Guides Index – Spain | Guides Global

Legal, Tax & Other Guides about Spain

We have produced well over 100 guides about living, working and doing business in Spain.

Many were created both as written guides and as video interviews – the interviews are available both on our YouTube channel and embedded into the written guides here.

General guides about Spain

The Climate in Spain

Spain is the most climatically diverse country in Europe and in the world's top ten. Generally, on the coast, it ...
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A Spanish flag waving in the wind against a blue sky

Spain – Facts & Figures

Spain is a hugely popular destination for both expats and tourists. It has been a world power for over 500 ...
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Cultural Differences in Spain

The cultural differences between various countries are fascinating and, often, surprising. Understanding them is hugely important if you want to ...
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Why is the law different in different parts of Spain? – Video Guide

This is a question that we get asked a lot - for people not used to Spain, the differences in ...
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Autonomous Communities in Spain

"Autonomous communities" (comunidad autónomas) are the political and administrative regions of Spain into which the whole of Spain is divided ...
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Clubs, Associations & Support Groups in Spain

In Spain there are lots of clubs, associations, support groups and sources of information to help foreigners living in the ...
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Transport links with the Costa del Sol in Spain

Getting to the Costa del Sol Getting to the Costa del Sol by air If you're flying into the Costa ...
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Video Tour of the Costa del Sol

This guide gathers together film showing various parts of the Costa del Sol. It is intended to give those who ...
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Public holidays in Spain

You'll find a full list of national and regional holidays here. However, don't forget that each municipality will have two ...
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Books & media about Spain

Press & Media in Spain

Spain is still well served by media, both in Spanish and in other major languages. find out what's available ...
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Books about Spain

Video tours of Spain

Video Tour of the Costa del Sol

This guide gathers together film showing various parts of the Costa del Sol. It is intended to give those who ...
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The law in Spain: legal guides

The legal system in Spain

The Legal System in Spain

If you are going to live, work or do business in a foreign country one of the most important factors ...
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Escritura Publica (Formal contract of sale)

Notaries (Notarios) in Spain

Notaries are a crucial part of the legal system in Spain. They validate, witness and store all sorts of important ...
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Why is the law different in different parts of Spain? – Video Guide

This is a question that we get asked a lot - for people not used to Spain, the differences in ...
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Autonomous Communities in Spain

"Autonomous communities" (comunidad autónomas) are the political and administrative regions of Spain into which the whole of Spain is divided ...
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Accident claims in Spain

Dealing with an Accident in Spain

Nobody thinks they will suffer an accident but, if you do, you need to act quickly to make sure you ...
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Powers of Attorney for Use in Spain

Powers of Attorney are really useful documents allowing somebody else to do things on your behalf. When should you make ...
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A workman with an injured knee being treated by a colleague

Accidents at Work in Spain

All accidents are bad. Accidents at work are usually surrounded by lots of regulatory and reporting requirements. Spain is no ...
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The aftermath of a car crash - a silver car has rear-ended a blue car.

Road Accidents in Spain

Accidents on the road are an all-too-frequent occurrence and, even though the rate of accidents has been significantly reduced by ...
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Accidents in Spain in Public Places or Due to Defective Premises

Accidents in public places or caused by dangerous premises are dealt with in a special way in Spain. Is it ...
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Criminal law in Spain

Drinking & Driving in Spain

A couple of decades ago, drinking and driving in Spain was commonplace. Today it is not. As in many countries, ...
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Hands in handcuffs - hands balled into fists and raised in the air

Criminal Law in Spain

Crime and criminal cases in Spain should be of interest to everybody who lives there, however honest you may be ...
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Court cases in Spain

Disputes & Court Cases in Spain

Disputes occur in any country. Often they are the result of genuine misunderstandings. Even more often they are the result ...
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Powers of Attorney for Use in Spain

Powers of Attorney are really useful documents allowing somebody else to do things on your behalf. When should you make ...
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Defective Products Law in Spain

When you buy any product, things can go wrong with it. In Spain, the law deals quite comprehensively with your ...
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Debt Collection in Spain

For any business or individual, debt collecting is sometimes a tedious necessity. In Spain, it can be very slow and, ...
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Family law in Spain

Sex & Sexuality in Spain

This guide is about sex and sexuality in Spain. It covers issues like the age of consent, and LGBT rights ...
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Marriage in Spain

Marriage is still a major part of our culture - and where better to do it than a vibrant country ...
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A black and white picture of a child holding an older adults hand

