Note

How long it takes to sell a house in Spain

§ 1No official figure

Owners ask how long a sale takes. We looked for an official statistic on the time between listing and completion and found none we could cite. Agents quote averages, but they have an interest in the answer. This page belongs to the chapter on selling in detail, and it explains the stages and what drives their length, without inventing a number.

§ 2Phase one: finding a buyer

The time to find a buyer depends on the price compared with similar homes, the condition, the location and the season. A price that is too high stays on the market. Ask local agents for recent sales near you with dates and prices, and compare them with the asking prices. Agent commission explained explains how to ask, and how to read a listing agreement with a minimum term.

§ 3Phase two: reaching the deed

After the private contract, the time depends on the buyer’s finance, the checks on the papers and the date set for the deed. A buyer with a loan waits for the lender’s valuation and approval. The papers may take time to collect, as documents for selling explained explains. A power of attorney needs a notary appointment. These steps can be done in parallel if you plan them, as the page on more on the selling process shows.

§ 4Phase three: closing

On the day of the deed the loan on your home is paid off, if you have one, and the lender then issues the release. Selling with a mortgage explained explains that the formal cancellation may take longer than the payment. After the deed the buyer pays the taxes and registers the title. You file your own return later, as the capital gains section explains.

§ 5Common delays

A mismatch between the registry and the real property, such as an extension not recorded, can stop the deed. An unpaid community debt must be cleared, as the law ties unpaid expenses of the last expired part of the year and the previous three calendar years to the property. A missing energy certificate must be obtained. A lender may be slow. An owner abroad may not have arranged a power of attorney. Each can be tackled early.

§ 6What helps

Price the home with evidence, prepare the papers before you list, ask the community for its certificate, ask your tax adviser to estimate the tax, and arrange authority if you will not attend. Respond quickly to the buyer’s lawyer’s questions. Keep the insurance until the handover.

§ 7Seasonal and local effects

Demand varies by place and season, particularly in holiday areas. We did not find official data on this, so ask local professionals and compare more than one view.

§ 8Plan with a margin

Allow more time than the agent says, and avoid fixing a move or a purchase elsewhere to a deed date until the private contract is signed and the finance is confirmed.

General information only. This is not legal, tax or financial advice. Check your own situation with a qualified adviser.