Mallorca Haus Kaufen
Mallorcan stone house with pool and garden

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Buying guide

Buying property in Mallorca: the complete guide

This guide takes you through buying a property in Mallorca: from the first conversation through checks, preliminary contract and signing to registration in the land register. It is written for buyers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland and shows what needs to be settled at each step and what it costs.

Every figure on this page states its source and date. Where there is no verified figure, we explain how the amount is made up. Each section links to the detailed guide.

From the first conversation to registration

the purchase step by step

A house key being handed from one hand to another

A purchase in Mallorca follows a set order. The important decisions are made early: when you choose your agent, before the first deposit and before signing at the notary.

How long it takes depends above all on the document checks and on the financing. There is no reliable average duration, so plan by the steps rather than by weeks.

Process in ten steps

  1. First conversation and search profile

    Set your budget, intended use and timeframe before you look at properties. Include taxes and fees in the budget from the start, and decide whether you want to rent the property out: this determines which properties are an option at all. If you enquire through us, Johannes Partz holds this conversation with you personally by phone.

  2. Choose your agent

    Choose your agent before you arrange viewings. Many agents ask you to confirm the first viewing in writing; whoever showed you a property first is then usually regarded as your agent for that property. More on this in the section Choosing an agent.

  3. NIE and bank account

    To buy, you need a Spanish foreigner identification number (NIE): without the tax numbers of everyone involved, the land registry will not register the purchase (Art. 254(2) Ley Hipotecaria). Apply for the NIE early, at the Spanish consulate in your country or in Spain. For property tax, electricity and water, set up an account that direct debits can be drawn from.

  4. View and compare

    A property often appears with several agents, with different photos and sometimes at different prices. So compare the listings for one and the same property as well. Ask for the official reference value: if it is higher than the price, the transfer tax is assessed on it. The property value calculator gives you a first indication.

  5. Have it checked

    Before any money changes hands, your lawyer checks the land register, the cadastre, the permits and the owners’ association, and a building surveyor checks the condition of the building. Which points these are, and which document settles each one, is set out in the section Legal checks.

  6. Reserve

    With a reservation agreement, the seller takes the property off the market for an agreed period in return for a deposit. The law does not regulate it specifically; what applies is what the text says. Put in writing what the period is for and under which conditions you get the deposit back, for example if the checks reveal defects.

  7. Preliminary contract with deposit

    In the preliminary contract (contrato de arras) you fix price, dates, conditions and the split of costs, and pay a deposit. What matters is its type: in the form under Art. 1454 Código Civil either side may withdraw; you then lose the deposit, and the seller repays it twice over. Other forms rule out withdrawal. Have the clause checked before you pay.

  8. Prepare financing and payment

    If the seller is not resident in Spain, you withhold 3 per cent of the price and pay it to the tax office; otherwise the property is liable for it (Art. 25(2) Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2004). You then also owe the municipal land value tax in place of the seller (Art. 106(2) Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2004). If you finance through a Spanish bank, the deadlines in the section Financing apply.

  9. Signing before the notary

    The purchase is executed as a notarial deed (escritura pública); on signing, the property is deemed handed over (Art. 1462 Código Civil). The notary records the means of payment in the deed and points out any unpaid property tax for which the property is liable. If you cannot travel, you can be represented under a notarial power of attorney; check with the notary in advance which form of power granted abroad he or she will accept.

  10. Pay the tax, register the title

    You file and pay the transfer tax within one month of signing (Art. 82 Decreto Legislativo 1/2014). Only then does the land registry register the purchase (Art. 254(1) Ley Hipotecaria); the registrar has 15 days from submission to do so (Art. 18). Your purchase only takes effect against third parties once it is registered (Art. 32). After that you transfer the electricity and water contracts and plan for the annual taxes.

Purchase costs

what comes on top of the price

A tax and several fees come on top of the purchase price. The tax is by far the largest item. Which one applies depends on the type of purchase: for a resale property you pay transfer tax (ITP); when a developer sells a new build for the first time, you pay VAT (IVA) and stamp duty (AJD). The two never apply together.