Child Abduction to Spain

There is nothing more frightening or distressing than for your child to be abducted: taken away from you. This guides ...
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Two figurines - a bride and a groom - face away from each other, with angry faces

Getting a Divorce in Spain

Divorce is one of the most common risks associated with living in another country. The reason why is subject to ...
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Family Law in Spain

Family law is immensely complex because families are immensely complex. It also - together with criminal law - reflects the ...
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Matrimonial Regimes in Spain: the Law

Whenever you are married, certain rules govern how your finances are going to be treated. These are the rules in ...
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Contract law in Spain

Contract Law in Spain

Contracts - written or verbal, large or small - are pretty much central to large parts of our personal and ...
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Powers of Attorney for Use in Spain

Powers of Attorney are really useful documents allowing somebody else to do things on your behalf. When should you make ...
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Consumer protection in Spain

Consumer Protection in Spain

What happens when you buy something and it doesn't work? Or which is dangerous? Or which works for a short ...
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Defective Products Law in Spain

When you buy any product, things can go wrong with it. In Spain, the law deals quite comprehensively with your ...
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Debt Collection in Spain

For any business or individual, debt collecting is sometimes a tedious necessity. In Spain, it can be very slow and, ...
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Business law in Spain

Doing Business in Spain

Doing business in Spain is an enticing prospect. It is a large market (46 million people) and a trillion dollar ...
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Powers of Attorney for Use in Spain

Powers of Attorney are really useful documents allowing somebody else to do things on your behalf. When should you make ...
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A lego businessman at his desk, grimacing at the camera

Starting a Business in Spain

Starting a business in a new country is exciting and it can be very profitable. It will certainly change your ...
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Three young people around a table - they are board members at a company.

Setting Up a Company in Spain

Do you need a company in Spain? If so, which type? What are your options and what are their respective ...
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Employment law in Spain

Employment Law in Spain

Some people work for the same employer, without incident or trouble, for years or decades. Others are not so lucky ...
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Debt & bankruptcy in Spain

Debt Collection in Spain

For any business or individual, debt collecting is sometimes a tedious necessity. In Spain, it can be very slow and, ...
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Property law in Spain

Buying a Property (Real Estate) in Spain

Buying a home or other property (real estate) costs a lot of money and so is worrying. It is also ...
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Buying Commercial Property in Spain

There are two group of people who buy commercial property. Those who need it for their own use and those ...
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Buying Off-Plan (unfinished) Property (Real Estate) in Spain

Many people like the idea of buying property before it has been completed. There are good reasons for doing so ...
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Buying Newly Built Property (Real Estate) in Spain

New property is very popular, especially with investors. What are the special things to look out for when buying a ...
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Fractional Ownership & Timeshare in Spain

Timeshare and fractional ownership are both concepts that strike fear in many people. In some cases, they should! In other ...
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Selling a Property (Real Estate) in Spain

Selling a property (real estate) in Spain is quite a simple process. Yet there are still things that can catch ...
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Letting (Renting Out) Your Property in Spain

Whether you are a professional landlord or somebody who lets their home when they are not using it, there is ...
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Renting a Property in Spain

We all need somewhere to live. Find out the rules about renting a property in Spain - and how to ...
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Wills & inheritance in Spain

Dealing with a Death in Spain

Every country and culture has its own way of dealing with a death. From the bureaucracy to the ritual and ...
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Inheritance in Spain

Nowhere can a bit of forward planning produce such simple and dramatic results as in the area of inheritance. It ...
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Wills for use in Spain

Let's be clear. If you have any assets in Spain - a house, a business, a car, a bank account ...
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Inheritance Planning in Spain

Nobody wants to face up to the inevitability of death and so most people never do any inheritance planning. That's ...
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Other guides to Turkish law

Driving in Spain

Every year, hundreds of thousands of foreigners drive in Spain. Many worry about it before they do it for the ...
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Autonomous Communities in Spain

"Autonomous communities" (comunidad autónomas) are the political and administrative regions of Spain into which the whole of Spain is divided ...
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Driving Licences in Spain

Almost every adult who wants to live or work in Spain will also want to drive in Spain. They need ...
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Sex & Sexuality in Spain

This guide is about sex and sexuality in Spain. It covers issues like the age of consent, and LGBT rights ...
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Immigration & visas for Spain

