Property in Spain | Real estate Spanish-English glossary | Useful Spanish when buying property in Spain
Our glossary includes some Spanish words which will be useful if you want to buy a house in Spain. Buying property is a serious business, and even if you don't speak Spanish, if you learn the basic concepts you will feel more confident as you go through the procedure of buying your house in Spain.
Some of
the Spanish terms here are unfamiliar to people who are starting to learn more
about the Spanish system of real estate. For a more detailed definition or complementary
information, click on the Spanish word if it is a link.
Try our Spanish pronunciation guide for a totally unscientific but pretty effective description of the pronunciation of the Spanish terms listed below. Check out our emergency phone numbers too.
Spanish
term |
English
term |
| Abogado | Spanish Lawyer (Fees of Spanish lawyers) |
| Administrador de Fincas | Licensed property administrator |
| Agente de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria (API) | Property agent |
Amortización |
Depreciation. Redemption. |
| Arras | Down payment, deposit |
| Aval | Guarantee requested by the bank to approve a mortgage application |
| Bungalow | 2 or 3-storey terrace house |
| Caja de ahorros | Savings bank (usually offer good mortgage deals) |
| Cargas | Charges. Burden |
| Certificado registral | Certificate informing about debts of a specific property |
| Villa | |
| Comunidad de propietarios | Community of property owners |
| Contrato de Compraventa | Private property sales contract. The buyer pays a 10% deposit and the contract is signed by buyer and vendor. |
| Documento privado | Private document |
| Documento público | Public document |
| Escritura | Deeds |
| Escritura pública de compraventa | Title Deed |
| Euribor | Euro Interbank Offered Rate |
| Finca | Estate |
| Gestoría | Firm specialised in obtaining official authorisations, permits, licences etc |
| Hipoteca | Mortgage |
| Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles | Yearly property tax |
| Impuesto sobre el Incremento del Valor de los Terrenos | Tax on the increase of land value |
| Inmobiliaria | Estate agent |
| IBI: Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles | Annual real estate tax |
| Impuesto sobre el patrimonio | Capital gains tax |
| Incremento de patrimonio | Capital gain |
| Libre de cargas | Free of debts |
| Libro del edificio | Documents which must be handed over by the promoter when building is finished. |
| Licencia de obra | Building permission |
| N.I.E. | Identity Number for Foreigners (see how to get a NIE in the UK) |
| Notario | Notary |
| Nota simple | Certificate from Property Registry |
| Obra nueva | Document certifying a brand new building |
| Oferta vinculante | Bank document certifying the exact mortgage conditions |
| Pago en efectivo | Cash payment |
| Parcela | Plot of land |
| Piso | Flat |
| Poder | Power of attorney |
| Préstamo con techo | Loan with variable interests with fixed minimum and maximum |
| Préstamo hipotecario | Mortgage loan |
| Capital gains tax on the sale of property | |
| Registro de la Propiedad | Property ownership Register |
| Representante fiscal | Official tax representative of foreigner |
| Residencia (permiso) | Residency (permit) |
Residente |
Resident |
| Se vende | For sale |
| Seguro de amortización de préstamos | Loan repayment insurance |
| Seguro Multirriesgo Hogar | House insurance |
| Señal | Deposit, down payment |
| Tasación | Independent valuation of property |
| Terreno | Plot of land |
| Tipo de interés | Rate of interest |
| Título de propiedad | Deeds stating the ownership of property, date of sale etc. |
Valor
Catastral |
Assessed value of property for tax purposes |
| Other useful links | |
| Latest news on the property market in Spain Selection of news articles related to the real estate market here. | |
| Mortgages in Spain, a brief introduction to the Spanish mortgage market, how it works and interest rates in Spain | |
| Spanish banks, before applying for a mortgage, find out more about Spain's most popular banks and Spanish savings banks. | |
| Property taxes in Spain, description of taxes involved in purchasing property and yearly property taxes in Spain. | |
| Useful Spanish vocab for buying a house - you should learn at least the basic terms. Check out our pronunciation guide too. | |
| Renting property in Spain - if you want to buy to rent, then read this section and our free notice board of property to rent in Spain. | |
| Spanish lawyers - information on lawyers fees in Spain for property transactions | |
| Houses for sale in Spain - take a look at the kind of houses available. Or check out our free Spain property for sale board. | |
