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According to the 4th studio of the real estate company Casaktua, 10% of Spaniards are looking for a house or apartment to invest in the real estate sector. The typical profile of a buyer is an employee between 45 and 54 years old with savings of between 100,000 and 150,000 euros. As for the different uses, 33% of Spaniards say they want to invest in a property to rent it. 14% want to rent the property purchased as holiday accommodation and 12% want to completely renovate the property for later resale.

Investing in Spanish properties is very attractive, but requires some market knowledge and professional advice. Casaktua has put together six helpful tips to make sure that investment in a property in Spain is done smoothly and gets a higher return:

- Weigh the pros and cons: buy to rent or buy to sell again? Buying a property in Spain and then renting it offers a regular monthly income and a residential property that slowly increases in value. You can also rent the property as a holiday home, which will give you more income than a long-term rental, the income is safe (usually paid in advance) and is always available for your own use. Buying a property for resale later carries less financial risk if it can be sold at a higher price and also offers an immediate benefit.

- The right property for your investment purpose: The type of property that best suits your investment depends on what you want to use the property for. Furnished two- or three-bedroom apartments are perfect for short-term rentals, such as vacation homes or apartments for business people. If you are looking for a long-term rental or want to sell the property at a later date, you should prefer apartments with a good room layout, with two or three bedrooms, elevator and garage.

- Located in large cities and holiday areas: If you are buying a property with the intention of selling it, it is better to choose an apartment in Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga or other important cities since the real estate market is more dynamic there. As property prices in Spain do not rise evenly, it is also worth investing in provincial capitals such as Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Malaga, Alicante, Pamplona or Murcia, as prices also tend to rise. If you are buying an apartment to rent, the location is also very important. In Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastian rents are the most expensive. Most holiday destinations such as the Costa del Sol are also a good choice for both investment destinations due to the growing demand for holiday homes near the beach and the increase in holiday rentals.

- Investing in consolidated areas: It is best to look for properties in consolidated areas with a strong demand for rental homes, which are also well connected and offer a wide range of services. In Madrid, for example, the districts within the ring road of the M-30 are very interesting. Large business centers or college districts are also a good choice, as there will always be demand. The properties in the city center are always the best, although the initial investment will be much higher there.
- Properties in good condition: If a property is going to be rented, it is important that it is in good condition to make it attractive to tenants. If you want to renovate the apartment after purchase, the purchase price should be as low as possible and the property should not have a complicated room layout. The average price of a renewal is between 450 and 500 euros/m2. The condition of the residential building should also be inspected to avoid unpleasant surprises and additional costs later on.
- How is performance calculated? To calculate the initial investment, in addition to the purchase price, it is necessary to take into account taxes, the costs of buying accessories and the costs of furnishing and renovating the property (paintings, appliances, furniture, etc.). Once you have this information, you can calculate the return on your investment.
- Before making your decision, you should inform yourself in detail about the ancillary costs involved, if you have enough equity to buy the house or apartment or finance part of the purchase price. In general, you should allow 10-15% of your budget for the costs associated with the purchase.
- All property contracts in Spain must be signed with a notary public. Fees for this are fixed by law and range from 800 to 875 euros, depending on the purchase price. For registration in the registration of the property (similar to the registration of the property) another 400 to 675 euros must be allowed; fees are also set by law.

- An important part of the additional costs when buying a property are taxes. The type and amount of taxes payable depends on whether the property is newly built or formerly owned. In the case of new constructions, 10% value added tax (VAT) is paid, as well as 0.5% to 1.5% certification tax (AJD - Documented Legal Acts), depending on the autonomous region.
- 6 to 8 percent real estate transfer tax
- Property of former ownership is subject to the property transfer tax (ITP), to the extent that the buyer and seller are natural persons. The amount of the tax depends on the Autonomous Community in which the property is located and varies between 6% and 10%. If you have hired a Manager to handle the purchase transaction, you must also pay a fee, which is usually about 300 euros.
- If you finance part of the purchase price through a Spanish bank, you will also have to allow around 250 to 600 euros for the valuation of the property by a surveyor. The loan agreement also includes notary fees, registration in the property registry, and certification taxes, although these are usually paid by banks.