Buying a home in your own country can be overwhelming—but navigating a foreign property market, unfamiliar rules, and legal systems in all in a different language takes it to another level. This Home Buyer’s Starter Kit is designed to give you a clear picture of each of the steps involved, and the different things you need in place to be able to find and buy your new Spanish home with confidence.
As International home buyer's ourselves - we have built up a trusted network of English speaking professional experts. People we know are familiar with International home buyers and speak our language.
Whether you’re just starting to plan or ready to dive into your search, this kit pulls everything you need into one place, so you can save time and take your next steps with confidence.
Contents:
Budget Planning Tools
Understanding your budget is a critical step in your journey to home ownership. To save you time scouring the internet to try and find everything yourselves, we've done all the legwork for you. Use our recommended budget planning tools to calculate how much money you need, what you can afford and which additional costs may arise so that there are no surprises.
"Here's the very simple Google sheet home buyer's funds calculator* I made to help me figure out how much money I needed to put in myself on top of the mortgage based on different house prices" *You'll need the Google Sheets APP if you're viewing on mobile. It's easier to use on a desktop.
If you're looking for a lot more detail we recommend you check out - Jonny from "Millennials with Money" video "How much does it really cost to buy a home in Spain?" Jonny is a British Financial Analyst who now lives in Spain. He has also built a next level amazing, super detailed calculator to help you to understand:
All key costs included: Property tax, Notary and Registry fees, Valuation of the property – it’s all there!
Data by Autonomous Community: Includes Transfer and Sales Tax for all of Spain’s Autonomous Communities.
Mortgage Calculator: Work out how much money down is needed, and what your monthly payment will be based on the duration and interest rate of the mortgage.
How much in my home currency? Convert the cost in EUR back to USD, GBP, CAD or AUD to understand the comparative cost at home. Ideal for retirees with a pension or savings outside of Spain, or for Digital Nomads earning in a different currency.
Compare Multiple Properties: Compare up to three different properties at the same time using graphs and tables to quickly see the differences in costs and mortgage.
Mortgages
Getting mortgage pre-approval helps us move quickly when the right home pops up for you. Good properties do not stay on the market for long and there can be multiple buyers in the running so we want to be able to get you in the strongest position possible.
If you're already living in Spain your first stop should always be asking your current local Spanish Bank for a mortgage as they are often in a position to offer you the best deal. It's often best to go into your branch and have a chat with the Mortgage Gestor face to face to get things moving.
We do also have a couple of English speaking mortgage partners that we know and trust to recommend to you:
Mortgage Broker - we partner with Mortgages Direct/Bayteca. As a broker they can access different mortgage products on the market as an intermediary, to see who can offer you the best deal based on your specific circumstances:
Direct Mortgage Lender - we partner with UCI which stands for "Union de Creditos Inmobiliarios" and is a joint venture between Spain's Santander and French BNP Paribas. They specialise in working with International buyers.
"When I bought my home in 2023, I secured my mortgage through my Spanish bank but also consulted with Mortgages Direct to ensure I was getting the best deal."
Currency Exchange
It’s important to have all of your money exchanged into Euros in good time, well before you put in an offer and start the verbal negotiation process. This can ensure you make the most of favourable exchange rates for your base currency as well as ensuring you can move quickly when we find you the right home.
"I used my Wise account to both exchange and transfer my money over to the seller, which in hindsight I now realise probably wasn't the safest way to do it!"
At Homesmith, we prioritise solutions that combine efficiency with a personal touch—just like GC Partners. That’s why we recommend them to our clients. With GC Partners, you’ll have a dedicated Account Manager, ensuring you always have a real human to guide you through the currency exchange process. While technology simplifies many aspects of life, we know the value of human expertise when it comes to navigating important financial decisions. It’s a perfect match with Homesmith’s client-focused philosophy!
Next Steps
Congratulations! You've taken the first step to home ownership in Spain—now it’s time to move on to the next stage: the Buyer’s Brief. This is where you tell us about your unique lifestyle needs, so we can fully understand what you’re looking for in a location and the type of home that’s right for you. The Buyer’s Brief helps us get clear on your priorities and exactly where you are in your buying journey.
Once we’ve reviewed your Brief, we’ll schedule your 1:1 video consultation. This personalised conversation allows us to discuss your needs in depth, recommend the right Homesmith services, and help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Check out some of our other home buyer's Tools:
Costa Dorada Beach Town Buyer's Guides
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"I'd love your feedback on this starter kit - if there's anything else you would like included just let me know in the comments below. "