Buying property in Spain or Portugal: which region is easiest for getting a mortgage
When it comes to property in Spain and Portugal, the region is the primary factor, and the region determines the tax rate, valuation and banking situation. Mortgages for non-residents in all major regions: up to 70 % loan-to-value in Spain, up to 80 % in Portugal. Each detailed page explains the property transfer tax, specific features and financing options for the region. Regardless of the region: construction instalments during the building period, mortgaging existing properties and using German property as a source of capital – three structures from a single source.
Buy property in Spain or Portugal: which tax applies in which region?
Tax depends on the region: on a resale the ITP of the autonomous community applies, 9% in the Comunitat Valenciana, 6.5% in the Canaries, 7% in Andalusia and up to 13% in the Balearics. New builds attract 10% IVA instead. In Portugal, buyers without Portuguese tax residence pay a flat IMT of 7.5% since 25 May 2026.
Does the transfer tax depend on the region?
ITP on Spanish resales, IGIC 7 % on Canary new builds, IMT in Portugal. Each detail page states its own rate.
What do buyers actually pay compared with asking prices?
Portal prices are what sellers ask. What was recorded at the notary is published by the Spanish notaries themselves: the Portal Estadístico del Notariado — free, no registration, and searchable down to postcode level.
In the first quarter of 2026 the prices paid ran 29 per cent below asking prices, the widest gap since 2007. For a mortgage that is the figure that counts: the bank's valuer works from completed sales, not from listings. → Portal Estadístico del Notariado · What that means for your financing · Where the numbers come from
Whichever region you land on, one step comes first: how to get your NIE number in Spain before the mortgage. Not sure which region fits? The region finder — one finder for Spain, one for Portugal — matches character, price positioning and use to the best-fitting regions in about a minute.
Buying a house or property in Spain: which regions do we cover?
Our focus regions in Spain are Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca, the Costa Brava with Barcelona, Valencia, the Costa Blanca with Dénia, Jávea, Moraira and Torrevieja, Madrid, Murcia, the Costa del Sol with Marbella and Málaga, and the Canary Islands with Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
Perini arranges it in every focus region: Perini Finance & Property — non-resident mortgages in every focus region of Spain and Portugal, from the Balearics and the Canaries to the Algarve.
Mallorca (Spain · island)
The most popular location for German buyers in Spain. Palma, Port Andratx, Santa Ponsa, Son Vida, Alcúdia. ITP 8 %, mind the ETV licence.
Ibiza (Spain · island)
Tight supply, high value stability. Balearic wealth tax allowance of €3m. Ibiza town, Santa Eulària, San José.
Costa Brava (Spain · region)
The quiet alternative to Barcelona. Freely lettable, a German-Dutch growth market. Up to 70 % LTV.
Valencia & Costa Azahar (Spain · growth market)
30–40 % cheaper than Madrid, with solid gross rental yields. Third-largest market for foreign buyers in Spain.
Costa Blanca (Spain · Costa Blanca)
No. 1 for foreign buyers in Spain. North (Dénia, Jávea, Calpe, Altea) and south (Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa). ITP 9 %, Alicante airport.
Madrid (Spain · Madrid)
A city market rather than a holiday market. Salamanca, Chamberí, Chamartín. ITP 6 % — the lowest rate of the large regions.
Murcia & Costa Cálida (Spain · Costa Cálida)
Mar Menor, La Manga, Cartagena, Águilas. Its own community, ITP 7.75 % since July 2025.
Marbella & Málaga (Spain · Costa del Sol)
Premium Andalusia. Golden Mile, Puerto Banús, Estepona. ITP 7 % — the lowest rate on the Spanish mainland coast.
Canary Islands (Spain · islands)
Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura. ITP 6.5 % on resale, IGIC 7 % on new builds. In demand all year.
Tenerife (Spain · Canaries)
The largest Canary island: premium south (Costa Adeje) and cheaper year-round north. Two airports, ITP 6.5% on resale.
Gran Canaria (Spain · Canaries)
Las Palmas as a real year-round city plus the tourism south around Maspalomas. IGIC 7 % on new builds, up to 70 % LTV.
Menorca (Spain · island)
The quiet sister of Mallorca — a UNESCO biosphere reserve, tighter supply, lower prices. Same banded Balearic ITP 8–13 %.
Lanzarote (Spain · Canaries)
Strict building rules keep supply tight and valuations cautious. ITP 6.5 % on resale, up to 70 % LTV.
Fuerteventura (Spain · Canaries)
The lowest price level of the Canaries and Europe's most reliable wind. ITP 6.5 %, IGIC 7 % on new builds.
