Chapter

Buying a house on the Costa Blanca

§ 1The coast

The Costa Blanca is the coast of the province of Alicante, from Dénia in the north to Orihuela Costa in the south, with Alicante city and its airport at the centre. It has long attracted northern European buyers, and today it is one of the most international property markets in Spain. This chapter belongs to the section on the rules on where to buy. It gives the official figures and rules we could verify, and it ranks no town.

§ 2What the registry shows

The property registrars report that foreigners made up 46.43% of home purchases in the province of Alicante in the second quarter of 2026, the highest provincial share, and 31.03% in the Valencian Community as a whole, against 15.98% nationally. The statistics institute reports an annual price rise of 13.0% in the region in the same quarter. These figures describe a market in which many buyers are foreign, and they say nothing about the quality or the safety of any particular home.

§ 3Valencian taxes

The general resale transfer tax rate for housing in the Valencian Community is 9% for transfers accrued from 1 June 2026, down from ten per cent, according to the Ministry of Finance table updated in September 2026. The regional tax agency page we read is undated and still lists ten per cent, so treat it as out of date. Lower rates exist for young buyers and large families, and the costs section explains how to confirm the rate for your deed.

§ 4Tourist lets

Tourist lets in the Valencian Community need the regional authorisation, regional registration and the community’s prior express approval. The regional tourism FAQ we read lists electronic registration, an occupancy licence, a single cadastral reference, liability insurance and a favourable municipal report on urban compatibility, and it says the community may restrict lets by statutes recorded in the registry. The section on renting and investing explains the layers and what we could not read.

§ 5Floods

The storm of 29 October 2024 brought 771.8 mm on the calendar day to Turís in the province of Valencia, and the weather agency reported 223 deaths. It also noted that flash floods and ravines reached coastal towns that received little rain themselves. Alicante province has dry ravines too, and heavy autumn rain can flood them. Check the national flood viewer and the access road for every plot, as the location checks section explains.

§ 6The towns

Alicante covers Alicante, the provincial capital, its airport and its flats. Torrevieja covers Torrevieja, a large resale market in the south.

Benidorm covers Benidorm, with its high-rise skyline.

§ 7The northern coast

Jávea covers Jávea. Dénia covers Dénia.

Calpe covers Calpe. Altea covers Altea, a hillside town between Calpe and Benidorm.

§ 8The south

Orihuela Costa covers Orihuela Costa, a coastal strip of urbanisations in the southern end of the province, where licence history deserves attention.

§ 9Licences and title

Parts of the Alicante countryside and coast have a history of houses built without proper licence. Ask the town hall for the planning status in writing, check the registry note and the cadastral record, and let your lawyer verify the title and the licences. The legal process section explains the checks.

§ 10Airports

The operator offers interactive noise maps for the airports of Alicante-Elche and Valencia among the fourteen it covers, as the location checks section explains. Check flight paths if the home is near the airport.

§ 11Who it may suit

It may suit buyers who want an international market with many resale homes and good flights. It may not suit those who want a quiet Spanish village without foreign neighbours.

§ 12The other chapters

For method, see best places step by step.

For budget, see affordable places for buyers and for setting see an overview of coast, village or city.

The Costa del Sol is covered in Costa del Sol step by step.

§ 13Neighbouring regions

Valencian Community in detail covers the Valencian Community as a whole. Costa Cálida in detail covers Murcia.

What to know about inland Spain covers inland Spain. Andalusia in detail covers Andalusia.

§ 14The remaining regions

Catalonia in detail covers Catalonia and Balearic Islands in detail covers the Balearic Islands.

Canary Islands in detail covers the Canary Islands and Madrid in detail covers Madrid.

Northern Spain in detail covers northern Spain.

§ 15Questions to put to the seller

Ask the seller or agent for the registry note, the cadastral reference, the latest property tax receipt, the energy certificate and the community certificate of debts. Ask about the licence history, the community accounts and whether the street has flooded. Put the questions in writing and keep the answers. A seller who cannot produce a basic document before a deposit is telling you something about the sale. The legal process section explains each document and who can supply it.

§ 16Costs beyond the price

Budget for the transfer tax, or VAT and stamp duty on a new home, then the notary, the registry, a lawyer and any bank or valuation costs. After the purchase come the annual property tax, community charges, insurance, utilities and maintenance. Community charges and the cost of insurance after the recent storms can change the yearly cost. The costs section explains each item without giving a single total, because the total depends on the price, the region and the type of home.

§ 17Visiting in more than one season

Visit in winter and in August, because many urbanisations are busy in the summer and empty after. Go on a weekday and at a weekend, in the morning and at night, and talk to neighbours and local shopkeepers. A viewing arranged by an agent shows the best hour of the best day, so return unannounced if you can. Take photographs of the street, the access and the neighbouring buildings, and compare them with the plans.

§ 18Working with advisers

A lawyer who works for you, and not for the developer or the agent, should check the title, the licences and the charges. A surveyor can check the structure, and a tax adviser can explain your position as a resident or a non-resident. Choose a lawyer who checks licences and title, because planning disputes have affected some developments. Ask each adviser for a written fee before they start, and keep the fee separate from any commission paid by a seller.

§ 19Deposits and timing

Reservation fees and deposits are common in Spain. Ask what each payment buys, whether it is refundable and under which conditions, and who holds the money. Ask in writing which transfer tax rate your quote uses, and check it against the date of your deed. Do not pay a large sum before the checks above are complete, and do not let an agent hurry you with a story of rival buyers. The legal process section explains the private contract, the deposit and the deed.

§ 20If you plan to let the home

Rental income is never certain, and the rules are layered: national, regional and municipal law, plus the statutes of the community. Valencian lets need regional authorisation and the community’s prior express approval, so check the statutes and the minutes. Check what the registry and the community allow before you buy, and budget for periods without tenants. The section on renting and investing explains the layers and what we could not read.

§ 21Reading the figures on this page

The figures here come from official sources and describe averages for a region or a period. They do not describe the home in front of you. Use them to set expectations, then compare with recent sales in the exact street. We record the source of each figure in the list at the foot of the page, and we say where we could not read a rule, so that you know what to ask a professional.

§ 22Seasons and services

Many Costa Blanca towns change character with the calendar. In summer the beaches, bars and urbanisations are full and parking is difficult. In winter some shops, restaurants and community pools close, and the streets are quiet. Visit in both seasons, and ask residents how the town works in the months you plan to use the home, because the daily experience of a resort differs greatly from the experience of a visitor in August.

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