Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Spain Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Spain Property Pack
Costa Blanca is one of Europe's most popular destinations for foreign property buyers, but that popularity also makes it a hotspot for scams and grey-area practices.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest risks, regulatory changes, and insider lessons from foreigners who have bought property in Costa Blanca.
Our goal is to help you avoid the costly mistakes that catch so many foreign buyers off guard in this region.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Costa Blanca.
How risky is buying property in Costa Blanca as a foreigner in 2026?
Can foreigners legally own properties in Costa Blanca in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreigners can legally buy and own residential property in Costa Blanca with the same full ownership rights as Spanish citizens, which means you typically acquire "pleno dominio" (freehold ownership).
The main condition that applies to foreigners buying property in Costa Blanca is that you need an NIE (Foreigner Identification Number) to complete the tax registration, notarial deed, and Land Registry steps.
Since direct ownership is not restricted for foreigners in Costa Blanca, most buyers simply purchase in their own name, though some use a Spanish company structure for specific tax or inheritance planning reasons.
The real question for foreign buyers in Costa Blanca is not whether you can own property, but whether the property you are buying is legally compliant with urban planning rules and properly registered in the Land Registry.
What buyer rights do foreigners actually have in Costa Blanca in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreign buyers in Costa Blanca have the same legal protections as Spanish buyers, including the right to a clear title, the right to register ownership, and the right to enforce contracts through Spanish courts.
If a seller breaches a contract in Costa Blanca, you can pursue legal action through Spanish civil courts, claim damages, or in some cases demand specific performance of the sale, though court proceedings can take several years to resolve.
The most common right that foreigners mistakenly assume they have in Costa Blanca is the automatic ability to rent out their property as a tourist rental, which actually requires specific permits, community approval, and registration that many properties do not have.
How strong is contract enforcement in Costa Blanca right now?
Contract enforcement in Costa Blanca is backed by Spain's mature EU legal system, but civil court cases can take two to four years to resolve, which is slower than countries like Germany or the Netherlands but comparable to Italy or France.
The main weakness foreign buyers should know about is that scammers and bad actors rely on your reluctance to litigate across borders, so the practical advice is to structure your deal to avoid needing court enforcement in the first place.
By the way, we detail all the documents you need and what they mean in our property pack covering Costa Blanca.
Buying real estate in Costa Blanca can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
Which scams target foreign buyers in Costa Blanca right now?
Are scams against foreigners common in Costa Blanca right now?
Real estate scams targeting foreigners in Costa Blanca are common enough that you should assume you will be targeted if you are buying remotely, moving quickly, or sending deposits without proper verification.
The type of property transaction most frequently targeted by scammers in Costa Blanca is the "reservation deposit" stage, where buyers are pressured to wire money before ownership has been verified through the Land Registry.
The profile of foreign buyer most commonly targeted in Costa Blanca is someone who is buying from abroad, does not speak Spanish, and is eager to secure a property quickly without using an independent lawyer.
The single biggest warning sign that a deal may be a scam in Costa Blanca is any pressure to pay a deposit before you have independently obtained a current Nota Simple from the Land Registry confirming the seller's ownership.
What are the top three scams foreigners face in Costa Blanca right now?
The top three scams that foreigners most commonly face when buying property in Costa Blanca are fake seller impersonation with rushed deposits, misleading claims about tourist rental legality, and hidden problems with urban planning or occupancy paperwork.
The most common scam unfolds when someone claims to be the owner or a relative with power of attorney, creates urgency around another interested buyer, and asks you to wire a "reservation deposit" before you have verified ownership through the Land Registry.
The single most effective protection for each scam is: for fake sellers, always order your own Nota Simple directly from the registry before paying anything; for rental legality, demand documented proof of permits and community approval; for paperwork gaps, have your lawyer verify occupancy licenses and municipal compliance before closing.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Spain versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
How do I verify the seller and ownership in Costa Blanca without getting fooled?
