BENIHOMES · COSTA BLANCA
Buying a home in Alicante from abroad: process and precautions
Buying from another country means organising decisions, documents and payments before you travel or appoint a representative. Photographs, a video call and a quick reservation are no substitute for checking the exact property. This guide focuses on the remote workflow; our international buyer's guide explains the wider purchase process.
Five milestones for a remote purchase
| Milestone | Check before moving on | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| Shortlist | Address, home type, floor area, associated spaces and price identified | Dated listing and documents |
| Viewing | Actual condition, surroundings, access and differences from images or plans | Visit report and written answers |
| Verification | Owner, registered property, charges, community and handover terms | Recent land registry extract and reviewed documents |
| Commitment | Contract, deposit, deadlines, finance and payee | Agreed text and bank records |
| Completion | Identity, authority to sign, taxes and handover | Deed, copies, tax records and registration |
1. View through a trusted person with a specific checklist
Arrange your own visit or one by an independent professional you can identify. A video tour can help you shortlist, but it cannot establish the condition of installations, damp, noise, views from every room or the status of alterations. Request dimensions, plans and an inventory of what the price includes, then compare them with the real home. With new developments, distinguish CGI from photographs of the current build and request written delivery terms.
2. Check title before paying a deposit
The Spanish Land Registrars' online service explains that a registry extract identifies the property, owners and registered rights or charges. Ask for a recent extract and compare it with the address, cadastral reference, associated spaces and seller's documents. The Spanish government recommends legal checks before buying. Where records differ, seek an explanation and documentary proof before committing funds. Our guide to the registry extract, deposit and deed sets out those stages.
Also ask about community charges, property tax, utilities, known works and occupation. The document set differs for an existing home, completed new build or off-plan purchase. A technical surveyor and legal professional can assess issues a video tour and registry extract cannot resolve.
3. Arrange identity and representation early
The Spanish National Police explains NIE applications, including the consular route for people outside Spain. If someone will sign on your behalf, ask the notary handling the sale which powers the document must grant. The Spanish Consulate in London describes issuing a power for a representative to sign in Spain and the apostille and translation required for certain foreign documents. That is an example from one consular post, not a universal rule for every country or instrument: confirm legalisation, translation and acceptance for your own transaction.
An NIE is not a residence permit. Our guide for non-resident buyers explains the distinction.
4. Protect the contract and your money
Before reserving, put the property, associated spaces, price, deposit, deed deadline, handover, charges, financing and consequences of breach in writing. If you need a mortgage, the lender must assess your actual case and your contract timetable should reflect uncertainty. Build a line-item budget using our Alicante purchase-cost guide, without applying a single percentage to every purchase.
Verify the payee's bank details through an independent, known channel, especially if an email suddenly changes the account. The [Bank of Spain warns](https://clientebancario.bde.es/pcb/es/blog/has_encontrado_el_piso.html?blog=%2Fwebcb%2FBlog) that a fraudulent transfer can be difficult to recover. Ask your bank about limits, currency conversion, charges and timing before committing to payment dates. Keep written instructions and receipts.
5. Plan completion and the tasks after signing
Give the notary time to review identity, powers, title documents, payment evidence and mortgage documents where relevant. After signing, check tax filings, registration, keys and utility changes. The Spanish government outlines the deed and registration process. Our post-purchase checklist covers the land registry, cadastre, property tax and services.
Can I buy without ever travelling to Alicante?
Representation may be possible, but do not decide from photographs and a generic power alone. Arrange an independent physical check and ask the notary what it will accept in your case.
When should I send a reservation payment?
Only after identifying the property, seller or representative, agreed contract terms and receiving account, with professional review where appropriate. There is no universally safe timetable for all transactions.
Sources checked 31 October 2026: Spanish National Police, government, Land Registrars, Spanish Consulate in London and Bank of Spain. General information only; an individual transaction needs legal, tax, banking and technical review. BeniHomes editorial image of Benidorm; it does not depict a listed property.