Transfer tax on resale properties

the Balearic scale

The Balearic Islands tax the purchase on a sliding scale: each rate applies only to the part of the value that falls within its band. The tax base is the purchase price or the official cadastral reference value, whichever is higher (Art. 10(2) Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1993).

Transfer tax in Mallorca

Art. 10 Decreto Legislativo 1/2014 · as of 24 July 2026

  • up to €400,000

    Rate on this part of the value
    8%

  • €400,000.01 to €600,000

    Rate on this part of the value
    9%

  • €600,000.01 to €1,000,000

    Rate on this part of the value
    10%

  • €1,000,000.01 to €2,000,000

    Rate on this part of the value
    12%

  • above €2,000,000

    Rate on this part of the value
    13%

Separate rates apply to parking spaces that do not belong to a dwelling and to a first main home up to €270,151.20.

VAT and stamp duty on new builds

when buying from the developer

If you buy a new build directly from the developer, you pay 10 per cent VAT (Art. 91 Ley 37/1992) and stamp duty on the deed of sale: 1.5 per cent in the Balearic Islands, 2 per cent from a value of €1,000,000 (Arts. 15 and 17 bis Decreto Legislativo 1/2014).

Tax on purchase, worked out

From the rates above · as of 24 July 2026

  • €1,000,000

    Resale: transfer tax
    €90,000
    New build: IVA and AJD
    €120,000

  • €1,500,000

    Resale: transfer tax
    €150,000
    New build: IVA and AJD
    €180,000

  • €2,000,000

    Resale: transfer tax
    €210,000
    New build: IVA and AJD
    €240,000

  • €3,000,000

    Resale: transfer tax
    €340,000
    New build: IVA and AJD
    €360,000

  • €5,000,000

    Resale: transfer tax
    €600,000
    New build: IVA and AJD
    €600,000

On average, the transfer tax comes to 9.00 per cent of the value at €1m, 10.00 per cent at €1.5m, 10.50 per cent at €2m, 11.33 per cent at €3m and 12.00 per cent at €5m. For new builds from €1,000,000 it is a flat 12 per cent: 10 per cent VAT and 2 per cent stamp duty. Assumption: the purchase price excluding VAT is also the tax base. If the reference value is higher, the transfer tax rises accordingly.

Notary, land registry, lawyer and other items

how the amounts are made up

  • Notary

    Fees are set by regulation. The deed of sale is charged on a scale of per-mille rates that fall as the value rises: 0.3 per mille for the part between €601,012.10 and €6,010,121.04, and above that the fee is freely agreed (Real Decreto 1426/1989, Annex I No. 2). Copies are charged separately under the same schedule. Unless agreed otherwise, the seller bears the cost of executing the deed and the buyer that of the first copy (Art. 1455 Código Civil). So check the cost clause in the preliminary contract.

  • Land registry

    Registration also follows an official scale. The fee for registering a property is capped at €2,181.67, less a 5 per cent reduction (Real Decreto 1427/1989, Annex I No. 2). If the property consists of several registered plots, such as a house and a separate parking space, the fee applies to each.

  • Lawyer

    The fee is freely agreed; there is no official fee schedule. Get written confirmation in advance of what is included: checks of the land register, permits and owners’ association, review of the reservation and preliminary contract, attendance at signing, tax returns after the purchase. Compare offers by scope, not just by percentage.

  • Gestoría

    An administrative agency handles formalities such as the transfer tax return, submission to the land registry and changes of registration. Here too the price is free; some law firms take these steps on as part of their service.

  • Agent

    In Mallorca the commission is usually paid by the seller. You only incur costs if you engage a buyer’s agent yourself, and then as agreed.

  • Mortgage

    If you finance through a bank in Spain, the bank bears the notary, land registry and gestoría costs of the loan, and you pay for the valuation (Art. 14(1)(e) Ley 5/2019). The stamp duty on the loan deed is owed by the bank (Art. 29 Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1993).

How the reference value is determined and which reduced rates exist is explained in the guide Taxes and purchase costs.

Taxes after the purchase

what is due every year

After the purchase you pay ongoing taxes to the municipality and the state. Which ones depends on whether you become tax resident in Spain and whether you let the property. The following points apply to buyers who keep their residence in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.

