Buying & Renovating a Spanish Apartment: Process, Costs, and Tips

The Valencia apartment needs a complete overhaul—new floors, walls, doors, ceilings and a full electrical rewiring. The renovation plan adds a larger kitchen, a second bathroom and reconfigures the living area. The master bedroom opens onto a balcony with a view of trees. The unit sat on the market for a long time before the couple bought it, and they acknowledge that “all of you watching who get mad that foreigners come here and they buy places, just know that this place is on the market for a long long time and we were dumb enough to buy it.”

The Search Process

Fourteen to fifteen apartments were visited in person after an extensive online search. Idealista served as the primary platform; saving searches and turning on notifications proved essential. When agencies failed to respond, the hosts simply showed up at the offices and secured viewings. Spanish apartments often differ from American layouts, with irregular shapes and “a lot of these apartments are just hallways.” One host notes, “It’s important to realize that even if something is 110 square meters, 20 or 30 of that could just be hallway.”

Legal and Financial Execution

Foreign buyers in Spain typically skip a buyer’s agent, so the couple handled negotiations themselves. A local attorney—referred by Chris—became indispensable, navigating municipal “right of first refusal,” complex ownership histories and the paperwork required for a foreign purchase. The attorney negotiated both the purchase price and the agency commission, delivering substantial savings. Closing costs—including transfer taxes, notary fees and bank commissions—added roughly 11 % to the purchase price. The seller’s agent later helped transfer utilities, and the bank commission was negotiated down to €1,200, with an additional €85 fee after bundling home insurance.

Renovation and Logistics

Contractor quotes varied widely, from €79,000 to €106,000. The selected contractor offered a fair price and even began work a week early. Furniture and household essentials were budgeted at about $10,000, mainly sourced from IKEA. Because mortgage payments, rent on the previous home and construction expenses overlapped, careful cash‑flow planning was necessary. As one host puts it, “I’m cautiously optimistic because life has a way of giving us a candy bar and then shooting us in the kneecap.”