How do I confirm the seller is the real owner in Costa Blanca?
The standard verification process in Costa Blanca is to obtain a current Nota Simple directly from the Land Registry yourself, match the registered owner's name and ID to the person selling, and verify any power of attorney if a representative is involved.
The official document foreigners should check to verify ownership in Costa Blanca is the Nota Simple from the Registro de la Propiedad, which shows the current owner, property description, and any charges or mortgages registered against the property.
The most common trick fake sellers use to appear legitimate in Costa Blanca is forwarding a PDF of a Nota Simple that may be outdated, altered, or for a different property, and this tactic is common because buyers trust documents emailed by agents or sellers.
Where do I check liens or mortgages on a property in Costa Blanca?
The official registry where you check liens or mortgages on a property in Costa Blanca is the Registro de la Propiedad, which records all mortgages, embargoes, easements, and other charges that affect the property.
When checking for liens in Costa Blanca, you should request a Nota Simple that lists all "cargas" (charges), including the amount of any mortgage, the creditor's name, and any embargoes or court-ordered restrictions.
The type of lien most commonly missed by foreign buyers in Costa Blanca is community fee arrears, because these do not always appear on the Land Registry and require a separate certificate from the building's community of owners.
It's one of the aspects we cover in our our pack about the real estate market in Costa Blanca.
How do I spot forged documents in Costa Blanca right now?
The most common type of forged document used in property scams in Costa Blanca is a fake or altered Nota Simple, and this sometimes happens because buyers trust PDFs emailed by sellers or agents without independent verification.
Specific red flags that indicate a document may be forged in Costa Blanca include mismatched fonts, incorrect registry reference numbers, outdated dates, and any document that cannot be traced back to an official portal or stamped by a notary.
The official verification method you should use in Costa Blanca is to re-order the same document yourself directly from the Land Registry portal or Catastro website and compare it to what the seller provided.
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Costa Blanca
Don't repeat the same mistakes others have made before you. Make sure everything is in order before signing your sales contract.
What "grey-area" practices should I watch for in Costa Blanca?
What hidden costs surprise foreigners when buying a property in Costa Blanca?
The three most common hidden costs that foreigners overlook in Costa Blanca are transfer tax adjustments when the declared price is below the reference value (can add 2,000 to 10,000 euros or 2,200 to 11,000 USD), community special assessments called "derramas" (often 3,000 to 15,000 euros or 3,300 to 16,500 USD for major works), and mortgage side costs like valuation and gestoría fees (typically 1,500 to 3,000 euros or 1,650 to 3,300 USD).
The hidden cost most often deliberately concealed by sellers or agents in Costa Blanca is upcoming community assessments for major building repairs, and this is common because sellers know that disclosing a large planned derrama could kill the deal.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Costa Blanca.
Are "cash under the table" requests common in Costa Blanca right now?
Cash under the table requests in Costa Blanca property transactions still happen, though they have become less common since Spain tightened anti-money laundering rules and tax authorities began cross-checking declared prices against reference values.
The typical reason sellers give for requesting undeclared cash payments in Costa Blanca is to reduce their capital gains tax bill or to offer the buyer a "discount" that benefits both parties on paper.
The legal risks foreigners face if they agree to an undeclared cash payment in Costa Blanca include reduced legal proof of what you actually paid, potential tax penalties if authorities discover the underreporting, and weaker negotiating position if the deal goes wrong.
Are side agreements used to bypass rules in Costa Blanca right now?
Side agreements to bypass official rules are common in Costa Blanca property transactions, especially around tourist rental permissions and building alterations that have not been formally approved.
The most common type of side agreement used to circumvent regulations in Costa Blanca is an informal promise that "everyone does Airbnb here" or "the permits are easy to get later," while the actual community rules or municipal requirements prohibit or restrict short-term rentals.
