New build urbanización sea hills currently lists one analysed project, priced at €1,800,000, with a veritySpain editorial score of 7.1 out of 10. That single data point reflects an emerging, low-volume market on the Costa Blanca, where transaction counts remain thin compared with the broader Alicante province. Buying here is not complicated in principle. The Spanish conveyancing process follows a well-established legal framework, but international buyers who skip the preparatory steps tend to pay more and wait longer. This guide covers the sequence from reservation through to key collection.

Getting your legal and financial foundation right

Spain requires every foreign buyer to hold a Número de Identificación de Extranjero (NIE) before signing any binding contract. Without it, no notary will complete the escritura. Applications go through a Spanish consulate in your home country or through a Comisaría Nacional de Policía office in Spain. Processing typically takes days to a few weeks depending on workload. Alongside the NIE, open a Spanish bank account: mortgage lenders and developers both prefer domestic transfers, and it simplifies tax payments later. Registradores de España publish quarterly data on foreign-buyer transaction volumes nationally, which consistently show northern-European nationalities among the top purchasers in coastal Alicante municipalities. Appoint an independent lawyer, not the developer's recommended solicitor. The fee is usually 1% of the purchase price.

Reservation, private contract and due diligence

A reservation deposit, typically €3,000–€10,000, takes the property off the market while due diligence proceeds. It is refundable if the developer fails conditions; it is generally not refundable if you withdraw. Within 30 days the parties sign a Contrato de Arras Penitenciales or a private purchase contract. At that stage the buyer pays 10% of the purchase price. The developer is legally obliged to hold stage payments in a guaranteed bank account or provide an insurance-backed guarantee under Ley 57/1968, updated by Disposición adicional primera of the Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación. Verify that guarantee before transferring funds. Your lawyer should confirm the property has a valid licencia de obras and that no urban-planning irregularities affect the plot.

Taxes, costs and timelines

New-build purchases attract IVA at 10% of the purchase price, plus Actos Jurídicos Documentados (AJD), a stamp duty that varies by autonomous community. In the Comunitat Valenciana, where Alicante falls, AJD has historically been set at 1.5%. On top of that, budget for notary fees (roughly €600–€1,200 depending on value), Land Registry inscription fees, and your lawyer's fee. Total acquisition costs for a new build in this region typically land in the 13%–15% range over the purchase price. Banco de España tracks mortgage conditions and lending rates for reference when modelling financing costs. At a purchase price of €1,800,000, total transaction costs could therefore reach €240,000–€270,000. Factor this into your liquidity planning before signing the arras.

Completion, snagging and registration

Completion takes place before a Spanish notary. Both buyer and seller, or their appointed representatives under a notarial power of attorney, must attend. The notary reads the escritura de compraventa in full; the buyer pays the outstanding balance and costs on the day. After signing, the buyer collects the keys. Registration at the Registro de la Propiedad follows: your lawyer submits the escritura for inscription, which officially records your ownership and protects against third-party claims. Snagging inspections should happen before completion, not after. Developers are required to provide a 10-year structural guarantee (seguro decenal) and a 3-year guarantee on habitability defects under the Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación. Request copies of both warranties at handover. Registradores de España note that timely inscription is the single most important protection for a buyer's title.

Key takeaways

• Obtain your NIE and open a Spanish bank account before signing anything binding.
• Pay only into a guaranteed account or against an insurance policy under Ley 57/1968 for stage payments.
• Budget 13%–15% over the purchase price for IVA, AJD, notary, registry and legal fees.
• Instruct an independent lawyer, separate from the developer's advisers, to conduct title due diligence.
• Collect the snagging list and structural warranty documentation at or before key handover, not months later.