Buying a new build in Relleu means entering one of Alicante's more compact markets: veritySpain currently tracks one active project here, carrying a score of 7.3 out of 10 and a list price of €149,000. That score reflects solid fundamentals for a village-scale development in the Valencian interior. Relleu sits roughly 25 kilometres inland from Benidorm, in the Marina Baixa comarca, at an altitude that gives it a noticeably cooler summer climate than the coast. For international buyers, the purchase process follows the standard Spanish new-build route: reservation contract, NIE registration, private purchase contract, and final escritura at a notary. Each step carries its own deadlines and costs.

Getting your legal groundwork right before you sign anything

Spain requires every non-resident buyer to hold a Número de Identificación de Extranjero (NIE) before completion. Obtaining an NIE can take two to eight weeks when done through a Spanish consulate abroad, so apply before you travel or appoint a local gestor with power of attorney to act on your behalf. One short fact worth noting: the NIE is not a residence permit. It is a tax identification number only. A qualified Spanish property lawyer (abogado) independent of the developer is the most important professional you will engage. They will verify the escritura de obra nueva (new-build deed), confirm the developer holds a licencia de primera ocupación, check that the property is free of charges, and review the community statutes. Budget roughly 1,200 to 2,000 euros for legal fees on a purchase at this price point, though exact quotes vary by firm.

Reservation, private contract, and staged payments

The reservation contract typically requires a deposit of 3,000 to 6,000 euros, which secures the unit and removes it from the developer's sales list. This deposit is usually, but not always, legally protected under Spain's building guarantee legislation. Once surveys and legal checks are complete, buyer and developer sign a contrato de arras or a private purchase contract (contrato privado de compraventa). At this stage the buyer typically pays 10 to 20 percent of the purchase price. Staged payments linked to construction milestones follow in many off-plan projects. Registradores de España records indicate that new-build transactions in the Comunitat Valenciana have remained a consistent share of total residential registrations in recent years, reflecting continued developer activity across the region. Know that all stage payments on off-plan properties must, by law, be covered by a bank guarantee or insurance policy protecting your funds if the developer fails to complete.

Taxes and closing costs for new-build in Alicante province

IVA (VAT) on new residential property in Spain is fixed at 10 percent of the purchase price. On a €149,000 property that is €14,900 in VAT, payable on completion. Stamp duty (Actos Jurídicos Documentados, AJD) in the Valencian Community currently stands at 1.5 percent of the declared value, though rates are set by regional government and can change. A realistic total closing cost estimate for a new-build purchase in this province, inclusive of notary fees, land registry fees, legal costs, and taxes, typically falls in the range of 13 to 15 percent of the purchase price. Banco de España publishes mortgage conditions data quarterly; buyers financing part of the purchase should compare euribor-linked variable rates against fixed-rate products, both of which have shifted materially since 2022. Spanish lenders generally require a minimum 30 percent deposit from non-resident buyers.

Timeline from reservation to keys

Off-plan projects in small municipalities can carry longer timelines than coast-side developments. A realistic programme runs: reservation and NIE (weeks one to eight), legal due diligence and private contract (weeks four to twelve), construction and stage payments (months three to eighteen depending on build progress), and final notarial completion within 30 days of the developer issuing the licencia de primera ocupación. That licence confirms the building authority has inspected and approved the finished structure. Buyers should request the schedule in writing at contract stage. Five to ten percent of new-build projects in Spain experience delays beyond the contractual long-stop date, according to general commentary from Spanish legal practitioners, so include a delay clause in your private contract with a right to rescind and recover deposits if the developer exceeds the agreed longstop. After signing the escritura, the buyer registers the property at the Registro de la Propiedad, typically handled by the notary's office within a few weeks of completion.

Key takeaways

• Secure your NIE well before you intend to sign any contract, allowing up to eight weeks for processing.
• Appoint an independent Spanish property lawyer; do not rely on the developer's legal team.
• Budget 13 to 15 percent above the purchase price for taxes, notary, registry, and legal costs.
• All off-plan stage payments must be covered by a bank guarantee protecting your funds by Spanish law.
• veritySpain scores the only current Relleu project at 7.3/10, with a list price of €149,000.