What changes above one million euros
Above one million euros, what changes is not the rule of law. It is the cost of an error. The same poorly read contrato de arras costs a few thousand euros on a studio and several hundred thousand on a villa in Sitges. The same undetected planning irregularity goes unnoticed on an apartment and becomes a six-figure regularisation project on a house with a pool. An acquisition at this level is secured ahead of the notary, on the buyer side.
The real cost of an acquisition in Barcelona
Estimate the all-in envelope beyond the headline price.
excluding advisory fees, depending on the engagement
Progressive transfer-tax scale, second-hand
Indicative order of magnitude, 2026 scale, non-contractual. Transfer tax in Catalonia is progressive and depends on the price and the profile. The exact figure is confirmed with the tax adviser.
Excluding advisory fees, depending on the engagement.
Five zones where an error costs the most
The contrato de arras binds before the deed
Three variants with opposite effects. Depending on which one is signed, the buyer who withdraws loses the deposit, often 100 to 200 K€ on a 2 M€ transaction. The legal reading happens before signing.
Verifications fall to the buyer
The notary authenticates the deed. Charges, the cadastre and planning compliance are verified on the buyer side, ahead of signing.
Planning decides the value
ITE, cedula, and tourist licences. In Barcelona city, the schedule in force extinguishes existing HUT licences at the end of 2028, with no renewal, subject to pending appeals. On the coast, in Sitges, Castelldefels or on the Costa Brava, the licence regime is verified municipality by municipality. On villas, an undeclared pool or outbuilding turns a prestige acquisition into a lengthy regularisation.
Acquisition tax in Catalonia is progressive
Since 2025, transfer tax on second-hand property is calculated in brackets, from 10 to 13 % depending on the price, payable within the month following signing. The total real cost often exceeds the headline price by 12 to 15 %.
The buyer's tax status changes everything
Resident or non-resident, reporting obligations differ. For the Spanish tax resident, they extend to assets held outside Spain above a threshold. The subject is identified before signing, not after.
What PSL Avocat does, on the buyer side
Due diligence on the property
Registro de la Propiedad, charges, mortgages, easements, planning status, ITE and cedula, community debts, tourist rental restrictions.
Contracts
Review and negotiation of the contrato de arras and the escritura publica, and of the compromis on the French side. The buyer signs knowing what they are committing to.
Acquisition structure
Own name, French SCI, Spanish SL, usufruct split. Legal comparison, tax dimension handled with the tax adviser, integrated before signing.
Cross-border coordination
Single point of contact on the buyer side. Notary, agent, seller's counsel, gestoria, tax adviser, broker. One practice for two jurisdictions.
Areas of focus
Barcelona and the Catalan coast
For whom
International buyers operating between two legal systems and several languages. In Barcelona and on the Catalan coast, from Pedralbes and Sarrià to Sitges, Castelldefels, Sant Cugat, Alella and the Costa Brava.
Fifteen years structuring complex operations for international organisations and multinational groups.
Frequently asked questions
To discuss a specific acquisition in Barcelona, Pedralbes, Sarrià, Eixample, Sitges, Castelldefels, Sant Cugat, Alella or Costa Brava : discuss your acquisition. First exchange in French, English, Spanish or Italian. No commitment.
Updated 6 May 2026