The legal consequences foreigners face if a side agreement is discovered by authorities in Costa Blanca include fines for illegal tourist rentals (up to 600,000 euros in severe cases under Valencian law), inability to use the property as planned, and difficulty reselling to buyers who want compliant paperwork.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Spain compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
Can I trust real estate agents in Costa Blanca in 2026?
Are real estate agents regulated in Costa Blanca in 2026?
As of early 2026, real estate agents in Costa Blanca are regulated under the Comunitat Valenciana's regional framework, which requires agents to register with the Registro de Agentes de Intermediación Inmobiliaria.
A legitimate real estate agent in Costa Blanca should have registration with the Valencian regional agent registry, which you can verify through the Generalitat Valenciana's online portal.
Foreigners can verify whether an agent is properly licensed in Costa Blanca by searching the Generalitat Valenciana's registry database or asking the agent to provide their registration number for independent verification.
Please note that we have a list of contacts for you in our property pack about Costa Blanca.
What agent fee percentage is normal in Costa Blanca in 2026?
As of early 2026, the normal agent fee percentage in Costa Blanca for residential resale transactions is around 3% to 5% of the sale price plus VAT (IVA at 21%).
The typical range of agent fees that covers most transactions in Costa Blanca runs from 3% plus VAT for straightforward sales to 5% or higher plus VAT for lower-priced properties or all-inclusive service packages.
In Costa Blanca, the seller typically pays the agent fee, though some agents charge buyers a separate "finder's fee" or "reservation fee," which can be a red flag if demanded before proper verification.
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Costa Blanca
Don't repeat the same mistakes others have made before you. Make sure everything is in order before signing your sales contract.
What due diligence actually prevents disasters in Costa Blanca?
What structural inspection is standard in Costa Blanca right now?
The standard structural inspection for property purchases in Costa Blanca involves hiring an architect or quantity surveyor (arquitecto or arquitecto técnico) to assess the property's condition before you commit to buying.
A qualified inspector in Costa Blanca should check foundations, load-bearing walls, roof and terrace waterproofing, moisture and damp issues, electrical capacity for air conditioning, and any structural cracks or settling.
The type of professional qualified to perform structural inspections in Costa Blanca is a licensed architect (arquitecto) or technical architect (arquitecto técnico), who can also verify whether any alterations comply with building regulations.
The most common structural issues that inspections reveal in Costa Blanca properties are moisture and damp problems (especially in ground-floor units and older coastal apartments), terrace waterproofing failures, and unpermitted enclosed terraces or extensions.
How do I confirm exact boundaries in Costa Blanca?
The standard process for confirming exact property boundaries in Costa Blanca is to cross-check two official systems: the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) for the legal description and the Catastro for the physical map and parcel reference.
The official document that shows the legal boundaries of a property in Costa Blanca is the Nota Simple from the Land Registry for the legal description, combined with the cadastral map and reference from the Catastro portal.
The most common boundary dispute that affects foreign buyers in Costa Blanca is a mismatch between what the Catastro map shows and what the Land Registry describes, often involving enclosed terraces, garden extensions, or parking areas that were never formally registered.
The professional you should hire to physically verify boundaries on the ground in Costa Blanca is a topographer (topógrafo) or a technical architect who can survey the property and compare it to official records.
What defects are commonly hidden in Costa Blanca right now?
The top three defects that sellers frequently conceal from buyers in Costa Blanca are moisture and waterproofing problems (common, especially in older coastal apartments), unpermitted building alterations like enclosed terraces (common), and upcoming community special assessments for major repairs (common when sellers want to avoid scaring buyers).
The inspection technique that helps uncover hidden defects in Costa Blanca is a combination of moisture meter readings, thermal imaging to detect water infiltration, and a careful review of community meeting minutes to identify planned works or recurring maintenance issues.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Spain. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
What insider lessons do foreigners share after buying in Costa Blanca?
What do foreigners say they did wrong in Costa Blanca right now?
