{"id":26684,"date":"2026-06-09T11:12:46","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T11:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/sin-categorizar\/new-build-or-resale\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T20:11:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T20:11:04","slug":"new-build-or-resale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/costa-blanca\/new-build-or-resale\/","title":{"rendered":"New-build or resale?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pros, Cons and Taxes to Help You Make the Right Purchase<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you decide to take the plunge and buy a home in Spain&#8217;s best coastal areas, the big question arises: should I go for a brand-new home, or look for a resale property with character and an established track record on the market?<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Both options have their advantages and drawbacks, and the right choice depends on your priorities, your budget and your lifestyle. What&#8217;s more, the tax implications vary considerably depending on what you choose and where you buy.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s break it all down so you can make the best decision, with no last-minute surprises.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. New-Build Homes: The Joy of Being the First Owner<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Buying a brand-new property (whether off-plan or newly completed) is a very attractive option, especially for international buyers and holiday-home buyers.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Los Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Modern design and efficiency: Open-plan layouts, integrated kitchens and large windows. They also have modern insulation that dramatically reduces electricity and heating\/cooling bills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Builder\u2019s guarantees: By law, you are covered against defects in finishes (1 year), habitability issues (3 years) and structural problems (10 years).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customisation and flexible payment: If you buy off-plan, you can often choose your finishes and pay in convenient instalments until handover.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Higher prices: New-build properties cost more per square metre due to current material and land costs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Waiting times: If you buy off-plan, you\u2019ll have to wait between 12 and 24 months before you can move in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Location: New developments are usually in expanding areas, slightly further from historic town centres.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Resale Homes: Location and Immediate Availability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Previously owned homes make up the largest share of the market and hold some great opportunities.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Los Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prime locations: They are often frontline beach properties, in established town centres or in urbanisations where there is no land left to build on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immediate availability: Sign at the notary and the keys are yours much sooner.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Price and room for negotiation: The price per square metre is usually more competitive, and there is more scope to negotiate with the seller.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Renovations and maintenance: You may well need to invest money in updating the bathrooms, kitchen or electrical installations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lower energy efficiency: Older buildings use more energy to stay cool or warm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hidden community costs: If the urbanisation is older, there may be special levies to repair fa\u00e7ades, pools or lifts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Crunching the Numbers: Taxes in Spain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is where the decision becomes purely financial. In Spain, taxes vary dramatically depending on whether you buy new-build or resale. But be aware: taxes on resale properties depend on the region where the home is located.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s compare the Costa del Sol (Andalusia) and the Costa Blanca (Alicante \/ Valencia region):<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you buy new-build, the taxes are the same throughout Spain.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New-build properties don\u2019t pay transfer tax (ITP); they pay VAT instead.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>VAT (IVA): A flat 10% on the sale price stated in the title deed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AJD (Stamp Duty): A tax levied on formalising the deed before a notary.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On the Costa del Sol (Andalusia): 1.2%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On the Costa Blanca (Alicante): 1.4%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New-build summary: Allow for around 11.2\u201311.4% in taxes, depending on the region.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If you buy resale:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Resale homes don\u2019t pay VAT; they pay ITP (property transfer tax), and the rate is set by each region:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>On the Costa del Sol (M\u00e1laga \/ Andalusia): ITP is set at a reduced general rate of 7%. This makes buying a resale home on the Costa del Sol very attractive from a tax perspective. (Even lower rates of 6% or 3.5% apply to young buyers or people with disabilities, subject to certain price conditions.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On the Costa Blanca (Alicante \/ Valencia region): The general ITP rate is 9% (11% for properties over \u20ac1,000,000). In other words, for the same resale home, you\u2019ll pay 2% more in tax in Alicante than in M\u00e1laga. (There are also reduced rates for young buyers and for lower-value main residences, but the general rate for investors and second-home buyers is 9%.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In Conclusion: Which Should You Choose?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you\u2019re looking for complete peace of mind, no renovations to worry about and maximum energy efficiency, and you don\u2019t mind paying a little more in tax or waiting for your home, new-build is the option for you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you\u2019re after the best location, the ability to move in straight away, a more competitive purchase price and, especially if you\u2019re buying on the Costa del Sol, the benefit of noticeably lower transfer tax (7%), resale is your ideal option.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shall we work out together which type of property best fits your budget?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pros, Cons and Taxes to Help You Make the Right Purchase When you decide to take the plunge and buy a home in Spain&#8217;s best coastal areas, the big question arises: should I go for a brand-new home, or look for a resale property with character and an established track record on the market? There [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4691,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1232,1248,1249,1242,1250,1243],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-costa-blanca","category-costa-del-sol","category-new-build","category-real-estate","category-resale","category-sin-categorizar"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/pexels-griffinw-34778211-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26684"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26685,"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26684\/revisions\/26685"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/valysia.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}