Immigration, Visas & Residence in Spain

This guide gives details of the immigration rules in Spain. It covers immigration for settlement when joining relatives, immigration to ...
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Coming to Spain to Set Up a Business (Immigration/Visas)

If you want to set up a business in Spain there are plenty of opportunities to do so, especially if ...
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Coming to the Costa del Sol as a Refugee

The scope of this guide This guide discusses who is entitled to refugee status in Spain and how that status ...
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woman looking at the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona

Visas: Coming to Spain as a Tourist

Thousands of people visit Spain every year. This isn't surprising - it is a beautiful region with beautiful climate and ...
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Coming to Spain as a Student (Immigration/Visas)

Spanish further (tertiary) education is high-quality and its courses are relatively cheap. Spain has embraced the idea of the international ...
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Coming to Spain to Retire (Immigration/Visas)

Hundreds of foreigners retire to Spain each year. The weather is warm, the food is good and there are already ...
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Coming to Spain to Work (Immigration/Visas)

Well over 10% of Spain's workforce is made up of foreign nationals - and the number is growing quickly ...
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Residence by Investment in Spain (Immigration/Golden Visa)

One way to get the right to live in Spain is via its "residence by investment" ('golden visa') programme. This ...
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Coming to Spain to Join Your Family (Immigration/Visas)

This guide looks briefly at what's involved in joining a close family member in Spain. The rules governing this are ...
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Coming to Spain as an Asylum Seeker/Refugee (Immigration/Visas)

Spain is home to a reasonably small number of the world's 68million-plus refugees (2018). But Europe as a whole is ...
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Coming to Spain for Other Reasons (Immigration/Visas)

Our other guides to immigration cover the vast majority of cases where people wish to come and live in Spain ...
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Coming to Spain for Short-Term Work (Immigration/Visas)

Many people come to work in Spain on a short-term basis. Sometimes this will be a young person wanting a ...
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Relocation to Spain

Importing Your Car into Spain

Should you import you car into Spain or should you buy one there? If you want to import your car ...
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Living in Spain

Healthcare in Spain

This guide is about healthcare in Spain - the quality of the healthcare available and how to find and access ...
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Learning Spanish

This guide is about learning Spanish in Spain. Should you do it (spoiler: yes)? How should you do it, and ...
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Cultural Differences in Spain

The cultural differences between various countries are fascinating and, often, surprising. Understanding them is hugely important if you want to ...
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Driving in Spain

Every year, hundreds of thousands of foreigners drive in Spain. Many worry about it before they do it for the ...
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The internet in Spain and Costa del Sol

The Costa del Sol in Spain is fairly well served by internet providers, though service can be patchy outside of ...
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Religion in Spain

Click where you see for more information Introduction Whilst you might not see much of the Spanish population in church every ...
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The Internet in Spain

Introduction Spain is fairly well served by internet providers, though service can be patchy outside of urban areas. Shopping around ...
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Transport links with the Costa del Sol in Spain

Getting to the Costa del Sol Getting to the Costa del Sol by air If you're flying into the Costa ...
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Learning Spanish – in Spain or ‘back home’

Despite what some expats will tell you, learning Spanish is important if you're going to be spending a lot of ...
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Driving Licences in Spain

Almost every adult who wants to live or work in Spain will also want to drive in Spain. They need ...
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Education in Spain

Education in Spain is often very good, but can sometimes leave a lot to be desired. Whether your child receives ...
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Healthcare in Spain

Click where you see for more information Emergency numbers Call 112 - the general emergency number or 061 for an ambulance Languages spoken: ...
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Sex & Sexuality in Spain

This guide is about sex and sexuality in Spain. It covers issues like the age of consent, and LGBT rights ...
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Marriage in Spain

Marriage is still a major part of our culture - and where better to do it than a vibrant country ...
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Transport Links to and within Spain

As one of the world's major economies and the world's third largest tourist destination, Spain is well served when it ...
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Voting & Politics in Spain

Spanish politics is a complex and fractious subject. You'll learn more about the average Spaniard's views by sitting in a ...
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Social Security in Spain

Social security arrangements in Spain are extensive and expensive. They are also rather complicated and, very likely, different from those ...
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Insurance in Spain

Health Insurance in Spain

Social Security in Spain

Social security arrangements in Spain are extensive and expensive. They are also rather complicated and, very likely, different from those ...
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Insuring your Car in Spain

Insurance for your car is critical not just because the law requires you to have it but because of the ...
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Working in Spain

