Buying a new apartment or second-hand one in Spain? Every economic investment has its pros and cons. If you are going to buy an apartment either on the Spanish coast or in a city, it is a decision to make before searching for your future home.
Expenses and taxes when buying a new home vs. secondhand
Depending on whether the home you are going to buy is new or not, then you will pay one type of tax or another. If the apartment is new construction you will pay the 10% corresponding to VAT, on the total sale price of the property declared in the deed. And if it is an apartment in resale you will pay the Property Transfer Tax or ITP that varies according to the autonomous community where you make the purchase in Spain. It is less than the VAT applicable to new construction housing, between 6 and 8%.
Property Price
In a second-hand apartment the cost of the average square meter is lower. According to the data provided by the Spanish Ministry of Development, the square meter of second-hand apartments is 100€ less than new construction housing.
Where is the apartment located?
If the location of your apartment is an essential and non-negotiable factor then perhaps you have already decided if you are going to buy a new or resale house, especially if because of your lifestyle being located in the city center is essential, since it is the second-hand apartments consolidated in these centred areas.
Ans as you know the location of the house also comes directly related to the price of the property.
Characteristics and facilities of the house
Back in the days, in Spain the tendency of the real estate market was to make large apartments. However, now the new construction apartments are usually smaller but have more community services such as garden areas and sports facilities, being located on the periphery of the cities.
Customize vs Reform
The great advantage of new construction homes is that if you buy them before the construction is finished, you can customize it to your liking without falling into an extra expense since you can negotiate it with the builder. And with the second-hand apartments you probably have to make a reform to adapt it to your needs.
These five characteristics are the same that real estate agency Naranja Spain discuss with its clients when they are undecided about whether to buy a second-hand or new construction property. In addition to offering a real vision of the real estate market with guided tours of the new and resale apartments located in south of Costa Blanca.