  • Property tax (IBI)

    Paid annually to the municipality, calculated on the cadastral value, not on the price. The municipality sets the rate, between 0.4 and 1.1 per cent for urban property, with possible surcharges (Art. 72 Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2004). Since 8 October 2026, municipalities in officially designated stressed housing markets may levy a surcharge of up to 50 per cent of the property tax on holiday rental properties, and more where an owner has several (Real Decreto-ley 29/2026). Before buying, ask the municipality about its rate and surcharges.

  • Tax on personal use

    Without tax residence in Spain, you pay tax on a deemed rental value for a property you use yourself, a share of the cadastral value. The rate is 19 per cent for residents of the EU and EEA and 24 per cent for everyone else, including residents of Switzerland (Art. 25(1)(a) Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2004). Up to and including 2026 the share is 1.1 or 2 per cent, depending on the status of the municipality’s cadastral valuation (Art. 85 Ley 35/2006, to which Art. 24(5) Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2004 refers). From 2027, Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 provides for a scale based on the total of the cadastral values: 1.1 per cent up to €100,000, 1.5 per cent up to €500,000, 2 per cent up to €1,000,000 and 3 per cent above. Have a tax adviser check the calculation for your case from 2027.

  • Proviso on the new rules

    A Real Decreto-ley applies immediately but must be confirmed by the Spanish Congress of Deputies within 30 days (Art. 86(2) of the Spanish Constitution). A predecessor decree with the same title, dated 29 September 2026, was revoked by the Congress on 2 October 2026. Whether the surcharge and the scale will stand is therefore only certain after the vote.

  • Rental income

    If you let the property, the income is taxed in Spain at 19 or 24 per cent. Residents of the EU and EEA may deduct costs directly related to the letting (Art. 24(6) Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2004). For holiday guests the property also needs a licence.

  • Wealth tax

    As a non-resident, only on your assets in Spain. Which allowance applies depends on whether you may apply the Balearic rules; the details are in the tax guide.

  • On a later sale

    19 per cent on the gain (Art. 25(1)(f) Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2004); the buyer withholds 3 per cent of the price and pays it over. The municipal land value tax comes on top. Keep all receipts for purchase costs and investments.

  • Your country of residence

    Germany, Austria or Switzerland may also take the Spanish income into account. How the two states share the right to tax is governed by the relevant double taxation agreement. Have this checked before you buy by a tax adviser who knows both sides.

Deadlines, examples and inheritance tax: Taxes and purchase costs.

Free and without obligation — we get back to you personally.

Request an agent recommendation

Financing

three routes and your rights

There are three routes to financing. Which one suits you depends on your assets at home, the currency of your income and how quickly you have to pay.

  • Loan from a bank in Spain

    The security is the property in Mallorca. The basis is a valuation (tasación) by a valuation company registered with the Banco de España; the bank itself decides what share of that value it will lend. Taxes and fees are not part of this value. Plan to pay them from your own funds unless a bank confirms otherwise in writing.

  • Loan in your home country

    A bank in Germany, Austria or Switzerland lends against security there, such as a mortgage on a property you own there. In Spain you then buy without a loan. Whether this is possible, and on what terms, is for your bank to decide.

  • Combination

    Own funds and money raised at home cover taxes, fees and part of the price, and a Spanish bank finances the rest. The smaller its share of the value, the less the purchase depends on its decision.

  • Income in Swiss francs

    If you pay the instalments of a euro loan from an income in Swiss francs, your household bears the exchange rate risk. So also work out the instalments at a less favourable rate than today’s.

Your rights with a Spanish bank

under Ley 5/2019

The Spanish law on mortgage credit applies to loans to private individuals secured on residential property, regardless of where you live (Art. 2 Ley 5/2019).

  • Ten days to reflect

    The bank must give you the binding offer (FEIN) and a sheet of standard warnings (FiAE) at least ten calendar days before signing (Art. 14 Ley 5/2019).

  • Advice from the notary

    During this period you appear before a notary of your choice, who advises you on the contract and records this in a deed (Art. 15 Ley 5/2019).

  • No interest floor

    With a variable rate, the contract may not set a lower limit on the interest rate (Art. 21(3) Ley 5/2019).

