Buying Property in Catalonia? We Handle Everything Spain Throws At You.
NIE, notary, bank account, mortgage — one licensed, English-speaking team manages the entire process, whether you're buying in Barcelona, on the Costa Brava, or anywhere in Catalonia.
Registered Mortgage Broker with the Bank of Spain (No. D378)
Based in Catalonia
Bilingual Team
No Cost to Get Started
- Financing — even as a non-resident (most banks cap this at 60%)
- Up to 80%
- From signed offer to keys in hand
- 6–12 Weeks
- Registered Mortgage Broker with the Bank of Spain
- No. D378
Financing — even as a non-resident (most banks cap this at 60%)
From signed offer to keys in hand
Registered Mortgage Broker with the Bank of Spain
If This Feels More Complicated Than Buying a House Back Home, That's Because It Is — And That's Exactly Why We Exist
Buying property in Spain isn't harder because you're doing something wrong. It's because Spain runs on a completely different legal system than the one you grew up with — one where a single government official (the notario) does the job that a US real estate attorney, title company, and county recorder do separately. Add a foreign tax ID you've never heard of, a mortgage process with its own rules, and IRS forms most Americans never had to file — and it's no wonder this feels overwhelming.
You don't need to become an expert in Spanish bureaucracy. You need someone who already is one.
How It Works
- 1
Free Consultation
We map your budget, goals, and timeline (15 min call or WhatsApp).
- 2
Mortgage Pre-Qualification
We tell you what you can actually borrow before you fall in love with a property.
- 3
We Handle the Paperwork
NIE, Spanish bank account, and all documentation — most of it without you needing to fly in.
- 4
Notary Closing
Sign in person or grant power of attorney and let us close on your behalf.
- 5
Keys in Hand
Property registered, utilities transferred, taxes explained. Done.
Spanish Paperwork Doesn't Map Cleanly Onto What You Know From Home. Here's the Honest Translation.
Buying property in Spain requires documents that don't have a true American equivalent — starting with the fact that Spain isn't a former British colony, so its legal system (and its paperwork) developed on a completely separate track from the US. Below is what each document actually does, and the closest thing you've dealt with before.
Spanish Document
NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero)
Closest US Equivalent
Similar to an SSN/ITIN, but issued specifically for foreigners
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Required for literally every transaction — opening a bank account, signing the deed, paying taxes
Spanish Document
Notario (Spanish Notary)
Closest US Equivalent
NOT the same as a US Notary Public
Why It's Not Quite the Same
A state-appointed lawyer who drafts, verifies, and legally certifies the deed — closer to a US real estate attorney + title company + county recorder combined into one person
Spanish Document
Nota Simple
Closest US Equivalent
Title report / preliminary title search
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Issued by the Land Registry, confirms legal ownership, debts, and liens
Spanish Document
Escritura Pública
Closest US Equivalent
Deed
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Signed in front of the notary, then registered
Spanish Document
Poder Notarial
Closest US Equivalent
Power of Attorney
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Lets your lawyer sign on your behalf if you can't travel to Spain for closing
Spanish Document
Contrato de Arras
Closest US Equivalent
Closest to a purchase agreement with an earnest money deposit — but no escrow account
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Usually a 10% deposit; if the buyer backs out without cause, they lose it; if the seller backs out, they must return double
Spanish Document
Registro de la Propiedad
Closest US Equivalent
County Recorder's Office / Land Registry
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Where the deed gets permanently registered
Spanish Document
IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles)
Closest US Equivalent
Property tax
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Annual municipal tax based on cadastral value
Spanish Document
Certificado de Eficiencia Energética
Closest US Equivalent
Energy Performance Certificate
Why It's Not Quite the Same
Mandatory in every Spanish sale, less commonly required by law in most US states
Owning property in Spain doesn't exempt you from US tax obligations. If your Spanish bank account balance exceeds $10,000 at any point during the year, you must file an FBAR with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and larger foreign assets may require Form 8938 under FATCA. The US-Spain tax treaty helps avoid double taxation, but this is exactly the kind of detail a cross-border tax advisor should confirm for your specific situation — we can point you to one.
Yes, You Can Get a Mortgage in Spain as an American — And the 60% Cap Doesn't Have to Apply to You
Walk into a Spanish bank branch as a non-resident, and the standard offer is financing up to 60% of the property's value — you'd need 40% down plus closing costs. Through our lender network, qualified non-resident buyers can access up to 80% financing, cutting that down payment roughly in half.
Traditional Bank (Non-Resident)
60%
ACFINAN Lender Network
80%
On a $400,000 property, that's the difference between needing $160,000 down and needing as little as $80,000.
Documentation still applies — two years of US tax returns, bank statements, proof of employment or business financials, and a credit report — but your ceiling isn't fixed at what a teller tells you on day one.
Actual LTV depends on lender criteria, credit profile, income documentation, and property type, and is subject to individual bank approval. This is not a credit offer.
See What You Could Borrow →See What You Could Borrow
Straight Answers — No Sales Spin
Spain's Golden Visa — once a shortcut from buying real estate to getting a residence permit — was abolished in April 2025. Buying property here no longer buys you a visa.
Yes. US citizens can purchase property anywhere in Spain, including Barcelona and the Catalan coast, with the same ownership rights as Spanish nationals — no minimum investment, no residency requirement, and no special permission needed.
No. Spain's Golden Visa program, which for years let real estate buyers convert a purchase into a residence permit, was abolished in April 2025 and is no longer available. Owning property can support a separate visa application, like the Non-Lucrative Visa, but it's never the legal basis for one on its own.
Yes. Spanish banks regularly finance non-resident buyers, though a traditional bank branch will usually cap you around 60% of the property's value. Through our lender network, well-qualified non-resident buyers can access up to 80% financing — a meaningfully smaller down payment for the same property.
Retail bank branches apply a standard, conservative policy to every non-resident applicant regardless of profile. As a broker working across multiple lenders, we place each buyer with the bank whose criteria actually fit their income, assets, and property — which is how qualified buyers reach 80% instead of the default 60%.
No, and this is one of the most misunderstood parts of the process. A Spanish notario is a state-appointed lawyer who drafts and certifies your deed and can offer legal guidance, closer to a combination of a US real estate attorney, title company, and county recorder — a US notary public, by contrast, mainly just witnesses signatures.
No. Many American clients handle most of the process remotely and travel only once, for the property visit and closing — or not at all, by granting power of attorney so we can close on their behalf.
Owning property in Spain doesn't exempt you from US reporting obligations. If your Spanish bank account balance exceeds $10,000 at any point in the year, you'll need to file an FBAR, and larger foreign assets may trigger FATCA Form 8938 — we can refer you to a cross-border tax advisor to confirm what applies to your situation.
It depends on which financing tier you qualify for. At the standard 60% LTV, you'd need roughly 40% of the price in cash plus closing costs; at our 80% LTV option, that can drop to around 20% plus costs, which is often the deciding factor on whether a property is reachable.
Most purchases close within 6 to 12 weeks of a signed offer, assuming financing and documentation move at a normal pace.
A Fintech-Grade Process. A Team That Gets You More Than a Bank Branch Would.
- Up to 80% financing for non-residents, where most banks stop at 60% — this alone can be the difference between a property being reachable or not.
- Bank of Spain-registered advisory team working with self-employed buyers, non-residents, and complex profiles daily.
- Real people, real answers, in English — not a call center script.
Ready to Find Out What's Actually Possible?
No pressure, no obligation — just clarity on your options.
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