Coming to Spain to Set Up a Business (Immigration/Visas)

If you want to set up a business in Spain there are plenty of opportunities to do so, especially if ...
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Coming to Spain to Work (Immigration/Visas)

Well over 10% of Spain's workforce is made up of foreign nationals - and the number is growing quickly ...
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Coming to Spain for Short-Term Work (Immigration/Visas)

Many people come to work in Spain on a short-term basis. Sometimes this will be a young person wanting a ...
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Business in Spain

Doing Business in Spain

Doing business in Spain is an enticing prospect. It is a large market (46 million people) and a trillion dollar ...
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Business Issues in Spain

Every country has special issues when it comes to doing business. Spain is no exception. This guide focused on some ...
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Starting a Business in Spain

Starting a business in a new country is exciting and it can be very profitable. It will certainly change your ...
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Setting Up a Company in Spain

Do you need a company in Spain? If so, which type? What are your options and what are their respective ...
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Coming to Spain to Set Up a Business (Immigration/Visas)

If you want to set up a business in Spain there are plenty of opportunities to do so, especially if ...
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A rural Spanish restaurant frontage with many flowerpots.

Opening a Restaurant in Spain (Andalucia/Costa del Sol) – Video Guide

Many people want to open a restaurant in Spain, and that means there's a lot of competition for expats who ...
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Opening a Bar in Spain (Andalucia/Costa del Sol) – Video Guide

Lots of bars opened by expats fail - but some succeed, and succeed impressively. What makes the difference between a ...
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Employment Law in Spain

Some people work for the same employer, without incident or trouble, for years or decades. Others are not so lucky ...
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Debt Collection in Spain

For any business or individual, debt collecting is sometimes a tedious necessity. In Spain, it can be very slow and, ...
Read More

Buying Commercial Property in Spain

There are two group of people who buy commercial property. Those who need it for their own use and those ...
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Tax: the Taxation of Companies in Spain

In Spain, companies are taxes in a variety of ways. Understanding the system - and how it will work best ...
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Retiring to Spain

Coming to Spain to Retire (Immigration/Visas)

Hundreds of foreigners retire to Spain each year. The weather is warm, the food is good and there are already ...
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Property (real estate) in Spain

Buying a Property (Real Estate) in Spain

Buying a home or other property (real estate) costs a lot of money and so is worrying. It is also ...
Read More

Buying Commercial Property in Spain

There are two group of people who buy commercial property. Those who need it for their own use and those ...
Read More

Buying Off-Plan (unfinished) Property (Real Estate) in Spain

Many people like the idea of buying property before it has been completed. There are good reasons for doing so ...
Read More

Buying Newly Built Property (Real Estate) in Spain

New property is very popular, especially with investors. What are the special things to look out for when buying a ...
Read More

Fractional Ownership & Timeshare in Spain

Timeshare and fractional ownership are both concepts that strike fear in many people. In some cases, they should! In other ...
Read More

Property Development in Spain

A large part of the economy of Spain is based on construction and property development. In the past, it has ...
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Selling a Property (Real Estate) in Spain

Selling a property (real estate) in Spain is quite a simple process. Yet there are still things that can catch ...
Read More

Letting (Renting Out) Your Property in Spain

Whether you are a professional landlord or somebody who lets their home when they are not using it, there is ...
Read More

Renting a Property in Spain

We all need somewhere to live. Find out the rules about renting a property in Spain - and how to ...
Read More

Rescuing Failed Property Developments in Spain

In the era from 2007 to 2010-ish, there were lots of failed developments in Spain. Whether you were a buyer ...
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A port near marbella: white high-rises near the water

Property Investment in Spain

Many people made a lot of money out of investing in property in Spain. Unfortunately, those who invested just before ...
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Investment in Spain

Residence by Investment in Spain (Immigration/Golden Visa)

One way to get the right to live in Spain is via its "residence by investment" ('golden visa') programme. This ...
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Property Development in Spain

A large part of the economy of Spain is based on construction and property development. In the past, it has ...
Read More

Rescuing Failed Property Developments in Spain

In the era from 2007 to 2010-ish, there were lots of failed developments in Spain. Whether you were a buyer ...
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Property Investment in Spain

Many people made a lot of money out of investing in property in Spain. Unfortunately, those who invested just before ...
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Taxes in Spain

A chocolate cake with a slice being taken from it

The use of trusts in Spain

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