  • Early repayment

    You may repay in full or in part at any time; the compensation the bank may charge for this is capped by law (Art. 23 Ley 5/2019).

More on banks, equity and fixed-rate periods: Financing a property purchase in Mallorca and Financing tips for luxury property.

Legal checks

what must be settled before the first payment

Most of the risks of buying in Mallorca can be settled with documents. Your lawyer should have checked the following points before you pay a deposit that you will not get back.

  • Land register extract

    The nota simple shows the owner, mortgages, attachments and other charges. Request it before the preliminary contract and again shortly before signing.

  • Cadastre

    The description and area in the cadastre should match the land register and reality. Discrepancies can point to extensions that were never registered.

  • Building permit and completion

    House, pool and extensions must be approved as they stand. Courts in Mallorca order the demolition of unlicensed buildings, even against buyers who knew nothing about it.

  • Certificate of habitability

    The cédula de habitabilidad confirms that the building may be used as a dwelling. Check that it is valid and when it expires.

  • Land classification

    If the property stands on rural land (suelo rústico), alterations, extensions and use are more tightly restricted than in built-up areas. The municipality can tell you what is allowed.

  • Coastal protection

    Plots by the sea may lie within the protection zone of the Coastal Act. It extends 100 metres inland and can be widened (Art. 23 Ley 22/1988 de Costas); building work there is only permitted with restrictions.

  • Owners’ association

    In residential complexes, the property is liable for unpaid contributions for the current and the three preceding years (Art. 9(1)(e) Ley 49/1960 de Propiedad Horizontal). Ask for the certificate of outstanding amounts and the minutes with any special levies agreed.

  • Unpaid property tax

    The property also remains liable for arrears of property tax after the change of ownership (Art. 64 Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2004). Ask to see the latest receipts.

  • Holiday rental licence

    If you want to let to holiday guests, the property needs an existing licence for this very property and the planned number of guests. Check the entry in the tourism register; details in the guide Buying a property with a holiday rental licence.

  • Energy performance certificate

    A copy of the registered energy performance certificate must be attached to the purchase contract (Art. 17(2) Real Decreto 390/2021).

Six of these points, each with the document that settles it, are also on our home page. What happened to buyers who skipped these checks is described in the guide Tips and experiences.

Regions at a glance

where you can search

Map of Mallorca with a red pin

Mallorca is not a single market. Location, access, planning rules and the supply above one million euros differ from town to town, sometimes from street to street.

Official average prices are of little help here because they average across all flats and houses. For the Balearic Islands as a whole, the Spanish statistics office INE reports a rise in residential property prices of 13.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same quarter a year earlier.

What the land at a given address is officially worth is shown by the cadastre’s value zone map. The property value calculator reads it for you.

Location, infrastructure and market of each region: all regions at a glance.

Choosing an agent

why it comes first

In Mallorca you do not buy the property from an agent. You choose the agent you buy with.

Four features of the market make the choice of agent the first decision, not the last.

  • One property, several agents

    Sellers usually hand their property to several agents at once. The same property therefore appears more than once, sometimes at different prices. How a market without sole agency works

  • The first viewing binds

    Whoever showed you a property first is usually regarded as your agent for that property. Switching later easily leads to disputes over the commission. So choose before the viewings.

  • The seller pays the commission

    An agent who accompanies you thoroughly therefore costs you no more than one who merely unlocks the door. Who pays the commission and what follows

  • The register is voluntary

    The Balearic Islands keep an official register of estate agents; under Ley 3/2024 registration is voluntary. At the beginning of February 2026 around 1,850 agents were registered, according to provisional figures from the Balearic housing ministry. How to check an entry

Ten questions you can put to any agent before the first viewing are in the guide Why the agent matters in Mallorca. The criteria we use to vet agents are on the home page.

How we support you

from enquiry to recommendation

You describe your plans to us in the agent enquiry. Johannes Partz then calls you personally to discuss your search. He then recommends up to three suitable agents; whether and which one you engage is your decision. It is free of charge for buyers.

Sources and status

where the figures come from

Legal status: consolidated versions in the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE), retrieved on 9 October 2026. Tax rates and deadlines change with budget and emergency laws. Check the status again before you decide to buy; this page is no substitute for legal or tax advice.

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