núñez 1, 3º izquierda. Sevilla
- info@peraltarojas.com
- 955 314 558
⏱ Guaranteed response within 24 hours
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Property law in Spain for foreign buyers
Every type of property.
Full legal protection.
The Spanish notary is neutral — not on your side In Spain, the notary witnesses the deed but does not investigate the property's legal status, outstanding debts or planning issues. That is exclusively your lawyer's job. In 2026, foreign buyers face additional complexities — rental restrictions, community bylaws and non-resident tax obligations — that make independent legal advice essential before signing anything.
Foreign nationals enjoy the same property ownership rights as Spanish citizens — there are no restrictions on where you can buy or how many properties you can own. In 2024 alone, foreigners accounted for approximately 15–20% of all Spanish property transactions, over 87,000 purchases.
However, the legal framework is unique. Outstanding debts — unpaid IBI (council tax), community fees, or mortgages — attach to the property, not to the previous owner. A thorough legal check before signing the arras contract is not optional. It is essential.
We operate from Seville and cover all of Andalucía, with deep experience in the Seville market, Cádiz province and the Costa del Sol (Marbella, Estepona, Fuengirola).
Residential property
- -Apartments and flats in Seville and Andalucía
- -Villas and detached houses
- -New builds and off-plan purchases
- -NIE, title search and full due diligence
Hotels and rural properties
- -Boutique hotels in Cádiz and Costa del Sol
- -Cortijos and rural homes
- -Tourism licence due diligence
- -Business acquisition structure
Tourist apartments (VUT)
- -VUT licence verification (Andalucía register)
- -Community bylaws — rental ban risk (from April 2025)
- -Urban zoning compatibility check
- -Seville, Málaga and Cádiz operations
Commercial premises
- -Shops, offices and industrial units
- -Activity licence and planning compliance
- -IVA 21% and IAJD for business transfers
- -Existing lease subrogation review
Land and building plots
- -Urban vs. rural land classification
- -Building rights and floor area ratio
- -Easements, rights of way and encumbrances
- -Pre-emption rights (tanteo and retracto)
Contracts and due diligence
- -Arras (deposit) contract review and drafting
- -Nota simple, cadastral and urban checks
- -IBI arrears, community debts, energy certificate
- -Power of attorney for remote buyers
Updated March 2026
Buying property in Spain
as a foreign buyer — step by step
The Spanish property purchase process is reliable and well-regulated — but it is very different from UK, US or Irish systems. Here is exactly what happens, and where you need legal protection at every stage.
1
Obtain your NIE number Essential — do this first
Your NIE (Número de Identificación de Extranjero) is mandatory before any property transaction, opening a Spanish bank account or paying taxes. It can be obtained through a Spanish consulate in your home country or at a police station in Spain. We obtain NIE numbers on your behalf — allow 2–4 weeks.
2
Legal due diligence — before any payment
We request the nota simple from the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad), confirming the owner, boundaries, mortgages, charges and any legal restrictions. We also check unpaid IBI (council tax), community fees, planning status and energy certificate. In Spain, outstanding debts travel with the property — not the seller.
3
Arras contract (deposit agreement)
The arras is the private purchase contract signed before the public deed. We draft or review this contract to protect your deposit. Under the most common type (penitential arras, Art. 1454 CC): if the seller pulls out, they repay you double. We also include clauses covering mortgage conditions, completion timescales and penalty provisions.
4
Tax calculation and notary preparation
We provide an exact tax calculation before you commit: ITP 7% (resale, Andalucía), IVA 10% + IAJD 1.2% (new build), notary (~€600–1,000), land registry (~€400–650). For non-residents, we also advise on annual IRNR tax obligations, Form 210 imputed income and wealth tax exposure. Total additional cost: typically 10–12% of purchase price.
5
Public deed at the notary
We attend the notary signing with you (or represent you via power of attorney if you cannot travel to Spain). We review the final deed before signing, ensure all conditions are met and liaise directly with the notary on your behalf. If you are not Spanish-speaking, we translate and explain every clause.
6
Tax payment and land registry inscription
After signing, we handle the tax payment to the Agencia Tributaria de Andalucía within the mandatory 30-day deadline. We then register the deed at the Land Registry in your name. Once inscribed, we notify the Catastro and the community of owners. Your property is legally yours — without any loose ends.
Can't travel to Spain? No problem. We represent foreign buyers remotely via power of attorney. You do not need to be in Spain to complete the purchase. We manage the entire process on your behalf.
Your lawyers
Award-winning real estate lawyers
who speak English
🏅
Best Real Estate Firm
Acquisition International 2022 · Spain
🏆
Best Lawyers 2026
Insolvency and Reorganization · Seville
⚖️
Premios Derecho 2025
Finalist Leading Civil Law Firm · Spain
⭐
4.9 / 5 Google Reviews
100+ verified reviews · international clients
Why choose us
Your property.
Protected from day one.
In 2024, foreign buyers made over 87,000 property transactions in Spain. Those who skipped independent legal advice often discovered problems post-purchase — hidden debts, illegal extensions, unrentable apartments. We prevent that from happening to you.