The most common mistake foreigners say they made when buying property in Costa Blanca is treating the real estate agent as their verifier instead of hiring an independent lawyer and ordering registry documents themselves.
The top three regrets foreigners most frequently mention after buying in Costa Blanca are paying a reservation deposit before verifying ownership, assuming they could do tourist rentals without checking permits and community rules, and ignoring community minutes that would have revealed upcoming special assessments.
The single piece of advice experienced foreign buyers most often give to newcomers in Costa Blanca is to never pay any money until you have personally obtained a current Nota Simple from the Land Registry confirming the seller is the real owner.
The mistake foreigners say cost them the most money or caused the most stress in Costa Blanca is discovering after closing that their property cannot be legally rented to tourists due to missing permits or community restrictions, which killed their expected rental income.
What do locals do differently when buying in Costa Blanca right now?
The key difference in how locals approach buying property compared to foreigners in Costa Blanca is that locals treat the Nota Simple as a non-negotiable first step and pull it themselves before engaging seriously, while foreigners often rely on whatever the agent provides.
The verification step locals routinely take that foreigners often skip in Costa Blanca is carefully separating Catastro truth (the physical map and reference) from Registry truth (legal ownership and charges), and reconciling any mismatches before making an offer.
The local knowledge advantage that helps locals get better deals in Costa Blanca is understanding which communities have good financial health, which buildings have upcoming major works, and which neighborhoods have strict enforcement of tourist rental rules versus those where enforcement is lax.
Don't buy the wrong property, in the wrong area of Costa Blanca
Buying real estate is a significant investment. Don't rely solely on your intuition. Gather the right information to make the best decision.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Costa Blanca, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why It's Authoritative | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| Colegio de Registradores | Spain's official Land Registry body publishing nationwide transaction and foreign buyer data. | We used it to establish the foreign buyer share in Costa Blanca and verify market activity levels. We also cross-checked local demand claims against their provincial data. |
| Registro de la Propiedad Portal | The official online portal for Land Registry services and ownership verification. | We used it to explain exactly what you can verify about a property. We turned "verify ownership" into a concrete checklist with specific steps. |
| Consejo General del Notariado | Spain's notarial system, which sits at the center of all property conveyancing. | We used it to explain the standard legal flow from contract to deed to registration. We anchored our due diligence recommendations in their official guidance. |
| Sede Electrónica del Catastro | Spain's official cadastral portal for maps, parcel data, and reference values. | We used it to show how to verify boundaries and reference values. We explained where scammers exploit the confusion between Catastro and Registry. |
| Horizontal Property Law (BOE) | The definitive Spanish law governing apartment buildings and community obligations. | We used it to explain community fees, arrears risk, and why community certificates matter. We highlighted how foreigners often inherit unexpected community debts. |
| Generalitat Valenciana Agent Registry | The regional government's official registry for real estate agents in the Comunitat Valenciana. | We used it to explain what "regulated agent" means locally on the Costa Blanca. We provided a practical verification step for checking agent registration. |
| EU Justice Scoreboard | The EU's official comparative view of justice system efficiency across member states. | We used it to frame contract enforcement strength without relying on opinion. We explained why court timelines matter if a deal goes wrong. |
| Banco de España Consumer Guide | Official consumer guidance from Spain's central bank on mortgage costs. | We used it to list the real cost items that surprise foreigners. We kept the hidden costs section grounded in official data rather than anecdotes. |
| Valencian Housing Regulations (DOGV) | The official Valencian gazette with regional housing quality and design requirements. | We used it to show that habitability rules are regional and document-driven. We explained why occupancy paperwork is a recurring pain point on the coast. |
| Building Regulation Law (LOE) | The legal backbone for construction liabilities and building protections in Spain. | We used it to explain what protections exist for newer builds. We flagged the Costa Blanca-specific risk of buyers skipping building paperwork on resale. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Spain. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.