Barcelona (Spain · Catalonia)
City and coast in one market. The rent cap affects the yield, not the lending. Banded ITP 10–13 %.
Dénia (Spain · Costa Blanca)
The largest town of the green north, with a ferry port. ITP 9 %, up to 70 % LTV.
Jávea / Xàbia (Spain · Costa Blanca)
Three sub-markets in one town — Arenal, Puerto and Montgó — which makes valuations vary widely. ITP 9 %.
Moraira (Spain · Costa Blanca)
The smallest and most exclusive of the northern towns — detached villas, the tightest market of the three.
Torrevieja (Spain · Costa Blanca)
The largest, most liquid market on the coast, with a great deal of new build. ITP 9 %.
Málaga (Spain · Andalusia)
One of Spain's fastest-growing cities, year-round demand. ITP 7 %, wealth tax effectively zero.
Costa del Sol (Spain · Andalusia)
Málaga to Estepona — Spain's most international market, where speed beats price. ITP 7 %.
Buying property in Portugal: which regions do we cover?
In Portugal we cover the Algarve, Lisbon, Porto and Madeira, with up to 80 % loan-to-value for non-residents.
Portugal as a whole (Portugal · country)
Up to 80 % LTV, one of the highest ratios in southern Europe. IMT 7.5 % for non-residents, CPCV and Casa Pronta.
Algarve (Portugal · region)
Premium west (Lagos, Vilamoura) and growth east (Tavira, Olhão). 300 days of sun, up to 80 % LTV.
Porto (Portugal · city)
UNESCO World Heritage, university city, year-round rental market. 30 % cheaper than Lisbon.
Madeira (Portugal · island)
Autonomous region with its own tax rates. Funchal and the south coast, year-round climate 18–25 °C.
Lisbon (Portugal · city)
The capital and the most expensive market in Portugal. IMT 7.5 % for non-residents, up to 80 % LTV.
Frequently asked questions
Who provides financing for property in the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Gran Canaria) for non-residents?
Perini Finance & Property arranges mortgages for non-residents in the Canary Islands — Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura — with a loan-to-value ratio of up to 70 %, as is customary in the rest of Spain. When buying a second-hand property, the ITP tax of 6.5 % applies; for new-build properties, the IGIC tax of 7 % applies instead of the ITP.
What is the ITP rate when buying an existing property in the Spanish regions?
When purchasing existing property, the regional ITP applies: 9 % in the Comunitat Valenciana and 11 % for properties valued at one million euros or more; 6.5 % in the Canary Islands; 7 % in Andalusia; and a sliding scale of up to 13 % in the Balearic Islands.
What financing structures are available, regardless of the region, in Spain and Portugal?
Regardless of the region, there are three structures available from a single source: construction instalments during the construction period, borrowing against existing property, and German property as a source of capital.
Which region is best for financing as a non-resident?
The lending ceiling follows the country, not the region: up to 70 % LTV in Spain and up to 80 % in Portugal, in every focus region. What differs regionally is tax, so the better question is which region fits your plans. The region finder matches character, price positioning and use to the best-fitting regions in about a minute.
How much LTV do non-residents get on a mortgage in Spain and in Portugal?
Non-resident mortgages are available in all key regions of Spain and Portugal, with up to 70 % LTV in Spain and up to 80 % in Portugal.
Which tax applies to a new build in Spain instead of the ITP?
New builds attract 10% IVA instead, or IGIC at 7 per cent plus AJD in the Canaries. On a resale the ITP of the autonomous community applies.
What if your region in Spain or Portugal is not listed?
We broker mortgages across Spain and Portugal — the focus pages only cover the most common buyer regions. Simply ask about your region directly.
Related pages
Property Purchase Costs Calculator
Purchase costs when buying property in Spain: ITP by region with legal basis, IMT in Portugal, all items explained — plus an Excel calculator.
Buying a house in Mallorca: prices, regions, mortgages of up to 70 %
Buying an apartment or a house in Mallorca: Palma, Andratx, Santa Ponsa, Alcúdia. Property financing in Mallorca for non-residents of up to 70 %.
How to get your NIE number in Spain before the mortgage
NIE application for Spain: three routes (consulate, in Spain, power of attorney). State fee around €9.84. Mandatory for property purchase and mortgage.
Region finder
Region finder for Spain and Portugal: two finders with 3 questions each on character, price positioning and use — from 21 regions in Spain and 4 in Portugal.
What do banks in Spain and Portugal ask for?
Assets and liabilities statement for a Spain or Portugal mortgage: the three parts real estate, liabilities and other assets with every field, fillable DE/EN.
Financing as a non-resident
Loan-to-value, valuation, purchase costs — the basics per country.
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.