🔍
We check everything before you pay a deposit
Title, charges, planning, debts, community bylaws and rental restrictions — all reviewed before you commit. We have prevented clients from purchasing properties with €50,000+ in hidden debts and illegal extensions that would have been impossible to regularise.
💬
Seville, Cádiz and the Costa del Sol
We know these markets. Boutique hotels in the Bay of Cádiz. VUT apartments in Marbella. Fincas in the Sevillian countryside. Each location has specific urban planning rules and registry practices we navigate for you.
🛫
Remote purchase — you do not need to travel
We represent buyers from the UK, US, Ireland and across Europe via power of attorney. You do not need to be in Spain for the notary signing. We handle everything on your behalf, keeping you informed in English at every stage.
⏱️
Reply within 24 hours in English
Transactions move fast. We respond to all queries within 24 hours. We are available by phone, email, video call or in person in Seville. Time zone is CET/CEST — we coordinate with clients in all major time zones.
💶
€150 initial consultation — deducted from fees
We analyse your specific transaction, the property you are considering and all associated costs. The €150 (IVA included) is fully deducted if you retain our services. The consultation cost is never lost.
Client reviews
International buyers
who bought in Spain with us
4.9
★★★★★
100+ verified Google reviews
★★★★★
"We bought our home in Seville from London and never needed to visit Spain until the keys handover. Peralta Rojas managed everything with the power of attorney. Every email was answered the same day. Could not have been smoother.
T
Tom and Sarah K.
UK · Apartment purchase in Seville
★★★★★
"We were buying a boutique hotel in Cádiz and needed a firm that understood both the real estate side and the business structure. Nicolás and David worked together seamlessly. The VUT and tourism licences were all verified before we signed.
M
Michael and Fiona B.
Ireland · Hotel acquisition in Cádiz
★★★★★
"I invested in a tourist apartment in Marbella from the US. David's team flagged a community bylaw restricting tourist rentals that the estate agent had not mentioned. That warning saved me from a very expensive mistake.
A
Andrew L.
USA · Tourist apartment on the Costa del Sol
Real estate lawyers in Seville, Cádiz and Costa del Sol
Buying property in Spain?
Let us protect your investment.
Tell us about the property you are considering. We will review the legal situation, calculate all costs and advise on any risks — before you sign anything.
Initial consultation: €150 (IVA included). Deducted from fees if you retain our services. The consultation cost is never lost.
Reply within 24 h in English
Remote purchase via power of attorney
All Andalucía
Frequently asked questions
Questions from foreign property buyers in Spain
Updated March 2026. If your question is not here, call us: 955 314 558.
Can a foreigner buy property in Spain?+
Yes, without restrictions. Any foreign national — EU or non-EU — can buy property anywhere in Spain. There are no nationality-based restrictions on property ownership, location or number of properties. You do not need residency to own property. The only requirement is an NIE (foreigner ID number), which we obtain on your behalf.
What taxes do I pay as a foreign buyer in Andalucía in 2026?+
For a resale property: ITP (Transfer Tax) 7% in Andalucía, plus notary (~€600–1,000), land registry (~€400–650) and gestoría (~€300). For a new-build: IVA 10% + IAJD 1.2%. Total additional cost: typically 10–12% of purchase price. Once you own the property, you also pay annual IBI and non-resident income tax (Form 210). We provide an exact breakdown before you sign anything.
What is an arras contract and why does it matter?+
The arras is the private purchase contract signed before the notary deed. It secures the property with a deposit (typically 10%). Under penitential arras (the most common type, Art. 1454 CC): if you withdraw, you lose the deposit; if the seller withdraws, they must repay double. Never sign an arras without a lawyer reviewing it. We have seen contracts that allow sellers to cancel with a simple refund — entirely unprotected for the buyer.
Do I need to travel to Spain to complete the purchase?+
No. We represent buyers remotely via a notarised power of attorney (poder notarial). You sign the power of attorney at a Spanish consulate or a local notary in your country, and we handle the entire transaction on your behalf. Many of our international clients — from the UK, US and Ireland — have completed purchases without travelling to Spain at all.
Can I buy a tourist apartment and rent it on Airbnb in Seville?+
Only if the property has a valid VUT (Vivienda de Uso Turístico) licence registered in Andalucía's tourism register. Critical update 2025: since April 2025, communities of owners can vote to ban tourist rentals in the building by a 3/5 majority. You must check both the VUT licence and the community bylaws before buying. We verify both as part of our due diligence.
I am buying a property in Seville. What mortgage can I get as a non-resident?+
Spanish banks lend to non-residents, but on stricter terms: typically 60–70% LTV (vs. 80% for residents). In practice, you need at least 30–40% of the total cost in cash (deposit + taxes). In 2026, fixed-rate mortgages are available at approximately 3.5–4.5% for 10–20 year terms for non-residents. We can recommend bilingual mortgage brokers who specialise in international buyers.
How much is your initial consultation?+
Our initial consultation is €150 (IVA included). We analyse the specific property, its legal status, all applicable taxes and the risks to be aware of. All in English, with no jargon.
This fee is never lost: if you proceed with us, the €150 is deducted from your total legal fees.