BENIHOMES · COSTA BLANCA
New Build or Resale on the Costa Blanca: How to Compare Homes
The right choice between a new build and a resale on the Costa Blanca depends on the specific home, your complete budget and when you need to move in. A development may offer a current layout and finish, but contract, payments and handover need checking. A resale can be inspected as a finished property, yet may need works or have ongoing costs. Neither category is always better. For the purchase sequence, see our international buyer’s guide.
Compare actual homes, not labels
Ask for documents for each property and visit it. An advert calling a home “new” does not alone determine the tax due. The Spanish Tax Agency distinguishes a developer’s first supply from later transfers. A recently built apartment may still be a subsequent supply. Construction date, sale history and use matter.
| Question | New or off-plan home | Resale home |
|---|---|---|
| When can I use it? | Check contractual date, construction and occupancy document | Check vacant possession, keys and current occupation |
| What am I buying? | Specification, plans, annexes and permitted changes | Inspectable unit, real dimensions, installations and annexes |
| How much cash is needed? | Price, VAT and AJD if applicable, deposits and extras | Price, ITP if applicable, repairs and setup |
| What could change? | Delay, execution changes, defects or finance | Charges, defects, community works or use limits |
| What needs checking? | Developer, contract, deposit protection and delivery | Title, charges, community, technical condition and utilities |
A table cannot replace an inspection or legal review of the property. Use our Alicante purchase-cost guide and Valencian ITP, VAT and AJD guide to separate taxes from other costs. Compare the amount after transaction costs, professional services, works and a maintenance reserve, not only asking prices.
If you buy a new or off-plan home
Ask for the developer’s identity, relevant building and planning status, specifications, plans showing areas and annexes, price including extras, payment schedule, delivery date and contractual terms for delays or changes. Check what will be handed over and the document allowing occupancy in the particular case. A render illustrates a plan; it does not prove final views, light or finishes. Visit the site and check orientation and surroundings. For a purchase in that municipality, use our off-plan Finestrat checklist.
For payments on a home under construction, Spain’s Building Act sets conditions for safeguarding advance payments and a dedicated account. Ask for the individual guarantee document where required and verify the guarantor, account and contract before transferring money. The Act also addresses liability for material building defects over one, three or ten years depending on the defect, with specific start dates, conditions and exceptions. These are not a universal warranty for every problem, and resale does not automatically restart the periods.
If you buy a resale
View the home in daylight and, if possible, at a different time. Check damp, cooling and heating, windows, systems, accessibility, noise and the scope of any renovation. Obtain estimates before setting your maximum budget. Ask about local property tax, community fees, approved extraordinary charges, utilities and occupation. Attractive photographs or a cosmetic refurbishment do not prove technical condition. For a detached house, use our Costa Blanca villa checklist to compare the plot, buildings and physical state.
A nota simple provides information about ownership and charges, but it is informative and cannot replace every check. Our nota simple, deposit and deed guide organises the process. The Spanish Notariado advises seeking advice before handing over money, including checks of title, charges and community payments. Before planning works, confirm what the property and municipality allow and what authorisations are needed.
Energy, location and finance
Ask for the registered energy certificate where required. Royal Decree 390/2021 governs energy information on sale. A letter grade does not guarantee future bills; consumption also depends on use, equipment and maintenance. Compare the real journey to services, transport, slopes, sunlight and noise. A promising off-plan option may be unsuitable if you must move before completion.
If you need a loan, test both transactions with a lender before committing to payments or deadlines. Our non-resident mortgage guide explains why approval, amount and valuation are not automatic. Do not assume a lender will assess a completed home and an off-plan home in the same way.
Does new build always mean VAT and resale always mean ITP?
That is a common starting point, not enough to classify every transaction. Determine whether it is a first supply for tax purposes, who sells and the transaction’s circumstances. The Tax Agency explains the distinctions; confirm the specific tax before signing.
Can a resale still have building-defect protection?
Some liabilities may still run depending on reception date, defect type and the applicable regime. Review the documents and dates for that building. Resale does not automatically begin all periods again; seek technical and legal advice for the case.
Sources checked on 31 October 2026: Spanish Tax Agency, BOE, Land Registrars and Notariado. General comparison, not a technical, tax or legal opinion on a particular home. BeniHomes supplied editorial image; it does not necessarily identify an advertised unit.