Buy property on the Costa Brava: real cases from practice with a Spanish mortgage for non-residents
Anonymised examples of how buyers arranged a mortgage and financed their property on the Costa Brava. Almost every report is about permanent living rather than a holiday property.
What is different about financing a retirement home on the Costa Brava?
Retirement homes on the Costa Brava put the term at the centre. Spanish banks tie the term to the borrower's age at final repayment, so a younger co-borrower can ease the instalment considerably. The co-borrower goes on the title deed with a share of at least 10 percent and does not necessarily need qualifying income.
From our practice
Banks lend up to a fixed share — the rest plus costs is equity: Banks finance non-residents up to a fixed share of the bank or purchase value depending on country and profile; the remainder plus acquisition costs is equity.
Catalonia applies its own ITP scale: Catalonia applies its own banded ITP scale, so the cost calculation looks different and comes entirely out of your own funds. The regions.
Property financing on the Costa Brava: The following case reports show, in anonymised form, how different situations on the Costa Brava were financed for non-residents. Creditworthiness, the property and the bank's loan-to-value are always decisive.
Apartment in Roses at 60+ — modernisation planned (Costa Brava)
Sea view with modernisation from the start
Townhouse in Empuriabrava — self-employed developer (Costa Brava)
Living permanently by the water with well-considered overall financing
Apartment in L'Escala (Costa Brava)
Barrier-free into retirement on the Costa Brava
Detached house in Begur — architect couple relocating (Costa Brava)
Mediterranean living between the old town and the coast
Penthouse in Palamós — retiring after the handover (Costa Brava)
Comfortable living with a view of the marina
Terraced house in Platja d'Aro — family of four (Costa Brava)
Family life on the Costa Brava with long-term planning
Townhouse in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Costa Brava)
Historic charm with modern living comfort
Apartment in Cadaqués — dentists nearing retirement (Costa Brava)
Living permanently in one of Spain's most extraordinary coastal settings
Villa in Tossa de Mar — after selling the business (Costa Brava)
Mediterranean living with a long-term financing strategy
Detached house in Lloret de Mar (Costa Brava)
Living year-round with room for family and home office
What matters when buying for permanent residence?
When buying for permanent residence, the focus is not on yield but on an instalment that remains affordable after working life. This concerns the term, the fixed-rate period and the age limit.
What does the consultation cost?
The initial consultation is free of charge and without obligation; on completion, you pay 1 % of the loan amount (excluding IVA) — no bank commission. Our fees.
In the 10 financing deals documented here, the purchase prices ranged from €455,000 to €1,780,000. Each amount is stated in the relevant report and can be found there.
What is different about financing a property on the Costa Brava for permanent residence and retirement? On the Costa Brava, almost all reports focus on permanent residence rather than holiday homes.
Accessibility for retirement, space for family and a home office, year-round use: these factors change the nature of the financing question. This brings the loan term to the fore.
Spanish banks link the term of the loan to the borrower’s age at the time of repayment, which is why a younger co-borrower can noticeably reduce the monthly instalment. In such cases, modernisation is usually factored in from the outset, rather than being considered only afterwards.
This is important because the Spanish bank does not finance the modernisation: it belongs in the overall plan and is covered from own funds or by borrowing against existing German property.
In Catalonia, the ITP is calculated on a sliding scale based on the purchase price and ranges between 10 and 13 % — Purchase costs associated with buying a property on the Costa Brava. A younger co-borrower must be registered in the land register with a minimum share of 10 %; it is not essential for them to have their own eligible income.
What makes the Costa Brava different for financing?
The Costa Brava is a seasonal market with a year-round core — and banks distinguish between the two very carefully. An apartment in Roses or Empuriabrava is valued differently from a townhouse in Girona or Sant Feliu, even if the price is the same.
Seasonal locations are valued more conservatively. In areas where the market is active for only three months of the year, there are few comparable properties and the tasación falls below the purchase price more quickly.
Catalonia has its own property transfer tax. The ITP is regulated at regional level — the purchase cost calculation here looks different from that on the Costa Blanca, and the costs are paid entirely from own funds. Proximity to France. A significant proportion of the demand comes from France.
This is only relevant to your financing insofar as prices in sought-after locations can exceed benchmark figures — which, in turn, relates to the tasación.
Frequently asked questions
How much can non-residents borrow?
In Spain, banks finance non-residents up to a fixed share of the bank or purchase value depending on country and profile; the remainder plus acquisition costs is equity.
What does the consultation cost?
The initial consultation is free and without obligation; on completion you pay 1 % of the loan amount (no VAT) — no bank commission.
How can a younger co-borrower reduce the monthly repayments on a mortgage on the Costa Brava?
Spanish banks link the loan term to the borrower’s age at the time of repayment, which is why a younger co-borrower can noticeably reduce the monthly instalment. They must be registered in the land register with a minimum share of 10 %; having their own eligible income is not strictly necessary.
What does a seasonal location change about the financing?
Not the lending itself — the valuation. Seasonal locations are valued more cautiously. Where the market lives for three months a year, comparable sales are thin, so the valuation drops below the purchase price more readily and the missing part has to come out of equity.
Is transfer tax on the Costa Brava the same as on the Costa Blanca?
No. ITP is set by the autonomous community, and Catalonia applies its own banded scale. The cost calculation therefore looks different here — and, as everywhere, it comes entirely out of your own funds.
A similar situation in Spain? Let's talk.
Every financing in Spain is an individual case. In a free initial consultation I will tell you honestly what is feasible and which bank fits.
Anonymised individual case, not a binding statement for other projects · Siegfried Perini for the owner Olga Nikushkina · §34i GewO · no tax or legal advice · no financing commitment; conditions depend on creditworthiness, loan-to-value and bank
Related pages
Apartment in Roses at 60+ — modernisation planned
Sea views with modernisation from the outset
Townhouse in Empuriabrava — self-employed developer
Permanent living by the water with a well-thought-out overall financing plan
Detached house in Begur — architect couple relocating
Mediterranean living between the old town and the coast
Terraced house in Platja d'Aro — family with two children
Family life on the Costa Brava with long-term planning
Townhouse in Sant Feliu — move planned in two years’ time
Historic charm combined with modern living comfort
Apartment in Cadaqués — a dentist couple approaching retirement
A permanent home in one of Spain’s most extraordinary coastal locations
Villa in Tossa de Mar — following the sale of the company
Mediterranean-style living with a long-term financing strategy
Detached house in Lloret de Mar — relocating while working from home
Year-round living with space for the family and a home office
Buying a property on the Costa de Valencia — financing cases from practice
For non-residents, the loan-to-value ratio is up to 70 % of the lower of the purchase price and the tasación, meaning around 30 % equity.
Buy property on the Costa Blanca — real cases from practice
Anonymised case reports on financing on the Costa Blanca for non-residents in Spain: how much the structure of your income matters to the bank here.
Buy property in the Algarve — real cases from practice
Anonymised case reports on financing in the Algarve for non-residents in Portugal: how much a Portuguese bank lends, and why the valuation decides it.
Content by Siegfried Perini — local brand representative since 2019, active in real estate since 1992, entered in the German intermediary register (§ 11a GewO) as a person directly involved in brokerage and advice. Point of contact for German-speaking buyers in Spain and Portugal. Brokerage by Olga Nikushkina, mortgage credit intermediary under § 34i German Trade Regulation (GewO); in Portugal through a locally licensed intermediary.